Just Confirmed, Verizon Says My Phone Is Unlocked But It's Not!

Climb14er

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Looking at compatibility with possible Verizon MVNO's and they're all telling me that the imei number gets the error code... restricted to Verizon. For months, been haggling with Verizon, they keep telling me that all payments have been made and the Note 9 is UNLOCKED. Was on the frustrating phone five hours with VZ, they ran three major tests which show unlocked. The MVNO's direct connection to VZ show its locked. Now... VZ wants to run a DMM special test internally to ascertain, the problem. VZ said if they find it, they'll fix it. If not, will send me a replacement UNLOCKED Note 9. Anyone ever heard of such a weird, locked vs unlocked scenario from VZ?
 

Ry

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Which MVNO?

Have you tried just throwing in a different SIM to see if it's unlocked?
 

Climb14er

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US Mobile, Total Wireless, Straight Talk. I won't put anything in my phone without positive compatibility confirmation.
 
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L0n3N1nja

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Been with Verizon since 2012, even worked for them until 2016, I'm unaware of them locking their devices like that. I've used T-mobile prepaid on a phone while I was making device payments for it to Verizon.

If you're refusing to spend money on a SIM to see if it will work my suggestion is find a friend or family member and see if their SIM functions in your phone or if it's blocked. Not hard to temporarily move a SIM card.
 

pizza_pablo

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US Mobile, Total Wireless, Straight Talk. I won't put anything in my phone without positive compatibility confirmation.
I don't think there is anything to worry about, in putting a different SIM in your phone. I can think of no harm that will occur.
I agree with L0n3N1njaI. would choose a friend / family member that has cellular service, other than Verizon and put their SIM in your phone.
Why the hesitancy?
 

Climb14er

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The issue here is that the imei number on Verizon's system IS showing its locked to all the MVNO's. The error code received by MVNO'S is that the phone is not paid off. Verizon shows me and itself that the phone is paid off. So as I posted up top, the consensus between VZ and me is to let them trouble shoot why the imei number is registering two different results. At the current time, the phone works perfectly under VZ. I will allow Verizon to trouble shoot the issues of the imei number as it is a phone obtained from them. All I asked for here is if anyone else experienced the same issue. Verizon seems to think it's their own internal system that has not updated properly after the phone was paid off. We'll see what results they come up with and take it from there.
 
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pizza_pablo

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It seems like Verizon doesn't know which to be the case.
It won't hurt anything to try someone else's SIM. Verizon probably wouldn't even be able to tell you did, since you will power the phone off, between SIM switches.
 

Climb14er

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Well...well... well! Spoke to Verizon rep and manager yesterday and they confirmed for me that 'in their system', the imei number of my Note 9 was completely unlocked. They even called Asurion to make sure there was no lock on it as they initiated the replacement for that phone last year. Asurion said the phone was unlocked. Verizon shipped me overnite a replacement Note 9. I took the imei number and called the MVNO and they confirmed the replacement phone is UNLOCKED AND COMPATIBLE. So... there either is a problem imei with the 'old' Note 9 or Verizon has a glitch in their system regarding the phone. Anyway, today's replacement phone came with 94% charge, it's refurbished, I will fire it up tomorrow, get it running, do a smart switch, monitor the battery to see if it's an OK one. There was a problem all along!
 

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