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Agreed. Which carrier suspended your service, Neil? Maybe you triggered a stolen-phone alert in their system... if there is such a thing.

by Tempest1981 5y ago

ev1 5y ago
Hello Mobile suspends your service if it detects use in another device (indefinitely). Verizon and their resellers may also register devices by ESN/IMEI, depending on if you were migrating to/from a LTE only device. Verizon also whitelists IMEIs and moving from an 'approved VZ device' to a 'global/international device' may result in no service or suspension/contact support Pageplus is IMEI-tied and does not allow moving your SIM. Metro (T-Mobile MVNO) blocks service for changing SIMs, at least in the past year or two. They charge a $15 fee to update your IMEI so you can move your SIM to another phone. Cricket whitelists devices and does not allow arbitrary swaps.
- Tempest1981 5y ago
  Interesting, thanks! I moved a number a while back, and my bank notified me -- the bank account was configured for SMS alerts to that number. I didn't know companies could be alerted when changing carriers. How does that work?
  - ev1 5y ago
    banks can buy port and number db data directly from carriers and refuse to authorise sms mfa (not calling it 2fa because phone/sms mfa is dogshit) from recently ported or modified numbers
neilv 5y ago
It was a major carrier, prepaid, with BYOD. (I don't want to say which, in case that might wrongly get the helpful CSR in trouble, in the way that sometimes happens with huge companies blaming downward for problems higher up.) The CSR said that suspending the line happens any time the SIM is moved to a device without first calling them with the IMEI of the device. (Calling is a major production, maybe 1+ hour on-hold with a loud repeating talking ad that wouldn't stop, and even minimum volume on that iPhone was too loud. Web sites got nothing on customer support dark patterns.) I asked if there was a way to get my line exempted from this, so that I could move the SIM frequently between phones without calling them. I mentioned this was an original purpose of SIM cards. He said no. But he did say they used to have a Web form where the customer could enter the new IMEI, but they removed that, as part of some kind of move. I didn't ask further.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

Agreed. Which carrier suspended your service, Neil? Maybe you triggered a stolen-phone alert in their system... if there is such a thing.

ev1 5y ago

Hello Mobile suspends your service if it detects use in another device (indefinitely). Verizon and their resellers may also register devices by ESN/IMEI, depending on if you were migrating to/from a LTE only device. Verizon also whitelists IMEIs and moving from an 'approved VZ device' to a 'global/international device' may result in no service or suspension/contact support Pageplus is IMEI-tied and does not allow moving your SIM. Metro (T-Mobile MVNO) blocks service for changing SIMs, at least in the past year or two. They charge a $15 fee to update your IMEI so you can move your SIM to another phone. Cricket whitelists devices and does not allow arbitrary swaps.

Tempest1981 5y ago
Interesting, thanks! I moved a number a while back, and my bank notified me -- the bank account was configured for SMS alerts to that number. I didn't know companies could be alerted when changing carriers. How does that work?
- ev1 5y ago
  banks can buy port and number db data directly from carriers and refuse to authorise sms mfa (not calling it 2fa because phone/sms mfa is dogshit) from recently ported or modified numbers

neilv 5y ago

It was a major carrier, prepaid, with BYOD. (I don't want to say which, in case that might wrongly get the helpful CSR in trouble, in the way that sometimes happens with huge companies blaming downward for problems higher up.) The CSR said that suspending the line happens any time the SIM is moved to a device without first calling them with the IMEI of the device. (Calling is a major production, maybe 1+ hour on-hold with a loud repeating talking ad that wouldn't stop, and even minimum volume on that iPhone was too loud. Web sites got nothing on customer support dark patterns.) I asked if there was a way to get my line exempted from this, so that I could move the SIM frequently between phones without calling them. I mentioned this was an original purpose of SIM cards. He said no. But he did say they used to have a Web form where the customer could enter the new IMEI, but they removed that, as part of some kind of move. I didn't ask further.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]