[brian_peterson]

Has anyone tried taking an activated Verizon SIM and try using it in the Passport?

1) Will it make voLTE calls (to anybody, land-line, Verizon customer, any cell customer, etc)
2) Will the data work fine?
3) Can you text (I don't care much as I don't have a text plan with Verizon).

Before people say it won't work. That's not totally true. We know 100% the data will work with this method. If your sim is not a nano you can cut it down: Amazon.com: Nano sim cutter For iPhone 5 Simcard Cutter cut Any GSM sim into Nano or any Micro Sim into Nano Sim (In Stock Ready to Ship): Cell Phones & Accessories (if you have a Z10 I read the reviews and if you have a micro you should get a standard adapter and use that cutter to nano).

So, the big question is is voLTE activated and working? Has anyone tried? I see a lot of posts saying this is all theoretically possible, but I have not heard of someone trying it.

If you were planning on switching to AT&T can you at least try this out before you cancel service? It would be a huge public service.

BTW: We KNOW data will at least work:
Could a GSM iPhone 6 be used with VZW VoLTE?

The question is LTE voice (as any iPhone 6 is "universal" and has CDMA radios). I don't care about 3G and 1X CDMA. I have fantastic 4G LTE everywhere I go now.

Thanks!

[Ment]

voLTE with Verizon has be device model activated by the carrier, its not only a matter of hardware. For example the current flagship LG device the G3 sold by verizon does not have it even though the G2 from last year does. Unless something changed in the last few days only Iphone 6, Samsung S5 and LG G2 are able to have voLTE at this date.

[raino]

Has anyone tried taking an activated Verizon SIM and try using it in the Passport?

Yes, and it didn't work: Here's how to ensure you get LTE on your BlackBerry Passport while using AT&T | CrackBerry.com

Before people say it won't work. That's not totally true. We know 100% the data will work with this method.

Since activation as a phone didn't work, maybe the only other way would be to try activating the Passport as a tablet. But tablet activations are inherently data-only connections.

[AnimalPak200]

There's a long thread about this.

Posted via CB10

[raino]

voLTE with Verizon has be device model activated by the carrier, its not only a matter of hardware. For example the current flagship LG device the G3 sold by verizon does not have it even though the G2 from last year does. Unless something changed in the last few days only Iphone 6, Samsung S5 and LG G2 are able to have voLTE at this date.

Ah so Verizon is doing it by model/IMEI as well? Is voLTE on band 13 or band 4, or both?

[AnimalPak200]

http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...34/index6.html

Everyone,

I spent a few hours at Verizon yesterday and we could not get my Passport to work on their network. I am in Reno in case someone wants to check out the bands here. They (Verizon reps) did admit that they are phasing out CDMA and moving to more conventional bands but it will take years. I gave up and walked across the street and had AT&T put the Passport on my family share plan. Works great on their 4G network. In addition, I actually had a Blackberry rep call me this morning asking how I liked my new Passport and if there were any questions. I asked about Verizon and she confessed that she has heard that question a lot and has no real answer. Only that the "higher ups" told her to say "more things are coming". She said that in a way that would lead me to believe that this does not include Verizon compatible Passports. So, I am not holding my breath and will just use it on AT&T for now. Sorry guys.

Kurt

Posted via CB10

[raino]

I wonder if anybody's actually tried activating the Passport as a data-only (tablet) device. This, IMO has a better chance of working because:

1. Tablets don't need the legacy CDMA network for calls
2. Band 13 tablets lacking CDMA have been successfully activated on Verizon before (Nexus 7.)

I wish I had a got dang Passport, I would try it myself! Data is no-contract, and only $5 for the cheapest tier. SIM card can't be more than $20...

[AnimalPak200]

I wonder if anybody's actually tried activating the Passport as a data-only (tablet) device. This, IMO has a better chance of working because:

1. Tablets don't need the legacy CDMA network for calls
2. Band 13 tablets lacking CDMA have been successfully activated on Verizon before (Nexus 7.)

I wish I had a got dang Passport, I would try it myself! Data is no-contract, and only $5 for the cheapest tier. SIM card can't be more than $20...

Lol,.. you're still waiting for someone to try this? Do they have any prepaid tablet sim cards?

Posted via CB10

[raino]

Lol,.. you're still waiting for someone to try this? Do they have any prepaid tablet sim cards?

Yes! Click on Prepaid Phones and Prepaid Plans: Cell Phone Plans - Verizon Wireless and then scroll down and click on Tablets.

[brian_peterson]

Just to be clear. Has someone tried a already activated Verizon SIM in the BlackBerry Passport. I am hearing folks saying they can't "activate it". That sounds to me like they are going about it wrong.

[raino]

Just to be clear. Has someone tried a already activated Verizon SIM in the BlackBerry Passport. I am hearing folks saying they can't "activate it". That sounds to me like they are going about it wrong.

From the blog comment I linked to:

Brought my phone to the store too. They tried activating my nano sim on an iPhone in the store to my account then popped it in my passport and tried to trick the system but it just kept kicking it back.

You can't do a new device activation because the Passport IMEI would not be recognized during the activation process. The workaround is what you're thinking of, but unfortunately, it doesn't work.

[brian_peterson]

From the blog comment I linked to:

You can't do a new device activation because the Passport IMEI would not be recognized during the activation process. The workaround is what you're thinking of, but unfortunately, it doesn't work.

