I'm hoping one of you can explain the sim-card concept -- isn't this a Verizon CDMA phone? I would have assumed the sim card is only relevant when the phone is unlocked and used on another CDMA network, correct? In other words, won't one work without the sim card as is on Verizon?
OK, answering my own question here: just called VZW, and they kindly explained that 4G requires a sim card. They also said the card is tied to the line (so don't buy a "blank" card, I suppose) -- just give them a call and they will send you a properly configured card for free.
LTE (Verizon's implementation of 4G) is not CDMA, it is a different technology all together... All 4G phones get their "ESN" number for CDMA and LTE from the SIM card similar to how GSM operates, this is why you can take a your Verizon SIM and move it from a Verizon 4G phone to another one and everything just moves with it. The phones are not like GSM in the "unlocking" category though, Verizon will not (cannot?) unlock them to another carrier and no other carrier will let you activate them, although some "global mode" phones can be used on other carriers. So to answer your question, no, a Verizon 4G phone will not work without a SIM card.
Thanks, that makes it a lot clearer. Is it correct then that because they "get their ESN for CDMA and LTE from the card" that the 3G (i.e., CDMA) radio won't work without the SIM card either? I've heard owners say "I'll run it in 3G mode and save battery" and imagined the two were functionally separable. It's a moot point since Verizon presumably gives the card out for free, but since I'm planning to pick one up used I want to be sure I understand the process.
A smartphone also has an IMEI number in firmware. This number is unique to each phone. The FCC is requiring all the major cellphone carriers to create a single database of phones reported stolen or lost by March of 2013. The days of using a stolen phone easily will soon be over. The IMEI can currently used to block the phone's activation on the original carriers service. It will be interesting to see when the database of stolen and lost phones goes online, if all previously stolen phones go off-line.
I did this with my sim card in checking out a backup phone. The backup phone checked out clean with the hard to find Verizon website. None the less, after I put the sim card back into my regular phone, it went dead. The Verizon phone guy said it accidently triggered a stolen phone alert. This was on a Motorola Droid Bionic, my phone of choice right now. It was easily cleared up since I was the account holder. I had the phone guy run the imei number again on the new phone from suspect history and it came up clean. So, I say go ahead and swap sim cards between devices. Verison is going to have to get used to it. Its their system and our devices to use one at a time. BTW, my sim doesn't have unlimited data, but it does have special offer 2 gigs over normal....
