Will a factory unlocked S4 work on Verizon?
csmith4105
Enthusiast - Level 2

Hi,

Ok, first want to preface this by saying, if I get angry, rant,, or frustrated don't take it as a reflection on you personally. I know Verizon and you are two different entities and employees just work for Verizon.

That being said I'll type the background here for your situational knowledge.

I've been to Korea twice with Verizon (three altogether) for a year each time. Korea only uses GSM that much I do know. Both times Verizon reps citing "Vodafone" straight LIED to me and said if they globally unlocked my CDMA phone it would work overseas. I signed up for more service, had my phone unlocked, got to Korea, and had a phone that didn't work FOR A WHOLE YEAR! I HATE Verizon! I hate that because of the reps deceitful practices I've been beholden to that Company for a very long time.

My family had just finished migrating to all Apple products when Apple release iOS 7 and screwed up my wife and my Son's iPhones. Those phones were out of warranty but I'm angry at Apple too (long story). Because those phones are messed up I have to spend $800 anyway so I'm taking this opportunity.......

Now, to be direct. Once & twice shame on you. Three times shame on me. Not to be three times the fool, I'm slated to go to Korea again for a year. I'm military and just came down on orders. Anyway, I'm planning on migrating from Verizon finally. I've already made the decision. I'm buying a factory unlocked Samsung Galaxy since I'm also migrating from Apple.

So I have some questions.....

1. Will a factory unlocked GSM Samsung Galaxy S4 work on Verizon so I can finish my contract with them?

2. If a factory unlocked GSM Samsung Galaxy S4 will work on Verizon, I'm transitioning from an Apple iPhone 4S. Do I have to visit the Apple store for any programming to get my number to it or will switching the SIM card from one to the other work for the phone number?

3. Assuming a factory unlocked GSM Samsung Galaxy S4 will work on Verizon, will making that switch lock it to Verizon only networks mandating my call to Verizon to get the Sim slot internationally unlocked again so I can get KT (Korea Telecom) in Korea.

I know Verizon is primarily CDMA (not GSM) that's why I am asking most of these questions.

I already had a Verizon Corporate Store rep (Killeen near Stan Schlueter off Hwy 190) lie to me and tell me the only way to unlock my iPhone (before the iOS 7 debacle) was by using a Verizon global Sim. Notice I said LIE that's all the experience I have with Verizon reps! Please prove me wrong now because if you do I'll know through my research. That store is the store that took our unlimited data away also this last upgrade.

I'm already leaving Verizon period, forever, the questions only dictate how long before I finish migrating my family. I can send you what ever information you'd like, just ask. If this will not work I will pay the early termination fee since Verizon has put a very bad taste in my mouth.

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Re: Will a factory unlocked S4 work on Verizon?
csmith4105
Enthusiast - Level 2

****More Information*****

Handset HSDPA:              I9500

Alternate Handset 1:          I9505

Alternate Handset 2:          I9190

Please give me the model number of a handset that would work so I can entertain that option.

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Re: Will a factory unlocked S4 work on Verizon?
ttipgem
Master - Level 1

You need to have a Verizon branded phone to use on Verizon.

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Re: Will a factory unlocked S4 work on Verizon?
csmith4105
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thank you for the reply.

In that case I'll just sink a few hundred into a Factory Unlocked Phone and if Verizon can't get it on their network I'll just go month to month with someone like Walmart GSM until I go over to Korea and pay the early termination so Verizon won't get more money from continued service because I won't need it. It'll also be easier since one of the iPhone 4S's (we had three of them, one bought from Verizon and two were bought outright without contract) we're trying to replace was bought outright used so I'd not have to pay that huge of a fee.

Thanks again for your reply, hopefully we can get a Verizon rep on here. You're probably right though.

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Re: Will a factory unlocked S4 work on Verizon?
csmith4105
Enthusiast - Level 2

One more thing, I'm tired of the hostage business model. In other words I didn't leave Verizon because I couldn't afford to, but now I can. I wasn't a happy and committed customer, I was a customer out of necessity. I couldn't dig my self out of the hole that Verizon dug out for me. I couldn't afford choice, Verizon in my experience is a predatory business. They kept ******* me and I had to accept it. No more, I will never look back.

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Re: Will a factory unlocked S4 work on Verizon?
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

Since you didn't mark your post as a question, you are very unlikely to get an official response from one of the reps in the Verizon Wireless social media team that roams the community. They only reply to discussions marked as an unanswered question.

With that said, unlocked GSM phone won't work on the Verizon Wireless network. The radios are different and the MEID number isn't in their database of allowed devices.

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

Re: Will a factory unlocked S4 work on Verizon?
phoneplan7886
Enthusiast - Level 3

What phone did you take to Korea originally? Was it a CDMA and GSM device? Did you remove the preinstalled Vodafone sim card and use a local Korean providers sim card?

In order to activate a GS4 on VZW It has to be a SCHI545 model S4 to work with the VZW network. What's interesting about ALL verizon 4g devices is that they are ALL global capable devices (CDMA and GSM built in) and the GSM (sim) portion is not locked. Essentially you can buy the schi545 device and put a T-Mobile, AT&T, or any other providers sim card in it. The reverse doesn't work because the model AT&T & T-Mobile sell is GSM only. 

in order to activate a GS4 on your account in place of your iphone 4s you will need a VZW 4G sim card from a VZW corporate store. The Sim cards are free unless you go to a dealer type location, they will try to charge you for a sim card.

Try to get your ETF waived by letting them know you are moving outside their coverage area. Another country counts as leaving their coverage

Re: Will a factory unlocked S4 work on Verizon?
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

Verizon Wireless won't waive the ETF for customers moving to another country or somewhere where their coverage doesn't reach.

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

Re: Will a factory unlocked S4 work on Verizon?
csmith4105
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thank you for the reply!

First trip with Verizon was a CDMA Moto Razr in 2007. Second trip with Verizon was a CDMA Droid Eris in 2010.

Thank you again!

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Re: Will a factory unlocked S4 work on Verizon?
csmith4105
Enthusiast - Level 2

And that IS true because I did try to get the ETF waived the last two times. They would only "PAUSE" my account, which frustrates me because I was on orders. the Soldier's and Sailor's act dictates that it should have been waived since I was Military on orders, and "PAUSING" meant my one year warrantied device had to last three (2yr commitment Verizon, one more year in Korea, and my upgrade was paused too). They also mandated my wife continue to pay for data on my account, because it was the main account. She never got to use it, but we had to PAY for a portion that was never used anyway.... It couldn't be. They wouldn't allow us to cancel that or "PAUSE" it. They just slid it to my wife's account! So they stole money from us. I would have sued but litigation takes time, and money which I didn't have. But that was then, not now. I'm only interested in the present.  ...Anyway my wife's phone was a "dumb" phone and couldn't make use of the data either time anyway.

How do I mark this as a question anyway?

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