SIM Card Reactivation Question

[hikersc]

I have read a number of posts on this and other forums that indicated that if you have a Bionic (or other 4G phone) and then activate at 3G phone (i.e. original Droid), then the Bionic cannot be reactivated without obtaining a new SIM card.

I asked this specific question at the local Verizon store and was told that this could be done on-line as long as it was the same phone number and account. I also saw a procedure that someone had posted for how to do this on-line. The procedure started with the 3G phone turned off and the battery and SIM card removed from the 4G device. The on-line activation asks for the MEID and then asks if you want a new SIM or activate the existing SIM. If you indicate the existing SIM it asks for the number of the SIM card. After that, you supposedly reassemble the phone and it will automatically activate when turned on.

Has anyone on the forum tried this approach? Were there issues?

Thanks, in advance, for any help.

 

[amageus]

I have read a number of posts on this and other forums that indicated that if you have a Bionic (or other 4G phone) and then activate at 3G phone (i.e. original Droid), then the Bionic cannot be reactivated without obtaining a new SIM card.

I asked this specific question at the local Verizon store and was told that this could be done on-line as long as it was the same phone number and account. I also saw a procedure that someone had posted for how to do this on-line. The procedure started with the 3G phone turned off and the battery and SIM card removed from the 4G device. The on-line activation asks for the MEID and then asks if you want a new SIM or activate the existing SIM. If you indicate the existing SIM it asks for the number of the SIM card. After that, you supposedly reassemble the phone and it will automatically activate when turned on.

Has anyone on the forum tried this approach? Were there issues?

Thanks, in advance, for any help.

AFAIK if the SIM card was used prior to it's deactivation it will no longer be usable. You'll need to request a new SIM card.

 

[juergen99]

I brought my dead Bionic to a VZW store for a replacement on a Friday. They said I would get my replacement on Monday since Saturday shipping was not part of the free overnight shipping. I was told to put the old SIM card in the replacement. In the mean time I decided to activate my old X so I would have a phone for the weekend. When I tried to activate the replacement Bionic on Monday online, it wouldn't let me. Eventually I had to take it in to the store to get a new SIM card. I was told the reason was that when I went back to a 3G phone they invalidated my SIM card.

 

[p8ntballah21]

I brought my dead Bionic to a VZW store for a replacement on a Friday. They said I would get my replacement on Monday since Saturday shipping was not part of the free overnight shipping. I was told to put the old SIM card in the replacement. In the mean time I decided to activate my old X so I would have a phone for the weekend. When I tried to activate the replacement Bionic on Monday online, it wouldn't let me. Eventually I had to take it in to the store to get a new SIM card. I was told the reason was that when I went back to a 3G phone they invalidated my SIM card.

Thats was my experience as well. I called tech support first and they said I should have gotten a new sim card with the phone, but yeah since we activated a 3g phone in the mean time, a brand new sim card has to be put into your replacement Bionic. Just go down to the store and have them activate it for you.