Where is the MEID?

[Last Ride]

Okay, so I picked up a Stratosphere last night on the cheap, but when I went to activate it on Verizon's website, it wouldn't accept the IMEI in the "About Phone" section. This has been a common problem for me as I switch phones often, but the stink of it is, it only shows the IMEI and not the MEID like all other phones I've encountered. Same story under the battery. The tech lady on the phone last night was stumped, too. Can anyone help me out? The phone was activated before, so there has to be something that can be done.

 

[KnightCrusader]

I'm pretty sure the MEID is on the SIM card itself... or is that a different ID number? I am not sure.

Either way, the only way to activate this phone is if the store gives you a SIM card. You can call *611 to get them to mail you one too. They're free.

My question is, though... what store sold it to you without activating it?

 

[Last Ride]

It has a SIM Card. I bought it used from a local guy. I suppose I could call *611 directly from the phone.

 

[KnightCrusader]

It has a SIM Card. I bought it used from a local guy. I suppose I could call *611 directly from the phone.

Ah, okay, that makes more sense. Yes, you should be able to dial *611 from an unactivated phone.

However, the SIM card in that phone is no longer useable. SIMs have a one-use-only life, once you de-activate the SIM, you need a new one in order to get service back... so, the SIM that was in it is probably dead and VZW will have to mail you a new one.

 

[MofoMan2000]

IMEI is another way of saying MEID or ESN. They are the same thing. It's the phone's identifying number, unique to each phone unless manually changed (which carriers frown upon). The decimal version of it should start with something like 990000 or something.

The SIM card number can also be referred to as ICCID. It's a different thing.

 

[KnightCrusader]

Oh well, still, he'll need a new SIM card no matter what.

 

[Last Ride]

Right. I can go get a new SIM. And supposedly, you can activate phones through My Verizon by using the ESN, EMIE, or MEID. I have never had any luck using the EMIE, only the MEID. The problem is that the Stratosphere has only the EMIE listed.

 

[KnightCrusader]

Right. I can go get a new SIM. And supposedly, you can activate phones through My Verizon by using the ESN, EMIE, or MEID. I have never had any luck using the EMIE, only the MEID. The problem is that the Stratosphere has only the EMIE listed.

Yeah, you can, if the phone is 3G only. The 4G ones can't be activated that way. I tried for s and giggles. lol

 

[Last Ride]

Gotcha, thanks. I wanted to lay with this thing before I hand it over to my son, but it seems it will require one more hoop. Thanks again!