Verizon compatible tablet not compatible with Verizon

[yfrank14]

Samsung tablet bought on Amazon.

They said it would only work on Verizon .

It came with a Verizon SIM  card and Verizon software and a Verizon  logo that loads on start up.

Verizon will not let me activate it because  it is not compatible with Verizon. 

Does anyone know how I can get Verizon to accept thier own SIM card, or why a person who deceives you and makes you belive you are buying something you are not ( they said the word describing such a person is a bad word) on Amazon would go to all the trouble of installing the Verizon SIM card and software?

[vzw_customer_support]

Oh, no! We are sad to see you are having Verizon device activation issues. Our goal is to aid you in the best way possible.

What exactly happens when you attempt to activate the tablet? What is the device make/model?

~Gilbert

[yfrank14]

Galaxy tab S9 + 5G

When it tries to automatically  activate it says it is unable to activate.

When I tried to activate through MY Verizon it said the tablet was not compatible. 

When I removed the SIM card and tried to download an E SIM, it said there were no E SIM's available. 

[SynthpopAddict]

Well, it's good that Amazon will take the tablet back.  I did some more digging around, and the Galaxy S9 tablet comes with a pre-installed SIM card in it according to Verizon's website.  Why it was failing to activate, couldn't tell you.  If you do get a replacement and the same thing happens, it may be that the activation has to be manually done by someone at Verizon to get it to register in the system.  I've previously heard of eSIM-only devices having activation issues because there's something in the system not necessarily recognizing an eSIM or some such, but as complex as modern "smart" devices are becoming, technical issues somewhere are bound to arise.

[yfrank14]

Thanks.

Verizon reps have been contacting me by private message  and they first thought it was because  I needed a new line because  I was trying to use it on my existing cell line. I tried a new line set up and it still said the device was not compatible.

Amazon had the same tablet for different  carriers, so it is possible that somebody at the factory  mixed up the tablets and loaded the Verizon  SIM and software into the wrong tablet.

[SynthpopAddict]

You're welcome.  No, the factory wouldn't have messed up the tablet that way.  When the tablet was first built, it had no carrier software at all in it - this is called a "factory unlocked" device.  To make a "carrier version" or "carrier variant", carrier-specific software is permanently installed to a factory unlocked device.  Any factory unlocked device can accept any carrier's software to make it a carrier version - that's how there are different carrier versions of the same tablet, but there can be only one installation of one carrier's software ever to a device.  Then that device is forever branded with that carrier.  If the SIM card had not matched the carrier software, then that would indeed be a mistake, but you mentioned the SIM card is a Verizon one.

A tablet will NOT work with a cell phone line.  It needs a data-only line.  Could it be that your new line is also a cell phone line by mistake?  Sure hope things get sorted for you soon.  It sounds like an issue for Level 2 tech support to look into, because as I'd said in my earlier post, sometimes they just have to finagle with things on their end to get things working.

[yfrank14]

I thought I could use the SIM card from my phone in the tablet. I now realize I can't.  But I would have expected Verizon to say " you cant do that" when I tried to activate. Or, " you need a new line". It doesn't  make sense why they are saying the tablet is not compatible when they mean my Verizon  plan is not compatible with the tablet.

So I still think it is a tablet issue. If the tablet was compatible I would think they would say so and then say I need a new cell plan . Or line. Or whatever.

Why does Verizon  care if I am making a call or using data from my cell or tablet?

A few years ago my phone died and I just put the SIM in the new phone and it activated. 

[SynthpopAddict]

I'm surprised whomever you spoke with at Verizon didn't tell you either.

A phone can do voice calls (hold the phone to your ear and talk type of call), text, and access the internet.  A tablet cannot perform voice calls, so the lines for each have to be different to suit the capabilities.  A SIM card stores information about the line type among other things, so you can't put a phone SIM into a tablet, but you can move a SIM from one phone to another phone (there are more details, but that's another story).

