Unable to activate replacement SIM card

My SIM card just stopped working yesterday. Phone went to SOS. After hours using the chat bot, ordered a new SIM, assuming my old one just quit. Got the new one today (after paying $15 to have it overnighted) inserted it, my phone can read it, but it wouldn’t activate with Verizon.

I went online to activate it, but it will only do if you can receive a text message! My phone is on SOS and can’t receive anything. I chatted with the bot more, searched the online for answers for hours. Finally gave up and called - I have been on hold now for 3 hours so far today and STILL haven’t spoken to a human. I’m very disappointed with the service.

Accepted answers

Tbenny

I finally got it working. For future reference, I got a physical sim and the automated services I used on Verizon.com and via phone assigned instead an eSIM. My phone wanted to use the physical sim vs the eSIM and kept getting confused and failing during activation.

I reset my network settings and then inserted the physical sim so I could call Verizon and have an eSIM pushed to my phone. Before running the pushed program to activate the eSIM on my phone, I turned it off, removed the physical sim, and turned back on. Then I ran the program to activate the eSIM. It’s working now.

All comments

Verizon_Support

We hear you loud and clear, and we will be glad to help you fix this issue. We sent a Private Message to assist you.

~Geo

Verizon_Support

We're sorry to read about the issue with your device. Was there any change to the device before this issue started? Is the device on the latest software? ~Peter

Tbenny

None. It was just sitting on my desk next to me and a message popped up saying ‘SIM Failed’. I tried to clean it with rubbing alcohol and tried again got the same message. Tried again this am and same message.

when I insert the new one, my phone registers it - I can see all the info in settings- general- about. It shows the right sim number, and carrier as Verizon. But it tries to activate but I get a message ‘unable to activate- contact your carrier’

Verizon_Support

Thank you for this information. Is this for postpaid or prepaid service? Have you tried resetting the network settings? ~Peter

Tbenny