Sprint phone on Virgin Mobile

[HasH_BrowN]

Can I use a new 816 (in a unopened box) from Sprint, with my service plan through Virgin Mobile?

I thought I could.

Do I have to have Sprint unlock it?

I assume so.

What do I need to do to get it to work? Call Virgin Mobile?

I would expect to.

The reason I'm asking is Sprint is selling the phone cheaper. Go figure.
I read a lot on the unlocking and switching of providers, but have not read any evidence of it actually working. Nobody has posted anything as far as personal experiences.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[aml1025]

Virgin Mobile USA only accepts phones specifically for their service, no BYOD allowed. They whitelist the MEIDs of all eligible devices in order to achieve this.

Sprint prepaid will only unlock the phone after a year of use on their service, so that's not a good answer. That's not to say it's impossible, though. Since most newer phones only load the carrier specific software after activation, the phone should already be technically compatible. The key is to somehow get the MEID added to the whitelist. That involves convincing one of Virgin Mobile's customer service reps to do it. I've managed it once, with a Sprint iPhone 5c, but that's no guarantee it can be done with other devices. It's worth a shot, though, if you're interested in trying.

 

[HasH_BrowN]

Virgin Mobile USA only accepts phones specifically for their service, no BYOD allowed. They whitelist the MEIDs of all eligible devices in order to achieve this.

Sprint prepaid will only unlock the phone after a year of use on their service, so that's not a good answer. That's not to say it's impossible, though. Since most newer phones only load the carrier specific software after activation, the phone should already be technically compatible. The key is to somehow get the MEID added to the whitelist. That involves convincing one of Virgin Mobile's customer service reps to do it. I've managed it once, with a Sprint iPhone 5c, but that's no guarantee it can be done with other devices. It's worth a shot, though, if you're interested in trying.

How did you phrase the request to the customer service rep? Or did you ask for a supervisor?

 

[aml1025]

I didn't specifically say I had a non-Sprint phone I wanted added to the database. I tried swapping the phone online, and when that failed, I called and told them I had gotten the phone from a friend. (The fact that Virgin Mobile does have to add the MEIDs of replacement iPhones from the Apple Store probably helped.)

You can also see if Boost will activate the phone, or if an outside MVNO like RingPlus can. They actually have an ESN checker on their website to confirm eligibility.

Otherwise, I think Sprint Prepaid's plans are now very similar to Virgin Mobile's offerings. It may be easiest to migrate your number to their service instead.

 

[HasH_BrowN]

Thank you @aml1025