[yfrank14]

Thanks.

You just told me I can't  do what I wanted to do with tablet. So, I guess I got lucky by getting a tablet that was not compatible. 

In addition to using the tablet as a tablet, I wanted it as a back up phone in case my phone died, until I could get a new phone.

You saved me from getting another tablet, getting another line,  and then figuring out I couldn't  make a call with the tablet. 

Do you know of anything like a tablet or laptop that could make a phone call, or my only option is to get another phone as a back up phone?

[SynthpopAddict]

You can make phone calls with a tablet, it's just that it must be a video call.  Video calling uses data, so works with a data-only device such as a tablet.  A laptop equipped with a microphone can do video calling too (think of Skype or Zoom meetings as examples).

From your earlier posts, it sounds like Verizon set you up with a second line already? If they haven't, you must get a second line which is data-only to run the tablet.

[SynthpopAddict]

To answer your questions:

• Have you tried to put a new Verizon SIM card into the tablet to see if that works?  I suspect the original owner did not remove their SIM card when they sold the device to the retailer, and therefore that old SIM is tied to that person's account which they have disconnected.
• If installing a brand new Verizon SIM card fails to work, then you have a bigger problem: The device is probably blacklisted, and only the original owner can request a blacklist removal, which would mean you've been burned.  If this is so, you need to get a refund from the seller.  If they won't cooperate, file a complaint with Amazon directly, as Amazon has pretty good customer service and if nothing else, you can report the seller to them.  With so many 3rd party sellers using Amazon, unfortunately there's got to be some who aren't that great.  And not everybody goes to the trouble of checking all of a device's past history to make sure no skeletons are hanging in the closet, so to speak.
• A device which boots up with a carrier logo is a "carrier version" of said device.  Carrier versions are made at the manufacturing factory or possibly at some undisclosed location(s) a carrier would be using to build carrier version devices; I do not actually know, but it's not something that can be done anywhere.  The seller at Amazon did not have anything to do with this.
• Re: the Verizon rep's question about your tablet's model - if the tablet is very old, it may no longer be supported on Verizon.  I don't know how long Samsung has been making tablets, but generally, any electronic device more than 5 years old is considered obsolete and whether or not it still works on current wireless technology is hit or miss.

[yfrank14]

I didn't  try a new SIM card because  I removed the SIM card and tried to download an E SIM.

I do not see how the SIM card can be the problem because  Verizon said the tablet was not compatible when I manually  entered the IMEI.

So far, the refund is not a problem.  They approved it and are waiting to get the tablet back from me.

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@SynthpopAddict wrote:

To answer your questions:

• Have you tried to put a new Verizon SIM card into the tablet to see if that works?  I suspect the original owner did not remove their SIM card when they sold the device to the retailer, and therefore that old SIM is tied to that person's account which they have disconnected.
• If installing a brand new Verizon SIM card fails to work, then you have a bigger problem: The device is probably blacklisted, and only the original owner can request a blacklist removal, which would mean you've been burned.  If this is so, you need to get a refund from the seller.  If they won't cooperate, file a complaint with Amazon directly, as Amazon has pretty good customer service and if nothing else, you can report the seller to them.  With so many 3rd party sellers using Amazon, unfortunately there's got to be some who aren't that great.  And not everybody goes to the trouble of checking all of a device's past history to make sure no skeletons are hanging in the closet, so to speak.
• A device which boots up with a carrier logo is a "carrier version" of said device.  Carrier versions are made at the manufacturing factory or possibly at some undisclosed location(s) a carrier would be using to build carrier version devices; I do not actually know, but it's not something that can be done anywhere.  The seller at Amazon did not have anything to do with this.
• Re: the Verizon rep's question about your tablet's model - if the tablet is very old, it may no longer be supported on Verizon.  I don't know how long Samsung has been making tablets, but generally, any electronic device more than 5 years old is considered obsolete and whether or not it still works on current wireless technology is hit or miss.

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