Multiple reports suggest that there’s an outage in the Verizon system due to which they can’t activate any new device or phone.
This implies that until the issue is fixed, newly acquired devices will not have access to cellular connectivity options like making or receiving calls.
Reports of Verizon users who can’t activate new device or phone
Verizon users took to social media to express their concerns and frustrations.
Despite the fact that users have spent hours attempting to seek assistance from a support agent, it seems that the outage is impacting the Verizon platform at a system level, implying that the agents are unable to provide a solution.
Those who recently purchased a new device are in a frustrating position as they are unable to activate it due to the ongoing outage.
“Logged into account. Clicked on upgrade phone option. Backed out. Phone deactivated. Cannot activate. Support agent spent 1.5 hours doing all the normal troubleshooting. Issued ticket number and said was connecting to support then,” a user wrote.
Some individuals have noted that this problem isn’t limited to new phones, but also affects those who recently switched plans on their connections.
A frustrated customer reported: “The activation outage today is unacceptable. I just got a new phone and would not have attempted to switch had there been an all-customer email alerting us NOT to switch phones until resolved! Now I have two iPhones, neither of which make or receive calls!”
In addition to Verizon users, other MVNO services like Straight Talk, which depend on Verizon’s infrastructure, are also experiencing difficulties.
Issue fixed but the problem persists + workaround
According to Verizon support, they fixed the issue that prevented users from activating their devices on March 3. The company suggested that users wait a few hours and then try activating their devices again.
Despite Verizon’s assurance that the problem is resolved, some users are still unable to activate their new connections.
A Redditor has shared some tips that helped them resolve this issue.
Verizon support recommends that users ensure they are not in an area with a service outage, as this may prevent the SIM from being activated.
Hi, Abbas! Thank you so much for joining our family! It sounds like you need to activate your phone on a Prepaid plan. Is that correct? If so, I can definitely assist you with this. Please send me a Private Message, so I can help. *Ana
— Verizon Support (@VerizonSupport) March 8, 2023
The Verizon support team on Twitter suggests that users who wish to activate new devices should contact them via DM for assistance.
