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Verizon iPad 3 account troubles?

E

ethana

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 17, 2008
836
0
Seattle, WA
Anyone here with a Verizon iPad 3... when you go to "Cellular Data" in Settings and hit "View Account"... what appears for you?

I had my iPad activated at Best Buy and it works, but I am getting the message "SIM Card Already Active. The SIM card inserted in this device is already active on a subscription that cannot be managed on this device. Please call customer service at 1-800-786-8419 if you have any questions."

So I have to call to change my data plan? How can I access my plan on verizon.com? And do I just get a bill in the mail or what???

Anyone else have this????

Ethan
 
I haven't even been able to get mine to activate and it's been over 6 hours. Just getting the same error over and over. Verizon said they'd call me back but still hasn't. Terrible experience overall...I use AT&T for my phone and really am kicking myself for deciding to go with Verizon this time.
 
Interesting. For me it came up right away. I just activated it from within the iPad itself.
 
I'm still having the same problem. No one from Verizon can seem to figure out why I can't manage my account from the unit itself. Has anyone here had this problem and found a solution?
 
You guys probably got scammed by best buy and signed up for a post paid plan. Except a $35 fee for activation, and a monthly bill, etc instead of prepay where you can just pay for it for a month and be done.

If you gave your SSN when signing up for Best Buy this is what has happened to you, others have reported it as well.
 
Still waiting to hear back from Verizon

Hi, I've been a lurker to this forum but had to reply to this. I had this problem when I first tried to activate it. It gave me some error message and said to call customer service. After doing this they said my account was only partially set up and the rep had to charge the $20 herself for my data to work. But I still can't view my account. I've spent hours on the phone and an hour today with a clueless Verizon rep at a store who first tried to tell me I'm suppose to be able to add and manage my Verizon data on iTunes (yeah, wtf). So he called tech support and they opened a trouble ticket. This was in the morning, so I'm still waiting for a call back from them. It's a bit comforting to know I'm not the only one with this issue. I too would like to know if anyone has found a resolution for this because all the Verizon reps had no clue.
 
I don't know about Verzion but with an AT&T iPad if you have a post paid account (i.e., you get a bill every month just like your phone) you can't view your account on your iPad. The only time you have that option is when you prepay for a specific amount of data. This is so you can add more or cancel.

It's possible Verzion is setup the same way. If Best Buy set you up with a post pay account then you'll have to call Verzion.
 
I'm in the same boat. Sim is active and account working. But can't view or alter account from iPad's native settings. If I don't anticipate changing my data plan often should this solution be decent enough or should I consider taking any course of action?
 
Post pay accounts cannot be managed through the ipad's settings. If you know the phone number assigned to your iPad, then you can create an account on the Verizon website (and/or download the my Verizon app) and manage it there. You should be able to add and subtract data to your plan. Basically, it's treated the same as if you had a phone with them. If you already have phone service and they activated it to your current account then it should be listed among your phones.
 
I ran into a bizarre problem after I got my new iPad. I also have an iPad 2, using Verizon. When I tried setting up the cellular plan on the new one, I got an error message saying that the email address I had supplied was "already taken" and that I had to use another one!! Unbelievable. I spent an hour on the phone with Verizon, who ended up telling me that each data plan had to have a different email associated with it, and that it was an "Apple problem". I spent another half hour on the phone with Apple, who confirmed that each plan had to be on a unique email, and said it was a "Verizon problem".

Whoever caused this to be the case doesn't know crap about designing user friendly systems. This is absolutely ridiculous. I ended up setting up a separate gmail account just to set up the data plan on the new iPad.

Terrible, terrible decision by someone.
 
emgoodman said:
Post pay accounts cannot be managed through the ipad's settings. If you know the phone number assigned to your iPad, then you can create an account on the Verizon website (and/or download the my Verizon app) and manage it there. You should be able to add and subtract data to your plan. Basically, it's treated the same as if you had a phone with them. If you already have phone service and they activated it to your current account then it should be listed among your phones.
Click to expand...

That's the thing, I didn't sign up for a post paid account. When I did the initial set up, I signed up myself through my iPad. Put in my card info, picked the plan, then tried to complete the transaction and it gave me an error. The prepaid customer service had to charge my card for me on the phone to get me up and running. So I am on prepaid not post paid (they don't have the 1gig for post paid). And when I tried to sign up online, it gives me another message saying my type of account can only be managed through my device (and this was done at a Verizon store with a rep helping me). The last person I spoke to on the phone told me that until they resolve this issue, I have to call into prepaid customer service to add more data.
 
