8830 WE PIN locked? How to resolve from abroad

[aidanl]

I just bought a Verizon-branded 8830 WE on eBay and moved to Tanzania. I checked the IMEI to make sure it wasn't reported lost/stolen and it came out clean. I unlocked the phone and took it with me to Tanzania, bought a SIM and found that the voice features work just fine. When I signed up for data service, though, it didn't work. I went to the provider (Vodacom) and they told me I was registered but that the PIN on the BB was locked and so I couldn't use the phone for data.

From what I've read online it seems I have to have Verizon release the PIN, right? I'm having trouble contacting them because of the time difference and connectivity difficulties. I am also not sure that I'm going to be able to get in touch with the original owner if they require that. (I've contacted the eBay seller I bought it from, but I'm guessing they got it from someone who got it from someone, etc.) Is there any other way to handle this?

Alternatively, if I end up having to get a new phone, is there any way to check whether the PIN is locked BEFORE I buy it? (This was not something I even knew to ask/look into.)

Thanks for any help...!

[aidanl]

Update: I got in touch with Verizon on the phone and while the guy on the other end of the line seemed confused by what I wrote above, they removed a reference to my PIN from their system. So they have nothing on it there. I also got an email back from their support that said:

"After doing some research, I found that a Blackberry Pin Lock is when an old blackberry.net address is still associated with a device and hasn't been deleted. If there is a blackberry.net address still associated with your device, it would show up on our Blackberry Internet Service website. Upon review of our systems, I don't see an account associated with your device via the IMEI you provided."

They then gave me the contact information for RIM and said they're probably the only ones who can deal with it.

I've since rebooted my phone, waited a day, etc., and nothing. If anyone has any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate them....