Verizon IMEI number question

[Pantangeles]

I recently bought a Pixel XL off of ebay. I was hoping to use it with redpocket wireless who use verizon as their network. When I went to sign up I got told the IMEI number showed it was not compatible with their network. I checked it on the verizon site and it said the same thing. It turns out I have the international version of the phone which is not in verizon's database. But I know from a hardware perspective it works.

My buddy had an old LG verizon phone and we got the bright idea to simply enter the IMEI from that phone during sign up and see if that would work. Indeed it did. I popped the sim card into the Pixel have service with no problems. Now I find he's just sold the phone. Does anyone know what's going to happen when that person signs up with Verizon? Can two phone share the same number like that? I assume not, but I have no idea. Does anyone know?

 

[pkcable]

I think you are fine.

 

[Mooncatt]

Do you have a way to view the phone details on your account? When you swapped the SIM card, there's a chance it transferred the Pixel XL info and updated the account. If so, you should be fine. If you still see the LG phone, then I'd contact your carrier and try to resolve it so the person that bought the LG phone isn't at risk of having their activation denied. Not to mention things like this can have unintended consequences for you, like causing a problem if you ever need tech support or something.

 

[Pantangeles]

I wills see if I can see the details. I'd hate to goof up someone else.

I'm usually a GSM person so this whole verizon/cdma thing is new to me. How do they deal with people just switching sim cards and getting rid of their old phones? This would be pretty much the same situation. It has to happen all the time. Only reason I need verizon is crappy gsm coverage where I work.

 

[can3gxw]

I have never given my provider the IMEI number if I didn't get the phone from them. They don't need it. If you have a SIM card in another phone and don't need a smaller one, just move the SIM card to the new phone. Done.

This is a marketing ploy by the carriers to sell new, higher end devices to people that don't know any better. My carrier still thinks (according to my account) that I'm running a Samsung Galaxy S. From 9 years ago. I'm on a Pixel now. The only thing I've ever had to do was get a new SIM card when the old ones would no longer physically fit.

Every time I would try to "change my phone" on the website I was told by the system that my phone was not compatible with the plan I was on. Not the network, the PLAN. Because I was on a grandfathered unlimited plan.

The best way to "test" is just by putting in the SIM card. If it doesn't work right away, come back to the forums and see if you need to tweak the APN settings or whatnot. Don't believe what the carriers tell you. They're in the business to make money, not make their customers happy.