Last edited:
ethana said:
Anyone here with a Verizon iPad 3... when you go to "Cellular Data" in Settings and hit "View Account"... what appears for you?

I had my iPad activated at Best Buy and it works, but I am getting the message "SIM Card Already Active. The SIM card inserted in this device is already active on a subscription that cannot be managed on this device. Please call customer service at 1-800-786-8419 if you have any questions."

So I have to call to change my data plan? How can I access my plan on verizon.com? And do I just get a bill in the mail or what???

Anyone else have this????

Ethan
Click to expand...

A lot of people have been saying BBY signed them up for the post paid without telling them. The postpaid cannot be accessed from the settings on the iPad.
 
emgoodman said:
Post pay accounts cannot be managed through the ipad's settings. If you know the phone number assigned to your iPad, then you can create an account on the Verizon website (and/or download the my Verizon app) and manage it there. You should be able to add and subtract data to your plan. Basically, it's treated the same as if you had a phone with them. If you already have phone service and they activated it to your current account then it should be listed among your phones.
Click to expand...

Read this... The man is spot on correct.

Best Buy is getting credits from Verizon for selling a line of service into your account, that's why they're choosing to do it this way. But even if you call Verizon and set it up on your account yourself you still can't access it from the device.
 
I ran into something very similar to this. Here's what I did that lead up to it and how I ended up fixing it:

Leading up to the problem:
- Restored the iPad from an iCloud backup of an iPad 2 Wifi.
- Tried to register for Verizon service on the iPad. (Was on Wifi at the time; don't know if this made any difference.)
- The registration completed partially, and then every time I tried to "view account" it failed with some error.
- Did "reset network settings", and this managed to at least get "view account" to fail with the "SIM card already active" message.
- Apple Store didn't know what was wrong; Verizon store said my account looked fine.

Path to fixing:
- Asked Verizon to totally clear the account just in case it ended up billing somehow; they said that I wouldn't be able to re-register on that SIM. They also wouldn't give me a new one without signing it up for a post-paid account.
- I probably could have gone to another store (it was a mall kiosk) to get them to hand me a new unactivated SIM, but in the end I just went to Best Buy and bought one for $20 instead of arguing with Verizon for hours.
- Popped it in, reset network settings.
- Once it restarted, it eventually got on the network (after some fiddling with toggling wifi, cell on and off).
- Made sure Wifi was turned off, and I was able to do "view account" and complete the full registration process.

Lessons:
- If you restore from a backup, be *sure* to reset your network settings before trying to sign up. I believe that's how my account got into nonfunctional limbo somehow.
- Getting your hands on a new 4G SIM should be a fix when Verizon isn't being helpful at all.

Cheers,
-Chris
 
ChrispyPost said:
I ran into something very similar to this. Here's what I did that lead up to it and how I ended up fixing it:

Leading up to the problem:
- Restored the iPad from an iCloud backup of an iPad 2 Wifi.
- Tried to register for Verizon service on the iPad. (Was on Wifi at the time; don't know if this made any difference.)
- The registration completed partially, and then every time I tried to "view account" it failed with some error.
- Did "reset network settings", and this managed to at least get "view account" to fail with the "SIM card already active" message.
- Apple Store didn't know what was wrong; Verizon store said my account looked fine.

Path to fixing:
- Asked Verizon to totally clear the account just in case it ended up billing somehow; they said that I wouldn't be able to re-register on that SIM. They also wouldn't give me a new one without signing it up for a post-paid account.
- I probably could have gone to another store (it was a mall kiosk) to get them to hand me a new unactivated SIM, but in the end I just went to Best Buy and bought one for $20 instead of arguing with Verizon for hours.
- Popped it in, reset network settings.
- Once it restarted, it eventually got on the network (after some fiddling with toggling wifi, cell on and off).
- Made sure Wifi was turned off, and I was able to do "view account" and complete the full registration process.

Lessons:
- If you restore from a backup, be *sure* to reset your network settings before trying to sign up. I believe that's how my account got into nonfunctional limbo somehow.
- Getting your hands on a new 4G SIM should be a fix when Verizon isn't being helpful at all.

Cheers,
-Chris
Click to expand...

You know, now that I think about it, I did initially tried to restore from the cloud and it kept giving me errors when loading my apps so I completely reset the ipad and restored from itunes. The first Verizon rep I spoke to did tell me to go to a store and have them give me a new SIM card and reset everything. If they don't get this resolved in a week, I'll try to get them to give me a new SIM or I'll just have to buy one. But I think you're solution makes sense. Somehow it thinks I'm already registered, or at least my SIM is. But if thats the case, there will be some issues if you ever resell your iPad to someone else and they don't get a new SIM (unless they can come up with a FIX).
 
