[cswinter]

Hi all.

I'm new to this forum and new to BB, in general. I apologize ahead of time for my ignorance, but it seems like this is the place to go for some good advice.

So here's the scoop. I recently bought a 7250 off of ebay and should be receiving it tomorrow or Friday. My carrier is Verizon and the BB is a Verizon product. Here's my main concern. Once I get my paws on this thing, how do I activate it with Verizon? I know that I will have to add the data plan ($29.99) and go to vsw.blackberry.com, but is there something else that I would have to do to get everything to work? For instance, I know that when people buy new cell phones, they have to have them "activated" through the big V. Am I making sense?

Thanks in advance for your help. I look forward to joining in on the BB fun!

[Squall1478]

Wirelessly posted

Yeah you have to activate the phone on your account. Pretty easy to do from the verizon wireless website. If you have any issues they can do it for you at a verizon store. Not sure if it costs anything to activate a new phone though.

[tobenning]

Originally Posted by Squall1478

Wirelessly posted

Yeah you have to activate the phone on your account. Pretty easy to do from the verizon wireless website. If you have any issues they can do it for you at a verizon store. Not sure if it costs anything to activate a new phone though.

They will hit you up for $35 if you get a new line. If you are putting the blackberry on your line, it is free.

[cswinter]

Good to know. This isn't a new line--just upgrading my current line.

What info will I need to have to do this?

[hdawg]

You'll have to provide them with the ESN (PIN too possibly) and then they'll attach it to your account and you'll have to activate it. They'll go over the whole process over the phone or you can do it on their website.

[mizditz101]

I've learned the easiest way (I'm not sure on all of it anymore as I am not on verizon) is to turn off both phones, go into your account online, and somewhere around the pic of the phone you are currently using there will be like, an "activation" link, or something of the sorts. When you click on that link it'll send you to another page saying something along the lines of "what is this - New activation - activation on an existing line, blah blah" from there it's pretty straight forward, put in the IMEI, and some lame excuse for changing your phone (I always put other) and Wallah!

However, if the active phone now is not off, it wont go through, and then you have to call. (it wont let you do it twice pretty much) Or if you get the big red error, you just have to call and say "hey, I need to activate this phone in my hand"
Pretty simple =D

[Dubdub]

Make sure you read the FAQ section on buying a used BB on ebay. That might save you a lot of headaches and grief.

If it is a Verizon branded device and still supported by Verizon, then it should be able to be added to your account. IMHO, when activating a BB, it is always best to speak directly to the CSR as opposed to trying to do it all over the web.

[cswinter]

I have read the ebay FAQ and check to make sure that everything is in order. I'm more concerned about something going awry on Verizon's end than on my end (i.e. device being messed up)

[Dawg]

I find the CSR with evrizon to ne good at working with you. I would be more concernred with the phone being stolen or still assigned to a BES server some where. Or the user didnt release the PIN.

[Dawg]

Double post

[ATOH]

My cousin recently bought a Pearl off ebay and once activated he could not set up the BIS and was getting email for the previous owner. A short call to VZW data support and he was fixed.

[cswinter]

Well hopefully that won't happen to me. I am buying it through an e-retailer who, based upon the feedback he has received, knows what he's doing and makes sure that everything is tested and ready to go.

Thanks for all the help on this. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Dawg]

hes lucky he got someone who would do that for him. Id say 99% of the time they tell you to contact the original owner