Verizon Pre-Paid 4G SIM replacement Issues

[randymac88]

This weekend I had a fairly major issue come up when I accidentally de-activated my Pre-Paid Verizon account that I purchased on the iPad. I thought that "de-activate" meant that it wouldn't auto-renew, which is what I wanted to do.

Anyway, after de-activation (which ended my service, cancelled all of my data, and made it so I couldn't connect to LTE or 3G) I called Verizon, who told me, after being transferred to 3 different departments and dropped once, that I needed to get a new 4G sim card, and to go to a Verizon store. So I did.

When I got to the Verizon store, the manager told me that they were unable to issue a new sim card without signing me up for a post-paid account (as if it was a new phone), and that they could not even give out pre-paid accounts. It wasn't even an option for them in their system. And, if I get a post-paid account, any time I want to turn it off, they're going to have to replace the sim card again if I want to re-activate. This seems crazy, right?

So I went to the apple store and after about 90 minutes of waiting got them to swap out my ipad for a new one out of the box, with a fresh sim, and that has solved the problem. I did however get taken for the first $20 data plan I bought and subsequently deactivated.

Anyway, BEWARE. It was a huge pain to get this rectified. DON'T DEACTIVATE.

 

[xyphr3]

You, along with alot of people, are having problems with Verizon. I haven't seen that many AT&T bitching on macrumors, so is Verizon people idiots or is Verizon just harder to work with?

P.S. I do have a Verizon iPad, just wont be buying a data plan for a couple of months.

 

[David Loe]

Had exact same experience

Couldn't believe your posting. The exact same thing happened to me after inadvertently deleting my brand new Verizon account. The replacement SIM cards cannot be obtained either in stores or by mail.

I guessing you had the original iPad on AT&T like I did, because the button we both hit to attempt to stop the auto renewal of the 4G account on Verizon is the one we used for exactly that purpose on AT&T. Hitting that button on Verizon's iPad though deletes the account immediately and fries the SIM card. Astonishingly they designed it so the SIM card becomes worthless! Even more astonishing, there is no provision for obtaining a replacement!!

I'm working with Verizon to find a solution (for me...and everyone else this is going to happen to). As far as your lost $20, call customer service. They can't refund my money yet because I don't have a new account. Since you do, there should be no problem getting the money you lost transferred to the new account. They'll be able to verify that the account was hardly utilized before it was cancelled.

 

[RetiredInFl]

So how do you stop the account from renewing at the end of the month of prepaid data? Or can't you? I haven't activated mine yet.

 

[gsimmons1987]

I had the exact same thing happen to me aswell. However; I didn't bother going to the Verizon store for them to tell me I couldn't have a new sim. I went straight back to the Apple Store and exchanged my 16gb Verizon for a 32gb AT&T and haven't looked back since. Everything has been 100% smooth with AT&T and I will never deal with Verizon again....

 

[bcaslis]

Not Correct

If you activated on the iPad itself, then you can easily deactive it and reactive later whenever you want.

If you got someone (like Best Buy) to active it as a post-paid plan then that is a different story.

But the you can deactive a pre-paid plan from the iPad with no problem and no need to exchange sim or iPad.

 

[RetiredInFl]

If you activated on the iPad itself, then you can easily deactive it and reactive later whenever you want.

If you got someone (like Best Buy) to active it as a post-paid plan then that is a different story.

But the you can deactive a pre-paid plan from the iPad with no problem and no need to exchange sim or iPad.

Really? It seems both posters setup their account on a newly purchased iPad and both said they were PREPAID accounts. Now I'm afraid to activate mine till I find out for sure. I know it's no problem with ATT because that was what I had on my iPad 2.

This weekend I had a fairly major issue come up when I accidentally de-activated my Pre-Paid Verizon account that I purchased on the iPad.

When I got to the Verizon store, the manager told me that they were unable to issue a new sim card without signing me up for a post-paid account (as if it was a new phone), and that they could not even give out pre-paid accounts. It wasn't even an option for them in their system.

 

[randymac88]

If you activated on the iPad itself, then you can easily deactive it and reactive later whenever you want.

If you got someone (like Best Buy) to active it as a post-paid plan then that is a different story.

