Hi, I'm looking to get an iPhone for cheap off eBay, just to have one around. A few I'm looking at are advertised as having bad ESNs. Does that mean they can't be activated on ANY mobile network, or just the one they were originally purchased on?
iPhone 7
A cell phone can have a bad ESN/MEID/IMEI number for one of 3 reasons:
Only the owner of the wireless account to which the phone was connected can clear an ESN/MEID/IMEI number.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY on these.
Axel F.
A cell phone can have a bad ESN/MEID/IMEI number for one of 3 reasons:
Only the owner of the wireless account to which the phone was connected can clear an ESN/MEID/IMEI number.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY on these.
Axel F.
A phone marketed as having a bad ESN, means it was reported lost or stolen and it cannot be activated on ANY network. You'd be buying a nice brick which will never operate as a phone.
ESN was only used on CDMA networks.
Verizon is not allowing activation of CDMA devices as of 01/01/2020.
Great Point Jon!
Axel F.
iPhone Has Bad ESN: Can It Be Used on Another Mobile Network?
