PPCGeeks - Alltel Titan on Verizon Network

Just thought I'd share my experience and ask a question or two.

I thought I would buy a used Alltel Titan/Mogul and save 50% over a similar Verizon phone. I did my reading, unlocked with OliPro 2.4, flashed to Sprint to get the new GPS enabled, ran DCD's install for Verizon, then started playing with the latest kitchen. Manually shoved in the Verizon PRL, NAM, SID, etc. Called V to activate -- "your ESN is not in our wireless manager". Long story short, an hour on that call, a tech and a supervisor. Next day a trip to the store -- smarter tech, manager, dumb-luck running into the regional data guy who was for V who was in for a visit and here is the skinny.

Verizon loads ESNs in bulk as they buy hardware from HTC. Technology-wise, the Alltel, Sprint, Verizon, and anyone else who uses the HTC Titan hardware is identical except for the plastic shell and the programming of the network specifics which you can get around as I've indicated above. The problem is a Verizon corporate policy/choice (brain-dead stupid as usual). They just will not, under any circumstances, type a foreign ESN into their system.

Supposedly this changes in July with "open source" but even then they were mighty cagey -- might slip to Q3, Q4, might be model specific with PDAs getting addressed last, the usual BS.

Bottom line -- I got a good price on their chintzy plastic version of the Titan and have it activated so I need to sell off the Alltel.

I am darn persistent, but there is a brick wall there so go ahead an use Verizon stuff on Sprint but not vice versa. Prior to donig something with the Alltel, I have a few questions -- I'll post them under appropriate headings to follow.