But the you can deactive a pre-paid plan from the iPad with no problem and no need to exchange sim or iPad.

You're right, but that's not what happened to me. I activated on a pre-paid plan, on my iPad. I pre-ordered.

Here's the thing: when you open "view account" you get usage details. Then, when you tap on "change plans" you are presented with different plan options, as well as an option to "cancel plan".

When you tap on "cancel plan", the next screen gives you some language about deactivating your account either "now" or "later", and that after 5 months of inactivity your account will be automatically deleted. The "later" option is pre-checked. Thinking I wanted to deactivate now (having no idea that deactivating meant what it actually does, and not to just deactivate the auto-renewal), I checked that option and hit "submit".

As soon as you hit that submit button, it's over. Boom. You will never be able to have a pre-paid plan on your new iPad ever again (as Verizon has it set up now). Your only option is to go and get a new sim card with a post-paid plan, and if you ever want to cancel that, you'll again need to replace the sim card of you want to reactivate.

Oh, and I guess what they're saying is that if you go more than 5 months between activations, your done for as well.

Doesn't that seem messed up?

 

[RetiredInFl]

You're right, but that's not what happened to me. I activated on a pre-paid plan, on my iPad. I pre-ordered.

Here's the thing: when you open "view account" you get usage details. Then, when you tap on "change plans" you are presented with different plan options, as well as an option to "cancel plan".

When you tap on "cancel plan", the next screen gives you some language about deactivating your account either "now" or "later", and that after 5 months of inactivity your account will be automatically deleted. The "later" option is pre-checked. Thinking I wanted to deactivate now (having no idea that deactivating meant what it actually does, and not to just deactivate the auto-renewal), I checked that option and hit "submit".

As soon as you hit that submit button, it's over. Boom. You will never be able to have a pre-paid plan on your new iPad ever again (as Verizon has it set up now). Your only option is to go and get a new sim card with a post-paid plan, and if you ever want to cancel that, you'll again need to replace the sim card of you want to reactivate.

Oh, and I guess what they're saying is that if you go more than 5 months between activations, your done for as well.

Doesn't that seem messed up?

But if you deactivate "later" is there also an option to NOT autorenew after the current month is up because on the ATT version on my iPad 2 it allowed you to disable the "auto-renew every month" but NOT cancel the account.

 

[ckiggins]

The following support document:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4572

Says the following, in part, in regards to canceling a prepaid data plan:

The following options appear:

Delete Account Now: Select this option if you want to remove this device from the account now.
Delete Account Later: Select this option if you want to discontinue the monthly service for the next month only; your account information will remain with Verizon.

 

[Akack]

Oh, and I guess what they're saying is that if you go more than 5 months between activations, your done for as well.

Doesn't that seem messed up?

Ya that seems weird since if I get the 4G I will only activate only if I need it but if 5 months lapse between activations then you're done???? WTF??

 

[David Loe]

But if you deactivate "later" is there also an option to NOT autorenew after the current month is up because on the ATT version on my iPad 2 it allowed you to disable the "auto-renew every month" but NOT cancel the account.

Good question. And yes these are pre-paid accounts we are talking about. The whole issue of post-paid accounts is an entirely separate, but equally disturbing issue.

----------

The following support document:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4572

Says the following, in part, in regards to canceling a prepaid data plan:

The following options appear:

Delete Account Now: Select this option if you want to remove this device from the account now.
Delete Account Later: Select this option if you want to discontinue the monthly service for the next month only; your account information will remain with Verizon.

Thanks for finding that.

Those definitions should be clearly stated on the iPad screen. As of now there is no warning (until after the fact) that delete account now...means NOW...and not at the end of the billing cycle. There should also be a warning that deleting now renders the SIM card totally unusable.

 

[southerndude39]

Good question. And yes these are pre-paid accounts we are talking about. The whole issue of post-paid accounts is an entirely separate, but equally disturbing issue.

----------



Thanks for finding that.

Those definitions should be clearly stated on the iPad screen. As of now there is no warning (until after the fact) that delete account now...means NOW...and not at the end of the billing cycle. There should also be a warning that deleting now renders the SIM card totally unusable.

so what did it do that you knew the SIM card was unusable? Were you not able to reactivate/renew the account? or did it give you a warning message?

