Verizon No Longer Supporting 4G LTE Capable Phones!
WHOSTHEMASTER
Enthusiast - Level 3

Been with Verizon for over 15 years.  Regularly upgrading phones and plans.  Currently have 7 lines.  So I've seen just about everything Verizon has to offer.

Today I spent over 2 hours on the phone being on hold and speaking with a customer service rep and the technical support department.  Unfortunately, I was not successful transferring a Blackberry Q10 between two lines.  Though the Q10 is a fully functioning smart phone capable of utilizing the 4G LTE network, Verizon has decided to no longer allow this phone to be "activated" on a new line.  The reason I was provided for why my Q10 would not be supported was not clear.  I needed to search the Internet for an acceptable answer.

Verizon will no longer activate a phone that is incapable of supporting 4G LTE AND VoLTE.  The best way I can explain VoLTE (Voice over LTE) is like voice over IP where internet companies offer telephone services.  Upon further research, my Q10 does support VoLTE.  I've confirmed this in the network settings: IMS Status connected.

So why has Verizon decided to push obsolescence on this phone, which I paid them good money to use on their network?  This is the type of business practice and service that will make me take all my 7 lines to another company.  In the past that consideration would have been very difficult to impossible.  But since Verizon has committed to moving away from CDMA it makes it very simple for Verizon phones to be compatible with many other providers.

Verizon, if any of what I'm saying is incorrect, please chime in.

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35 Replies
akanem_vzw
Verizon Employee

Your 15 years are ones that simply cannot be replaced, so I want to take a moment and express my appreciation. Seeing you go after all these years would be a devastating loss, so I am committed to seeing this fully through. 2 hours is definitely a lengthy time, so I want to ensure that your time is managed effectively and only concise and accurate information about the CDMA retirement and the Blackberry Q10 activation failure is provided.

By the end of 2019, all phones must be 4G LTE voice-capable devices that support HD Voice. In your case for the Blackberry Q10, if VoLTE is enabled, then this an usual circumstance. For this reason, I have sent you a message to your inbox to have another pair of eyes review your Blackberry inquiry. Here is the link to the CDMA retirement: https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-218813/

AkaneM_VZW

Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport

If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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WHOSTHEMASTER
Enthusiast - Level 3

Still waiting Verizon.  Or do you just post saying that you are concerned just for show?

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vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

I can definitely understand wanting to get the most use out of your phone on our network, WHOSTHEMASTER. I'm happy to help clear this up. Upon review, the Blackberry Q10 does not support the HD Voice feature that is necessary to remain compatible with our network. 4G phones that do not support this feature can no longer be activated on our network as mentioned in the previously provided article and this is the specific reason that the Black Q10 which, while a 4G phone, cannot be activated on our network any longer. For the future, you can check for compatibility of any device on our network right here: http://spr.ly/6582EMhdI Does this help?

 

RyanM_VZW
Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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glitchedpixel
Specialist - Level 1

How many rotary phones or pay phones have you seen lately? Tech changes, no one company is going to stop that for one person. All carriers are upgrading their networks so that I'm gonna switch just equates to spending even more.

WHOSTHEMASTER
Enthusiast - Level 3

Although your comment may be true, it’s irrelevant. I’m not complaining that my flip phone is no longer being supported. The Blackberry Q10 is still current technology. It supports both 4G LTE and VoLTE. Verizon is just choosing not to support it. 

In myopinion, the Q10 is comparable to an IPhone 6S.

gennero
Newbie

File a complaint with the FCC

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vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

How can we help you here?

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boringusername
Master - Level 1

If it wasn't supporting 4G LTE phones most phones would not be functioning

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WHOSTHEMASTER
Enthusiast - Level 3

Fail.  Trade the post.

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boringusername
Master - Level 1

What is fail? Here is your title "Verizon No Longer Supporting 4G LTE Capable Phones! " Sorry but yes they are. All phones that have been sold on Verizon for years are 4G LTE capable. What they don't support is 3G phones

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boringusername
Master - Level 1

WHOSTHEMASTER wrote:

Been with Verizon for over 15 years. Regularly upgrading phones and plans. Currently have 7 lines. So I've seen just about everything Verizon has to offer.

Today I spent over 2 hours on the phone being on hold and speaking with a customer service rep and the technical support department. Unfortunately, I was not successful transferring a Blackberry Q10 between two lines. Though the Q10 is a fully functioning smart phone capable of utilizing the 4G LTE network, Verizon has decided to no longer allow this phone to be "activated" on a new line. The reason I was provided for why my Q10 would not be supported was not clear. I needed to search the Internet for an acceptable answer.

Verizon will no longer activate a phone that is incapable of supporting 4G LTE AND VoLTE. The best way I can explain VoLTE (Voice over LTE) is like voice over IP where internet companies offer telephone services. Upon further research, my Q10 does support VoLTE. I've confirmed this in the network settings: IMS Status connected.

So why has Verizon decided to push obsolescence on this phone, which I paid them good money to use on their network? This is the type of business practice and service that will make me take all my 7 lines to another company. In the past that consideration would have been very difficult to impossible. But since Verizon has committed to moving away from CDMA it makes it very simple for Verizon phones to be compatible with many other providers.

