ESN Question

str8bucs · #1 (**permalink**) 11-12-2008, 05:28 PM

i have seen people requesting phones with BAD ESN whats the difference between GOOD and BAD ESN?

Thanks

**Geekcop** · #2 (**permalink**) 11-12-2008, 05:58 PM

A good ESN does it's chores, doesn't stay out late, or consort w/ unsavory cell phones (iPhones especially). A bad ESN drinks a lot and hangs out w/ BlackBerries and iPhones...

An ESN is the Electronic Serial Number or identifying number assigned to the device @ time of manufacture. This number is unique to each phone and identifies it on a network. A bad ESN is one that's associated with phone that's been reported lost or stolen. This is also referred to as a blacklisted device. Carriers will not activate a blacklisted device on their network. I believe devices can also be temporarily blacklisted if the user doesn't pay their bill.

BigDiesel07 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-12-2008, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geekcop

...An ESN is the Electronic Serial Number or identifying number assigned to the device @ time of manufacture. This number is unique to each phone and identifies it on a network. A bad ESN is one that's associated with phone that's been reported lost or stolen. This is also referred to as a blacklisted device. Carriers will not activate a blacklisted device on their network. I believe devices can also be temporarily blacklisted if the user doesn't pay their bill.

That is true.. An ESN is used for CDMA-only phones also. So if you have a phone from Verizon or Sprint, it has an ESN.. A bad ESN could also be when there are 2 different phones, but they have the same ESN.

Here is some an interesting thread I started that relates to how an ESN can be corrupt.

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=42462

str8bucs · #4 (**permalink**) 11-12-2008, 06:08 PM

Ok thanks..... thats too funny!

reason being my company wants me to try and sell some of the phones we have and recoop some loot.

BigDiesel07 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-12-2008, 06:14 PM

What type of phones do you have?

If you really want to be sure, you could call Sprint and ask if they could activate the phone on their system.. Just give them the ESN, and they should be able to answer you.. If they say yes, it's possible, then it should be fine to sell the phones... Never want to sell a bad product, ya know?

str8bucs · #6 (**permalink**) 11-12-2008, 09:12 PM

they are alltel phones

motorola Q9c (Like new)
HTC Touch (red) New
6700 (has small crack on screen)
Blackberry 8830 (Like new)
Soon to be HTC Diamond (2 weeks old)

BigDiesel07 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-12-2008, 09:16 PM

Those are all CDMA phones... So you should be able to unlock them and activate them on another CDMA network, probably Verizon or Sprint.. Good luck with that.

**Geekcop** · #8 (**permalink**) 11-12-2008, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDiesel07

Those are all CDMA phones... So you should be able to unlock them and activate them on another CDMA network, probably Verizon or Sprint.. Good luck with that.

Good luck, indeed. Verizon supposedly will activate any CDMA phone on their network. Sprint probably not