1-888-2946804 verizon prepaid, choose language - option 4 - option 5- option 4. they have access to your account. also any store can do it for you.
 
This is a known issue at Verizon

I too have been experiencing this "View my Account" problem since I first tried to activate my Verizon LTE iPad on March 18th. Like some of you I had to endure speaking to totally clueless Verizon customer service reps, one of whom had me RESET ALL MY IPAD SETTINGS. Which, of course did not work, and caused me to have to restore my iPad.

IGNORE THESE FRONT-LINE PEOPLE -- THEY ARE TECHNICALLY INCOMPETENT.

FINALLY, I got thru to a TECH SUPPORT person, who told me they are aware of this issue, and that it's been happening all over the country since launch-day. They are working on it, and they expect to have a solution "within 72 hours" (this was Tuesday, the 20th. I'm expecting them to get back to me by tomorrow, Friday the 23rd).

The tech support guy gave me a DIRECT PHONE NUMBER to the TECH SUPPORT DEPARTMENT: 1-800-786-8419
So lets chill on all these "theories" about what the problem is. (These forums seem to invite all kids of silly, shoot-from-the-hip speculation from people who don't have their facts straight.)

As for the story that Verizon is charging activation fees --- TOTALLY UNTRUE.
PRE-PAID DATA PLANS ARE MANAGED DIRECTLY ON THE IPAD -- JUST LIKE AT&T.
That said, if someone DID tell you this, you are TALKING to the WRONG DEPARTMENT.
When you call Verizon Wireless, ask for the "PRE-PAID" DEPARTMENT.

Hope that clears up a few things.
 
I am not able to manage my account from my device and presumably I am on a prepaid plan. I have the Verizon version that I ordered direct from Apple. After receiving it on Friday I tried to activate the 1 GB data plan from the iPad. I got a message saying there was an error. On Monday evening I called Verizon and after about 45 minutes on the phone they were able to get the data functioning. But when I went to view account, I got the message saying that service was already active and could not be managed from the device. The rep on the phone said it was showing in their system as a prepaid account and I should be able to manage on the iPad. They put in a trouble ticket and said it should be fixed in 48 hours. But I still have the issue this evening. The $20 charge showed up on my credit card monday evening.
 
Yes, this is precisely the issue I am having, and I had a similar experience with Verizon -- until I got a hold of the Tech Support rep.

This is my first experience with Verizon Wireless. My previous iPad was on AT&T, and if Verizon cannot fix this problem before my 14-day return window is up (I purchased mine from Apple, which I STRONGLY recommend), then I am likely going to return it, and exchange for the new AT&T model.
 
I am having same problem, was able to sign up ok for prepaid but now when I try to access my account it accepts my use rid and password but keeps telling me to reprovision the device. Called tech support on 3/20 and problem persists today 3/23.

I have a Verizon iPhone and have never had any problems.

Waiting on a fix...
 
Verizon/Best Buy... etc... any of these companies tricking people into postpaid accounts should be ashamed. iPads with cellular radios cost an extra $130. You paid that $130 to have the radio. Since you paid upfront, data should be pre-paid contract free. If they want people to sign contracts for postpaid, then they should cough up $150 subsidies on LTE iPads!
 
It really sucks that Best Buy convinced so many people that they had to sign up for a post paid account before leaving the store. If one of the other threads is correct, there is no way to switch to prepaid without canceling the post paid account and getting a new SIM card. Luckily I purchased mine from Apple and signed up on my device for prepaid. Even though I had to exchange my first iPad 3, tech support at Verizon was able to switch my account to the new device.
 
1080p said:
Since you paid upfront, data should be pre-paid contract free. If they want people to sign contracts for postpaid, then they should cough up $150 subsidies on LTE iPads!
Click to expand...

Are you positive the post-paid account signups are a contract, as in subject to early termination fee?

AT&T doesn't do it this way if you opt for post-paid, and I don't think Verizon does either (but could be wrong). My phones are with AT&T so I spoke with business customer care about postpaid when I was considering AT&T or Verizon for my 3rd gen iPad. I ended up going with Verizon (purchased from Apple) as the $20/1GB plan better suited my needs than AT&T offerings, plus I liked the idea of carrier diversity between my phone and tablet.

Best Buy's actions in slamming people into postpaid plans is nothing less than reprehensible.
 
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