Verizon, if any of what I'm saying is incorrect, please chime in.

You're title is incorrect. Verizon announced long ago that it was shutting down CDMA( like back in 2012 ). It stop activating non VoLTE phones back in July. That's 6 months ago. The spectrum being used for CDMA is better used for LTE. No reason to hold up improvements because a few people refuse to upgrade ancient devices. Your device is 6 years old I'm pretty sure you got your money's worth already. If you go elsewhere your devices won't work on them either. Funny how you are threatening to leave because Verizon wants to IMPROVE it's network.

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WHOSTHEMASTER
Enthusiast - Level 3

The rabbit hole that is the Internet forums.

The title is correct.  Verizon is not activating the Q10, which is 4g LTE and VoLTE compatible.  You may be correct about the age of the model, however not everyone gets phones when they first come out. In regards to getting their moneys worth, to each their own.

Again what you say say are truths but not relevant to a company forcing you to use something else when the technology completely current. 

Im done with this board.  You Can comment all you want.  Get the last word. You win.

boringusername
Master - Level 1

WHOSTHEMASTER wrote:

The rabbit hole that is the Internet forums.

The title is correct. Verizon is not activating the Q10, which is 4g LTE and VoLTE compatible. You may be correct about the age of the model, however not everyone gets phones when they first come out. In regards to getting their moneys worth, to each their own.

Again what you say say are truths but not relevant to a company forcing you to use something else when the technology completely current.

Im done with this board. You Can comment all you want. Get the last word. You win.

That phone is NOT VoLTE capable. The earliest device that support VoLTE is the LG G2 which came out in Sept 2013. 5 months AFTER this device. You phone has never been VoLTE capable.

No you win Verizon should keep old inefficient tech alive at the expense of other paying customer so they few people that want to use old device can use it for as long as they want even if it take 10 more years.

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dexman
Community Leader
Community Leader

Older phones that are 4G/LTE compatible will not, necessarily, have the ability to make & receive calls over it.

My old Samsung Galaxy S4 had 4G/LTE capability, but, still relied on the CDMA network to handle voice traffic. Because of this, Verizon Wireless would not allow me to bring it back online if something were to happen to my current phone (Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge).

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WHOSTHEMASTER
Enthusiast - Level 3

check the manufacture specs to see if it is VoLTE capable. Verizon is requiring both 4G LTE and VoLTE. My Q10 does both contrary to what another is stating. 

On my blackberry q10, compatability can be conformed by going to network and connectivity settings. There will be a line item IMS. If it says disconnected, version is not supporting it. If it says connected, the phone is compatible and connected to VoLTE.

Bit what ive found out is that know that it’s compatible just made me more upset.

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boringusername
Master - Level 1

WHOSTHEMASTER wrote:

check the manufacture specs to see if it is VoLTE capable. Verizon is requiring both 4G LTE and VoLTE. My Q10 does both contrary to what another is stating.

If that is true you'd be allowed to activate it. Show me proof of this Verizon VoLTE capability. Since you insist it exists you'd have proof.

That device is so old you'd be better off getting a new device anyway. Eve the cheapest smartphones are worlds better than that thing.

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dexman
Community Leader
Community Leader

I checked the specifications for the Blackberry Q10 over at gsmarena.

https://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_q10-5274.php

I might have overlooked it (not unusual for me), but, I don't see any reference to VoLTE. I see CDMA and a section specifying the available 4G/LTE bands, but, nothing that mentions VoLTE.

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WHOSTHEMASTER
Enthusiast - Level 3

Dexman

Im pretty tech savvy but no where close to being knowledgeable enough about radio frequencies to explain which frequencies show compatibility with VoLTE. The community where I get help for my blackberry is crackberry. https://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-q10-f272/

That link should get you started if you choose to scratch that itch.

They have some really smart people there. Most of their comments are over my head but have never steared me the wrong direction. Discussions go back to 2012 regarding VoLTE. I’ve looked through many discussions about the Q10. Identifying which version Q10 I have. I followed the comments to verify if my Q10 is connected to Verizon’s advanced LTE features.

So up to the reader to decide if my comments have merit or if Verizon through policy has just decided not to include the Q10 as one of the phones they will not support. 

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WHOSTHEMASTER
Enthusiast - Level 3

Dexman

it also looks like your S4 is VoLTE capable. But again it takes both your phone and the willingness of Verizon to make it work. 

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dexman
Community Leader
Community Leader

Actually, my old S4 didn't have VoLTE capabilities. It utilized the CDMA radio. I ended up recycling it...along with my...even older...HTC Incredible 2.

I read through the latest Verizon Wireless/Q10 topic..

https://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-q10-f272/verizon-discontinue-support-q10-1151324/

Only the last post (unless I misread something along the way) stated that the unit could support VoLTE. With conflicting statements swirling around, the final definitive answer would come from RIM as they, I'm assuming, designed the phone.

I'll defer to whatever RIM's official answer is.

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