On the iPad 2 I had did the following to re-activate the account:

Tap Settings > Cellular Data > View Account.
An account login screen will appear. Log in with your username and password.
The Account Overview screen appears. Select Add Data or Change Plan.
The Add Data or Change Plan screen appears. Select Cancel Plan.
The following options appear:
Delete Account Now: Select this option if you want to remove this device from the account now.
Delete Account Later: Select this option if you want to discontinue the monthly service for the next month only; your account information will remain with Verizon.
You will receive a confirmation that the plan was canceled successfully. To finish resetting the account, proceed to the next step.

Tap Settings > General > Reset: Subscriber Services.
Tap Reset Account.
Your iPad will prompt you to confirm the account reset. Tap Reset to complete deactivation.

 

[RetiredInFl]

The following support document:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4572

Says the following, in part, in regards to canceling a prepaid data plan:

The following options appear:

Delete Account Now: Select this option if you want to remove this device from the account now.
Delete Account Later: Select this option if you want to discontinue the monthly service for the next month only; your account information will remain with Verizon.

Assuming it's the same for the iPad 3, that makes sense and is how the ATT worked. I think the issue is that it isn't "clear" which is what confused the other posters.

 

[David Loe]

so what did it do that you knew the SIM card was unusable? Were you not able to reactivate/renew the account? or did it give you a warning message?

On the iPad 2 I had did the following to re-activate the account:

Tap Settings > Cellular Data > View Account.
An account login screen will appear. Log in with your username and password.
The Account Overview screen appears. Select Add Data or Change Plan.
The Add Data or Change Plan screen appears. Select Cancel Plan.
The following options appear:
Delete Account Now: Select this option if you want to remove this device from the account now.
Delete Account Later: Select this option if you want to discontinue the monthly service for the next month only; your account information will remain with Verizon.
You will receive a confirmation that the plan was canceled successfully. To finish resetting the account, proceed to the next step.

Tap Settings > General > Reset: Subscriber Services.
Tap Reset Account.
Your iPad will prompt you to confirm the account reset. Tap Reset to complete deactivation.

You simply get a message on your iPad that the sim card is already associated with an account...and teases you by giving the simple insturctions to get a new one either by calling an 800# or by going to a Verizon store.

It isn't until you've spent hours on the phone and arguing with store managers that you cannot get a replacement card for a pre-paid card.

 

[bidwalj]

this is good information to know. I aways wondered how the month to month actually worked since generally once you deactivate service, a sim becomes useless.

so the key here is to not delete your account when you cancel month to month data?

 

[David Loe]

this is good information to know. I aways wondered how the month to month actually worked since generally once you deactivate service, a sim becomes useless.

so the key here is to not delete your account when you cancel month to month data?

The key is to hit delete account later. Fortunately you are now forewarned. The description on Verizon's iPad screen is very confusing (hey, i'm a college grad who has owned an iPad on AT&T for two years...and I pushed the wrong button).

I predict thousands of users will be frying their sim cards within the next few weeks...and fruitlessly trying to find a replacement.

 

[southerndude39]

You simply get a message on your iPad that the sim card is already associated with an account...and teases you by giving the simple insturctions to get a new one either by calling an 800# or by going to a Verizon store.

It isn't until you've spent hours on the phone and arguing with store managers that you cannot get a replacement card for a pre-paid card.

On my iPad 2 with Verizon, I had to do this as well to get the iPad to disassociate the iPad from my deactivated account.

Tap Settings > General > Reset: Subscriber Services.
Tap Reset Account.
Your iPad will prompt you to confirm the account reset.

I wonder if that would work in the case of the new iPad 3 with the sim. If so then Verizon must not know about this step.

 

[bidwalj]

The key is to hit delete account later. Fortunately you are now forewarned. The description on Verizon's iPad screen is very confusing (hey, i'm a college grad who has owned an iPad on AT&T for two years...and I pushed the wrong button).

I predict thousands of users will be frying their sim cards within the next few weeks...and fruitlessly trying to find a replacement.

Thanks for the info! FYI, might want to try a third party verizon store. I was able to buy a sim for a buck back when I wanted to test out the galaxy nexus.

