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Porting number question

Started by jfharper, June 18, 2013, 10:20:22 AM

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jfharper

I'm following the Obi tutorial for number porting. I've bought my SIM card but my Verizon phone does not use a sim.  So I'm guessing I need to find a friend with a phone I can use for the sim activation and setup...is this correct?  Also is there a certain type of phone I need?  I just bought the sim through the amazon link in the tutorial so it's probably a regular sim and not a micro or nano...so does the regular sim fit in only certain phones?  If someone could give me a little guidance, that would be great...Tia.

Rick

Yes, SIM cards only fit into certain phones, and size matters  :D  And you can't use a T-Mobile SIM in a locked AT&T phone, or vice versa.  There are dozens of threads on this.  You now need to find a phone that is the same brand as your SIM card, or start over.

jfharper

Ok, so I need to find a tmobile phone for the sim to fit in.  And does it need to be unlocked or do all tmobile phones allow you to put a new sim in.

Sorry for the extra questions but the tutorial didn't specify this info so I have figure it out as I go ;)

Tia

Rick

It's literally in dozens of posts.  You need to find a T-Mobile phone that the SIM card fits into.  You can borrow someone's T-Mobile phone and use that SIM card, of find an UNLOCKED AT&T phone and use that SIM card. 

jfharper

So if I use a tmobile phone it doesn't have to be unlocked...correct?

Shale

Quote from: jfharper on June 18, 2013, 10:54:51 AM
So if I use a tmobile phone it doesn't have to be unlocked...correct?
That is correct if you will use a T-mobile SIM.

ontwowheels

Quote from: jfharper on June 18, 2013, 10:54:51 AM
So if I use a tmobile phone it doesn't have to be unlocked...correct?

Correct, that is exactly how I did it.  I am a T-mobile post pay customer.  I purchased the pre paid SIM like you did, and used an old locked T-mobile phone to use the pre paid SIM with.

jfharper

Thank you for the confirmation.  I'm having trouble finding a tmobile phone to use with my purchased sim.

Rick

Quote from: jfharper on June 19, 2013, 08:25:39 AM
Thank you for the confirmation.  I'm having trouble finding a tmobile phone to use with my purchased sim.

Jim:

On another of your posts, I suggested you should perhaps consider not doing this.  It may be beyond your abilities - it is for some.  OBi's are technical.  Not straightforward.  They have issues.  If you didn't know that a SIM card doesn't go in a Verizon phone (except 4G cards for newer phones), and you didn't understand that TMobile and AT&T operate on entirely different networks than Verizon Wireless, and you're having issues working your new Panasonic phones...  You may want to step back and think again.  Porting sometimes goes fine.  Sometimes it doesn't.  It has specific instructions you need to follow.  If you don't, you have issues. 

Just some friendly advice.

jfharper

#9
I understand and thanks for the comment.  I'm just not savvy with cell phones, since I live in a rural area, I don't use them.  I run an animation business with a 16 core render farm network as well as have a degree in biochemistry...so I should have the brain for it, it will just be a learning experience.

Btw, I'm making progress...I found a used tmobile phone on amazon for 6 bucks and the SIM card inserted fine with no errors on startup so it appears the sim is compatible with the phone...now I just need to locate a signal for tmobile.

Also, line 2 is working very well so far, this is the line that we didn't need to port over our old number to...so I would say I am more than half way there.

jfharper

Had a question when I submit my number for porting to google voice, the obi porting tutorial says to enter my number with area code and the 1 before the area code and the pin.  Question is do you enter the 1 plus area code and number first and then enter the pin later or do you enter the full thing when first submitting the porting request.  I want to make sure I do it right the first time to avoid any delays.

Rick

You enter the PIN when asked for the PIN.

jfharper

I got everything setup and working correctly.  Thanks to all who helped me.

Ill have to try and tackle enabling QoS in the future some time...overall it all seems to work very well.  Thanks again.

Rick

Quote from: jfharper on June 28, 2013, 08:33:39 AM
I got everything setup and working correctly.  Thanks to all who helped me.

Ill have to try and tackle enabling QoS in the future some time...overall it all seems to work very well.  Thanks again.

Unless you have slow internet service, or a bunch of devices fighting for the bandwidth, QOS is probably not needed.  I don't use it and have multiple devices using the bandwidth at one time.