Signed up the other day and cannot activate/download eSIM

What a fiasco! I got convinced to re-sign with Verizon Wireless after happily using T-Mobile for 5-years after leaving VZ the last time.

The entire process has been nothing but a nightmare!! First, I am bringing over 5 (FIVE) lines, 2-new phones and 3-existing phones (BYOD). I'm awaiting delivery of the 2 new phones but that's not the issue. One of my existing T-Mobile lines was ported/transferred over prematurely. I still owed money on a EIP agreement. Once T-Mobile transferred that line, the phone was dead. No service. Now, that could've been T-Mobile's fault but what's the difference. That phone is now dead without service. I satisfied the balance on that phone so that T-Mobile could release it. The SIM lock prevented me from activating on Verizon's network so I first had to straighten out that end of the issue.

I was finally able to get T-Mobile to release the phone and unlock the SIM. You'd figure at that point, the Verizon network would kick right in since the number was already ported over, waiting to activate that phone. But NOPE! I was trying EVERYTHING to get that phone on their network. Nothing worked. Obviously I phoned in to support and they were trying different things to no avail. BTW, this phone is an iPhone 16 (plain) so, no physical SIM card. Everything must be done over the network, Verizon's network mind you.

After 2 (TWO) days without having this phone, the VZ tech eventually told me I have to bring the phone into one of their local stores in order to get it activated. WHAT?!?!?! Total inconvenience. I've NEVER encountered problems like this. Switching carriers is supposed to be an easy, simple, seamless process which, by the way, the sales rep said it would be.

So far, this process has been ANYTHING BUT! Extremely frustrating you have no idea. I even said to the rep on the phone, not that what's going on is her fault, I'm beginning to realize I made a BIG mistake pursuing this. I was happy with T-Mobile. Never had a problem with them but, of course, the "we can save you some money on your monthly bill" grabbed me so I decided to sign up with Verizon for my wireless service. I am just shaking my head in disbelief at all the grief I am feeling.

I've been so on edge, snapping at everyone because of this. I've stopped myself a number of times, took some deep breaths, gathered myself, and calmed down. I didn't need this. It's like self-inflicted pain.

I think I'll put a "No Solicitation" sign on my door so I never have to go through this again. If I want to make changes in my life, I'll be in control of them.

Thanks for hearing me vent. Peace!!

Accepted answers

Albrean_VZ

Hello I'm sorry about your experience. Whenever you are having issues activating your device from home, you can always visit our troubleshooter that will assist you with that. We are sad that you are leaving Verizon and we value you as a customer! But if you need a transfer pin, there's no need to go into the store. To transfer your number, you need a standard monthly account and must be signed in to My Verizon. Only Account Owner or Managers can transfer numbers.

Dial *#PORT from your phone to receive a link to generate the PIN in My Verizon.
Generate the PIN through My Verizon's website. Note: This may not always be available.
Contact customer service at 800-922-0204

Again we are sorry about your experience! Let us know if you still need assistance.

All comments

tlichioveri

An added caveat:

The plan offered was VZ's Unlimited Plus plan. Part of the problem with people, myself included is, we don't read what we're signing.

After finalizing the deal, I received an email with an invoice attached outlining the order. Each of those 5 lines for this plan was listed on the order/invoice as $55.00 per line. However, when I go out to Verizon's website, that same plan is being offered at $40.00 per line?? I'll be questioning this for certain.

VZ_cathy

Hi @tlichioveri,

I'm sorry to hear about the issues you are facing! As the Community undergoes backend platform updates, we recommend reaching out to one of our official support channels for any account-specific assistance listed below. Our teams are ready to support you.

Instagram: Instagram.com/Verizon (Pre-paid excluded)
Facebook: Facebook.com/verizon
X (Twitter): x.com/verizonsupport

tlichioveri

Well, I just heard from my wife who just left the Verizon store. One down, four to go. She was FINALLY able to activate her phone. OMG! What a nightmare.

