How To: Switch Devices (Transfer Number & Prepaid Plan to NEW Prepaid Device).
UnknownNumber
Enthusiast - Level 1

I bought a prepaid phone and plan from Walmart. LG Exceed II + $45 plan.

I activated the phone. Made calls. Sent texts. Skyped. Tweeted. Took Pictures. The thing worked, ok.

One day (about a week later) I went to make a call and the phone said

"Your phone has been locked. Please return the phone to store where you bought it to have it unlocked."

Tried that, Walmart did NOT know how to fix the phone. Called Verizon.

The rep said return it, buy a new phone, and activate that phone with the same card. So I erased/returned the phone and got the money.

Then instead of buying the new prepaid phone from Walmart, I bought another prepaid phone (MOTO G) from BestBuy.

(I figured they would handle the situation better than Walmart. Wrong.

I tried to let them activate it in the store with my old number. "That's weird", they said. "It doesn't work", they said.)

So I took the phone and decided I would activate it myself. Here’s how I did it:

(THINGS YOU WILL NEED: Old receipt with original activation DATE of original plan, New Prepaid Device MEID/ESN (on new store receipt or box), Original $45 plan card with scratched off number, Account access PIN (4 digit code you used to access MyVerizonMobile on old phone), A second working phone the rep can call you on while activation is completed, POLITE ATTITUDE.)

  1. Activate your new prepaid phone you just bought with a new number (NOT YOUR OLD #).
  2. When it asks you for your plan information, enter the old plan ($45 card you already used.)
  3. The system will forward you to customer service because that card is already activated and it thinks you stole the card or thinks you need to buy a new access plan.
  4. Ask for ROBERT. He’s THE BEST!! (To Verizon: He was on the schedule July 18, 2014 between 1 and 5 pm EDT. Give him customer service recognition, people!) 
  5. Just kidding, Robert might not be on the schedule when you call.
  6. Tell the rep you activated the phone with a new number because you [CANNOT] access the prepaid system with a locked number.
  7. Give the rep your new number you just activated the phone with, AND your old number you want to keep (the one you activated with the card). Give the rep the $45 plan card number you scratched off. Tell them the date you bought it. Give the rep the NEW device ESN/MEID number you just activated. Give the rep your 4-digit PIN you used to access MyVerizonMobile.
  8. Tell the rep you DO NOT WANT the new number you activated the CURRENT device with.
  9. Tell the rep you want to connect (NEW/CURRENT DEVICE MEID/ESN) with number (OLD NUMBER). This will take a few moments for the system.
  10. Have some other phone ready. The rep will call you on that phone while you program/activate/reset your new device with the old number.
  11. Wait until the rep calls your other number and tells you to turn off the device you are activating.
  12. TURN YOUR DEVICE OFF.
  13. TURN YOUR DEVICE ON.
  14. Press "activate". It should say it is programming. It should say it is activating. It will then activate.
  15. You will see your old number on the screen with message this was successful.
  16. Tell the rep “Thank You”!

TADAAAAA!! New phone, old number, same plan.

Hopefully, you haven’t missed the call from that job you applied for.

Labels (1)
Re: How To: Switch Devices (Transfer Number & Prepaid Plan to NEW Prepaid Device).
helenstoutaldrich

Will somebody  please give me a simple answer and simple way to change number

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