You are stating "activation". I guess that is where I am getting confused. Other GSM/LTE devices I just pop the SIM card and it just works. According to this: Could a GSM iPhone 6 be used with VZW VoLTE?

The non-Verizon branded device works with a already activated SIM. That's why I am confused by "tried to trick the system but it just kept kicking it back"... There should be no need for tricking. Pop it in, and it should work.

[raino]

You are stating "activation". I guess that is where I am getting confused. Other GSM/LTE devices I just pop the SIM card and it just works. According to this: Could a GSM iPhone 6 be used with VZW VoLTE?

The non-Verizon branded device works with a already activated SIM. That's why I am confused by "tried to trick the system but it just kept kicking it back"... There should be no need for tricking. Pop it in, and it should work.

Right. GSM/LTE devices. Since Verizon is a CDMA/LTE carrier, they basically control phone activations based on device IMEIs, where they don't activate devices which aren't on their list. Even if you want to activate a new phone, you have to go through this device switch/activation process, you can't just take your SIM out and put it in a new phone.

The iPhone 6 situation may have something to do with a variant of the phone being available on their network and being provisioned for VoLTE (i.e. Verizon's version of the iPhone.) An apples to apples comparison would have been, for example, a voLTE provisioned Verizon Passport, and a regular SQW100-1.

Also, of note is that the model# for the US GSM iPhone 6 and the Verizon iPhone 6 is the same--A1549.

[flyersfan76]

Just to be clear. Has someone tried a already activated Verizon SIM in the BlackBerry Passport. I am hearing folks saying they can't "activate it". That sounds to me like they are going about it wrong.

I took an activated iphone 5s sim card as well as a cut down Verizon jet pack sim card. Neither worked.

I might try again as I now have a better working jet pack sim card but my Passport is somewhere between me and Indiana or Mexico. Not sure if they even built it yet.

[raino]

I took an activated iphone 5s sim card as well as a cut down Verizon jet pack sim card. Neither worked.

What's a jet pack?

[Ment]

Ah so Verizon is doing it by model/IMEI as well? Is voLTE on band 13 or band 4, or both?

Verizon certifies a model for voLTE then an OTA update gets pushed out to that model that includes the ability to register for Advanced Calling and then voLTE runs on your device. Because of this process I doubt voLTE will ever be able to work on Passport even if you get around the issue with CDMA provisioning.

[AnimalPak200]

Sounds about right for big red.

Posted via CB10

[raino]

Verizon certifies a model for voLTE then an OTA update gets pushed out to that model that includes the ability to register for Advanced Calling and then voLTE runs on your device. Because of this process I doubt voLTE will ever be able to work on Passport even if you get around the issue with CDMA provisioning.

...unless Verizon certifies the SQW100-1 for voLTE

This is pretty much how TMO does it. But unlike TMO, Verizon is sitting on band 13 spectrum, which is why I asked if voLTE uses their band 13 network or not. If it does, is their non-certification/provisioning legal under band 13 openness rules?

Verizon plans to go all-LTE with new phones in 2016, so maybe, just maybe, if there's any hope, it would be then. But given how big of a control freak they are, I would be really surprised.

[Edijs Benoit]

i am on at&t sorry, i don't know

[flyersfan76]

What's a jet pack?

Verizon 4g wifi device

Posted via CB10

[Ment]

...unless Verizon certifies the SQW100-1 for voLTE

This is pretty much how TMO does it. But unlike TMO, Verizon is sitting on band 13 spectrum, which is why I asked if voLTE uses their band 13 network or not. If it does, is their non-certification/provisioning legal under band 13 openness rules?

Verizon plans to go all-LTE with new phones in 2016, so maybe, just maybe, if there's any hope, it would be then. But given how big of a control freak they are, I would be really surprised.

No idea what band Verizon voLTE uses. Is there some advantage to using band 13 other than its available?

[raino]

Verizon 4g wifi device

Thanks.

Is there some advantage to using band 13 other than its available?

Aside from it being Verizon's primary band, band 13 also has some open access rules in place that force Verizon to do things Verizon would never do, like sell unlocked phones, and allow any band 13 capable devices on their network. In fact--this is supposed to be the Passport's "in" on to the Verizon network--it's got band 13.

But what isn't quite clear yet is that does band 13 "open access" also encompass any Verizon-proprietary technology that may be used on their band 13 network? So stuff like voLTE and WiFi calling down the line--is Verizon required to bring these things to devices that are on their band 13 network? WiFi calling I guess isn't a mobile network-dependent feature, but voLTE certainly is.

[Ment]

But what isn't quite clear yet is that does band 13 "open access" also encompass any Verizon-proprietary technology that may be used on their band 13 network? So stuff like voLTE and WiFi calling down the line--is Verizon required to bring these things to devices that are on their band 13 network? WiFi calling I guess isn't a mobile network-dependent feature, but voLTE certainly is.

I'd think there would be some exclusions on new technologies like voLTE and 5G, otherwise there would be no way to have controlled release and to deal with the customer service issues related to the same.

[Benjamin Black]

I actually have a Verizon chromebook with lte data only....if it has a nano sim (which I doubt) I will put it in my passport and try it when I get home from work. I am running the passport on att right now

Posted via CB10

[raino]

I actually have a Verizon chromebook with lte data only....if it has a nano sim (which I doubt) I will put it in my passport and try it when I get home from work. I am running the passport on att right now

If it doesn't work after a straight up swap, try the instructions here: How To Activate An LTE Nexus 7 On Verizon Wireless