More concerning is, the rep. at the store told her that of all the phones I/we need to activate, FOUR MORE, We're probably going to have to bring them in for him to do this. So, that's 4 more visits to a Verizon store for activation. You gotta be kidding!!

Then, to add more salt to the wound, my email inbox has been lighting up with Verizon emails. One in particular caught my attention. It was regarding my next month's bill. When I opened it, it was telling me that my March bill will (and these are supposedly estimates) was going to be $346 (and change). I was like… WHAAAAAT!!! The sales rep told me that my bill would be around $280 (before discounts - Government employee; first responder; 55 and older). That's $65 more than what I was paying??? In all fairness, the email proceeded to state that forward monthly's will be around $280/$281/month. Ok, fine! However, when I looked at the itemization of this "first month's bill", there were charges for "New Lines". Uh…. Excuse me but… Verizon isn't providing new phone numbers - I am keeping the same phone numbers I had under my previous carrier. What's that all about?

SERIOUSLY having second thoughts

tlichioveri

I'm sure you're not familiar with the number of times I've been on the phone with Customer Care/Chat sessions. As I mentioned in my latest comment, the VZ Store Rep. has already warned me that I will be running into problems/issues activating my other (FOUR) lines and that to keep things simple, I should just bring them in to him so he can take care of it. The only problem is, my time is just as important as that store Rep (no offense to him) and Verizon overall. If only there was an option for a reduction in your bill for having to go through all this!!

tlichioveri

The final straw. Of the 5 lines I planned on bringing over from my current carrier, one of them was an Iphone 11 - physical SIM. I received new SIM card from Verizon, swapped in phone with existing card, and it's supposed to activate, isn't it? NOPE! After about 10-mins of trying, I guess it eventually gave up and coughed up an error. I restarted the phone again - same result. Refused to activate. Ok, let me try something else. I log into my account and try to push a manual activation down to this phone/SIM card. Wouldn't you know it - the Verizon website spit up an error that said "The SIM card you are attempting to activate does not work on our network" WHAAAAAAT?? It's a Verizon SIM card, issued and sent BY Verizon but it doesn't work on Verizon's network.

That was IT!! I had enough. Been dealing with this ALL WEEK! Contacted what should be (by now) my previous carrier and want everything put back. I mentioned in my OP that I was pretty much happy - been with them for 5 years. They told me they'll need a transfer pin and account number. When I try to request generation of a transfer pin, Verizon's network wants to send me a text verification. OK, cool. I can buy that - security and all. The only problem, it wants to send a text to the phone I haven't activated on their network yet so I never receive it.

My daughter told me that as soon as she turned on her new phone that was sent by Verizon, it activated and all kinds of text messages started coming through, notifying her that her device was shipped, etc… She never received them on her old phone that was still active on the previous carrier, only when she fired up and activated her new phone. She was like.. what's the use of that? I get the texts that Verizon sent after the fact? The dumbest thing I ever heard of.

When my wife went to the store to have her phone activated, the store employee told her then that there was going to be a problem activating these phones and that I/we were going to be required to bring them in to have them activated. I have to bring 5 phones to a store for activation? Isn't all this supposed to be done on the network? Why do or should I have to go to a store? Again - dumbest thing I've ever heard.

So now, I have to go to a VZ store to get a transfer pin. You gotta be kidding me. I can't cancel VZ Wireless service and close my account FAST ENOUGH and I only signed up on the 7th, FIVE days ago!!

Absolutely disgusting. Totally disappointed, frustrated, disgusted. I'm tired of dealing with this!! I'M DONE!!!!

Albrean_VZ

Dial *#PORT from your phone to receive a link to generate the PIN in My Verizon.
Generate the PIN through My Verizon's website. Note: This may not always be available.
Contact customer service at 800-922-0204

Again we are sorry about your experience! Let us know if you still need assistance.