LG G6 won't activate?
bravelad
Enthusiast - Level 2

I have an unlocked version of the LG G6, I didn't buy it from Verizon, but I'm a long time Verizon customer. So, I was hoping to use it to replace my current phone (which is a very old 'backup' galaxy s4) with this unlocked dual band phone.  Verizon sells (or sold) this phone model, so it IS compatible on their network.  However, they said that the IMEI number is not in their list. Interestingly, they said the same thing about my daughters Nexus 5x initially a few years ago).

Does anyone have any insight into how I can get this to work?  If they say the IMEI is not in their list, can't they just update their [removed]

list? What of the stories of other people who have the same model (US997) that swapped in their old nano sim and got it to work?  Does this mean there is a workaround?  Their are other accounts of people getting this to work, and [removed],  Verizon even has support pages for this phone on their own support pages!

Just about ready to give up and move on down the road, just thought I would try this one last place to get help. I want to keep the phone, it's dual band, I can take it to another carrier, I guess.

Profanity removed as required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service

Message edited by Verizon Moderator. ​

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Re: LG G6 won't activate?
lukevinyl
Specialist - Level 2

One way around the device not being listed in the database is to simply take the activated sim card from your current device that  is activated with your number and to put it in the G6 while the current device and the G6 are powered off.

Power on the G6 and give it a bit for it to recognize and ultimately it should register and work on the VZW network. Keep in mind, there is never any guarantee that all or any services will work with this device as it is not an official VZW device and is not approved for use on the network, but this should work.

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Re: LG G6 won't activate?
bravelad
Enthusiast - Level 2

oops, sorry about the profanity, that was a lack of class on my part...

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Re: LG G6 won't activate?
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

Can you please provide the specifications for the phone radio frequencies?

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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Re: LG G6 won't activate?
lukevinyl
Specialist - Level 2

One way around the device not being listed in the database is to simply take the activated sim card from your current device that  is activated with your number and to put it in the G6 while the current device and the G6 are powered off.

Power on the G6 and give it a bit for it to recognize and ultimately it should register and work on the VZW network. Keep in mind, there is never any guarantee that all or any services will work with this device as it is not an official VZW device and is not approved for use on the network, but this should work.

Re: LG G6 won't activate?
bravelad
Enthusiast - Level 2

where would I find that information?

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Re: LG G6 won't activate?
bravelad
Enthusiast - Level 2

In some manner I guess I have done all these steps..  I had a Nexus 5x that died a few months ago.  I still had the phone (luckily) but have been using an old Galaxy s4 as a backup.  When I got this phone yesterday, I didn't use the sim from my S4 because it's a weird size, not a nano sim or micro.  But, I had the nano sim from my now dead Nexus.  Technically that should work, right?  At least it should recognize it's a sim that worked on Verizon before.

One thing I didn't do though was completely shut down my old S4 and at least pull the sim, while the other one is powered on, then waiting a few minutes...  I'll try that.

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Re: LG G6 won't activate?
bravelad
Enthusiast - Level 2

I tried it and it didn't work.  Maybe that sim gets inactivated when I got my backup S4 activated?  Or maybe a sim 'expires' if it doesn't get used for awhile?

Not sure...

I made a call after 5 minutes and I got the same automated response from Verizon, "Not active..."

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Re: LG G6 won't activate?
bravelad
Enthusiast - Level 2

So I, fortunately, have a phone repair guy in my building (GadgetGuy in Cedar Rapids) that took the sim that was in my backup phone and cut it down to nano size.  We put that in and it worked... almost instantly.  So, I'm connected afterall! 

I did get some alert from Verizon that I'm using an unrecognized device with my registered sim and that "some features may not work"...   What features wouldn't work?  That's weird because Verizon has sold LG G6's, the exact same model (US997), so what wouldn't work if I'm also using a Verizon sim that was active.

Verizon wouldn't deliberately trim their services to a phone that someone didn't buy from them would they?  That doesn't seem right.

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Re: LG G6 won't activate?
lukevinyl
Specialist - Level 2

Glad to hear it is working now Smiley Happy. Was just about to say it sounds as if it is not a compatible sim card if it is a different size.

To answer your question and in reference to what might not work, Verizon's Visual Voicemail service and the Verizon cloud MAY not work but it honestly could really be anything from apps to the voicemail itself, to the adding of accounts.

It isn't that Verizon trims services, it is that aside from what comes pre-loaded in their devices-- there is also programming involved that tells the device the access points to use for Verizon internet, the settings and configuration for text messaging to be sent through Verizon's servers etc. Conversely, another carrier's device comes programmed with that carriers info inside for it to work on that network and this is where it can't be guaranteed that everything works the way it should if it were a device that were sold and programmed for the  network it was going to be used on. In some instances  it would even require additional programming to get some things to work if having issues....

Re: LG G6 won't activate?
bravelad
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thank you for taking the time to reply, that is very good information.  It's good info for this community too.  Happy holidays!