surface 3, only certain IMEIs allowed on Verizon?

gadgetgirl23

Hi there.

I need some help.

I purchased a Microsoft Surface 3 from a Microsoft store.

I was told that it is 4G LTE ready and unlocked.

The IMEI on the device starts with "014..."

I got a SIM card from Verizon, installed it, and when I tried to activate it, I was told:

"the IMEI that you provided will not be compatible with Verizon’s LTE network band. In addition, those IMEI’s that we can activate begin with 35-xx etc. So Verizon will not be able to add the device into their database to activate it."

I have read many threads posted on this and nowhere have I found one that said they could not be activated because of the IMEI number.

If the devices are unlocked, the number should not matter.

I feel like I'm getting the run-around from Verizon.

Can anyone tell me if it's true that only devices with an IMEI that starts with 35 can be activated on Verizon, or do I need to find someone else at Verizon to talk with?

Ann154

If you haven't already, try activating the SIM card in another device preferably another tablet especially if you have a standalone tablet plan. If you have a More Everything Plan or the Verizon Plan, a phone might do the trick.