A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4? I want to use on Verizon

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Murph5150

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I was chosen to demo the LG G4 and create reviews and forum discussions based off of my experience. It is unlocked, and to make it work will require taking the SIM out of my Droid Turbo and installing it into the G4.

I've never done this before. Given the G4 is unlocked and will use my Verizon SIM, do I need to take any precautions? I have never used a phone that came unlocked before and I don't want to make any mistakes. Advice and suggestions would be great.

Thank you.

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Aquila

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re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

Carrier unlocked doesn't necessarily mean it'll work on Verizon. As you know, many OEM's create several SKUs that support different bands, etc. Otherwise, it should be as simple as powering your Turbo off, removing the SIM, powering it back on (makes Verizon's server realize that it is out), putting the SIM in the G4 and then powering it on.
 

SactoKingsFan

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re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

Does the Droid Turbo use same size SIM card as G4 (micro)?

Sent from my LG G2 running CM 12
 

tardus

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

With Verizon it's a bit more restrictive than T-Mobile or AT&T. the device has to be "registered" with the carrier - as Assassin Droid mentioned.
I don't think it will do harm to drop the Verizon sim in the G4.

If worse comes to worse (I'm not saying it will be necessary) you can get a prepaid SIM from T-Mobile, ATT or a GSM reseller and use it as a wi-fi phone with the ability to make a voice call in a pinch. Or prepaid with data.

The Droid Turbo has nano sim? So you'll need an adapter since the G4 is micro sim..
 
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Murph5150

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

Thanks guys. Yes, the SIM is the same size. The gentleman who sent me the device, and I'm also assuming he's somewhat knowledgeable, said a SIM swap should work fine. I was concerned about network settings and such.

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GibMcFragger

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

Thanks guys. Yes, the SIM is the same size. The gentleman who sent me the device, and I'm also assuming he's somewhat knowledgeable, said a SIM swap should work fine. I was concerned about network settings and such.

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You can swap the SIM, but from everything I hear, Verizon doesn't allow any phones that aren't from them on their network. If the IMEI isn't registered to them, they won't allow it.

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dusoccer10

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

You can swap the SIM, but from everything I hear, Verizon doesn't allow any phones that aren't from them on their network. If the IMEI isn't registered to them, they won't allow it.

Posted via my Rooted LG G3 running DeneROM.

Thanks guys. Yes, the SIM is the same size. The gentleman who sent me the device, and I'm also assuming he's somewhat knowledgeable, said a SIM swap should work fine. I was concerned about network settings and such.

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That's not completely true. Take the Nexus 6 for example. People can order the Nexus 6 from Motorola or Google and get it to work just fine on Verizon even if the IMEI isn't registered. This was true before Verizon released it in February. All you needed was an active nano-SIM for it to work. The OP should be able to take his old SIM, put it in the G4, and it should activate normally without needing any inputs.
 

dusoccer10

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

Thanks guys. Yes, the SIM is the same size. The gentleman who sent me the device, and I'm also assuming he's somewhat knowledgeable, said a SIM swap should work fine. I was concerned about network settings and such.

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Just put your old SIM in the phone and it will automatically activate. You shouldn't have to play with network settings.
 

GibMcFragger

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

That's not completely true. Take the Nexus 6 for example. People can order the Nexus 6 from Motorola or Google and get it to work just fine on Verizon even if the IMEI isn't registered. This was true before Verizon released it in February. All you needed was an active nano-SIM for it to work. The OP should be able to take his old SIM, put it in the G4, and it should activate normally without needing any inputs.

Well hopefully I'm wrong then. :)

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erwaso

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

Guess you'll find out when you pop the sim in. Worse case is you'd have to call vzw to activate it. Or grab a prepaid sim.
 

tardus

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

Thanks guys. Yes, the SIM is the same size. The gentleman who sent me the device, and I'm also assuming he's somewhat knowledgeable, said a SIM swap should work fine. I was concerned about network settings and such.

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I double checked. The Droid Turbo is nano sim - smaller than the micro sim in the G4. You will need an adapter.

And make sure to get a good one for reasons mentioned here: http://www.androidcentral.com/warning-using-sim-adapter-incorrectly-brings-down-world-hate
 

brucesmays

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

I got my LG G4 trial phone today. It will not activate on Verizon. Took my sim card out of my note 4, put it in, booted it up. Cannot get it to register on the verizon network
 

doggy2965

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

I got my LG G4 trial phone today. It will not activate on Verizon. Took my sim card out of my note 4, put it in, booted it up. Cannot get it to register on the verizon network

Did you call Verizon?

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tardus

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

The OP may want to buy a nano sim from a GSM carrier - (AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.) - if they want to use the phone since it can't be registered on the Verizon network. I assume he doesn't want to ditch Verizon so prepaid is the way to go. Going voice only (not data/LTE) and only using wi-fi for data will work but not as fun.
Example of going prepaid:
GoPhone SIM Card Kit (Phone)

There are more compatible LTE bands with AT& T compared to T-Mobile, but depending on the location and amount of travel, being on the T-Mobile network may not make a difference. There are many re-sellers of both carrier's networks that offer prepaid sims for voice/LTE data compatible to some extent.
 
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Murph5150

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

I was wrong. As someone mentioned, the SIM sizes are different. In the network settings, there is an option to choose, "Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, or T-mobile," which further confuses me because I'm interpretating that as "Verizon compatible."

Calling Verizon was useless. Since the IMEI wasn't recognizable, there was apparently no way to assign it a number.
Had Verizon been able to activate it, it would have been an added charge of $15 per month. Going to another carrier will drastically increase my monthly charge. If that's my only option, then it'll be on eBay tonight.

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Aquila

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

Please consider our marketplace forums as well.

As indicated earlier, if the network settings actually are compatible, then using a Sim converter should be all that's necessary. Then it's basically a byod for Verizon, which is how bringing Play Store or Moto Nexus 6's to Verizon worked. Sim converters are usually a buck or two on Amazon, etc.

Nexus 6 Assassin Edition. Android Central Moderator.
 

Murph5150

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

I called LG. According to them, there are no US carriers who will activate the G4.

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GibMcFragger

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I called LG. According to them, there are no US carriers who will activate the G4.

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That's a bonus of being Canadian. The carriers don't restrict. Jam your SIM in, add the APN, and good to go.

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Rukbat

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Re: A Great Opportunity - What do I need to know to test a carrier unlocked G4?

I called LG. According to them, there are no US carriers who will activate the G4.
If you have an account on TMobile or AT&T, and put the SIM card for that account that you're currently using in another phone into th G4, it should work. If you ask them to do an equipment swap to the G4, thy won't. (About the only difference is that your insurance remains with your old phone until the G4 is officially accepted and you can do an equipment swap to it.)

Sprint and Verizon maintain databases of phones they buy or Google makes that will work on their system (and Google is the only exception). If thephone's not n the database they won't activate it (and they have to - it's not like a GSM phone where the SIM card makes the connection).
 
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