 

[KPOM]

The real solutions are for Verizon to make the buttons more clear on the device, and for them to start stocking stores with pre-paid SIMs. Since they are a CDMA shop, they haven't been used to the whole concept of SIM cards and unlike AT&T didn't offer prepaid SIMs in the past.

 

[southerndude39]

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4572 which is the information I gave above Apple says it's for iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, iPad Wi-Fi + 3G, iPad Wi-Fi + 4G


It just sounds like you need to perform the additional Reset: Subscriber Services to disassociate your old account with the SIM card.

 

[randymac88]

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4572 which is the information I gave above Apple says it's for iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, iPad Wi-Fi + 3G, iPad Wi-Fi + 4G


It just sounds like you need to perform the additional Reset: Subscriber Services to disassociate your old account with the SIM card.

The difference is that this is a 4G sim card, not a 3G sim card. Verizon clearly stated to me that, because I had a 4G card, it could NOT be reactivated. Not by resetting the subscriber services, not by calling, not by going in to the store, nothing. I agree, this will soon be a huge problem once the first wave of data users want to stop their first month.

The "delete account later" option will do as you mention and stop auto-renew while maintaining your data plan (for a maximum of five consecutive months). And to be clear, the only remedy for my situation was replacing the unit with a brand new iPad, from a new box (not even the replacement units worked as they didn't have active IMEI numbers in Verizon's database).

 

[mkbook]

Nevermind, I thought I fixed the issue. My sim card is fried as well :/

 

[Mogulman]

I had to create am account and reply after enduring Verizon this morning and reading these posts.

My story:

Old ipad2 on Verizon. I had about 10 days left on my Verizon account when I got the new iPad. I had set up the account to no auto renew on the iPad 2.

Got the new iPad on 3/16 and had Verizon successfully transfer my account to the new iPad. Great!


I was in the hospital for back surgery last week. Was finally able to start reading some emails on Mon. I saw an email from VZ on 3/23 telling my that my account had renewed. I was a little annoyed.

I tried calling VZ about 3 times this morning without being able to get through. I gave up and figured. Agh...I'll probably use it this month anyway. I went into my account settings because I didn't want it to autorenew again. I went to change my plan, cancel, but there was no "now or later" option. Figured maybe the interface had changed on the new iPad. So I clicked cancel. The only option it gave me was to delete my account. I figured. Ok.. I'll just create a new one at the end of the month.
^^^^^. Bad move I found out later


After 10 more calls to VZ, disconnections etc. from their CSRS, they told me that my SIM is fried. That I need to go to a store to get a new sim card. It was going to cost me $5 but they were going to make en exception on my account. I explained that I just had back surgery an it's really hard for me to get to the closest VZ store. They said it was the only way.


Later on.... Drove to VZ store..
First person I talked to didn't know how to open the sim slot on the new iPad and didn't have a tool. They also told me there are no $20 plans anymore. They stopped selling those.

2nd person found a sim, but wanted to sign me up for a post paid plan. I sat in the store for 30 minutes while they try and figure out how to get a sim out of their inventory and put it in my iPad. Ultimately, I was very tired and starting to feel sick, so they put the new sim in my iPad and let me activate it. They just didn't know how they were going to account for it.


Btw.... With the new sim/account, the cancel option now has a "later" thing for deleting the account. Which is what I wanted in the first place. Maybe it was just something that got hosed in VZ system when transferring the old account to the new iPad.


Now the only thing I'm out is the $20 I was billed for service on 3/23 that I never used. One lady at VZ told me they would refund it prorated. Another told me the only thing I could do was dispute it on my credit card. Any ideas?


How this story will help someone else.

 

[RetiredInFl]

@Mogulman
I just went through the same thing today at a large VZW corp store and a small VZW mall store and they absolutely refused to give or sell me a sim. I'm going to Apple tomorrow and see what the "geniuses" have to say about it. It seems they are not "permitted" to supply a sim (free or otherwise) without a postpaid account and as you say, there is "no way" to sell one in their system. Maybe I should feign a heart attack and they will give me one. I am certainly old enough for it to look legit! Actually I ordered one off eBay for $6 but now it's the principle. VZW is totally screwed up WRT iPad sims.

This is some of my exploits over the last couple days: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1349815/