How Do I Get A SIM, While Not Being Able To Pass The INCOMPATIBLITY Page?

[SargeSpeaks]

So, many of you who have tried getting on a plan, have not gotten past the part of checking phone compatibility. It seems if your IMEI doesnt register as compatible, you cant get a SIM, but forced to choose buying a listed phone. How to i get a Visible SIM from them to use in my own unlocked phone?

I'm noticing there are phone that do indeed work, even though they come up incompatible. 

If someone can list phones that they Know work that come up Not compatible...that would be great also.

Additionally, APN settings.

[INXSible]

Which brand and model do you want to use on Visible?

[SargeSpeaks]

I want to get the Moto G Stylus 5G(2022). They sell one on the site, but i have my eye on one that has 256GB memory, unlike the one being sold here with 128GB. Model number XT22154.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

You can get them to send you a new sim card by contacting them through chat, Twitter messaging or Facebook messenger. They wanted to send me one but I was told service would stop until new card is activated but they couldn't tell me it would even work in my phone now. Another way to get by the page to order one is download an IMEI generator app and select a Samsung device, it will generate some numbers and check them. I tried it and I found an IMEI number that would get me to the order page but I never finished the order. But you take the chance of it not working in your phone.

I Have a Motorola G Power(2021) I bought from Visible last year that is not compatible with the new plan. Got through on chat but really no true answer to why it isn't compatible other than my firmware, hardware and what not doesn't have the technology for the new plans which is BS since they sell phones that are 2-3 year old, those 3 cheap budget phones. I did get a hold of them through Twitter and Facebook and posted the answers I got see the link below. One person has taken a sim card on the new plan from a compatible device and put it in a phone that showed not compatible and it worked. Support is supposedly working on adding phones from the old list as fast as possible but no time frame it will get done and if my phone would ever be compatible. I bid and won a phone on eBay that was sold by Visible a few months ago that the IMEI number is compatible so even if my phone doesn't work I have a phone that will. 

https://community.visible.com/t5/Need-help/An-update-on-phone-compatibility/td-p/27975

PS, I think it is a conspiracy to get you to buy a new phone from them. I think they have blacklisted all IMEI numbers of phones they don't sell on their site or haven't sold this year on their site. All others are blacklisted. They couldn't even tell me if I bought an unlocked phone straight from Motorola it would even be compatible. How messed up is that? The current sale they emailed me would save me $45 on the same phone they sell.

[SargeSpeaks]

I tried the chat here a few days ago, and waited 20min with no response. I'll try the FB & Twitter suggestions. 

An IMEI generator?? Wow...never heard of that, and cant even think of it's purpose. I'll look into that as well.

Funny you mentioned the Moto Power. I Just read about it today. If i can find where i read about it, I'll send it...but the article was basically touting it being a very inexpensive phone, considering its specs, and long battery life. The drawback, was it was very limited in software compatibility...so Im going to assume that's your issue. It likely only works on 5G, not 5G Ultra...but Im just  guessing. There is indeed a such thing as older phones with more versatility than newer ones. Think of it as a car that comes loaded that you brought 5 years ago, versus the current year model that only has the low tier standards. Think of it as older phones that have SD slots and Aux, and he new ones that dont take cards, nor the wired headphones, nor are you able to swap out batteries, etc. 5G Ultra is just now picking up more steam in different networks, so most post 2022 phones will have the technology will phones just a few years younger wont. People who are still have their 3G phones will be forced to get newer phones if they expect to use them. 3G is going bye-bye.

I sometimes wonder if theyre forcing folks to buy their phones, however that wouldnt be good biz for a company trying to grow. They need those who want to come over with their own phones and own numbers. Theyll make more money with monthly subscriptions.

Thanks for the info and link. Good stuff!

[Anonymous]

It's a decent phone that does what it needs. It's a 4G phone because there is no 5G in my area, closest 5G on Verizon is 200 miles away, and I think the new 5G UW is in one major city in my state over 400 miles away.

Here is the funny thing, I can take my IMEI number to any other carrier and it works, even Verizon, and Verizon owns Visible. I am not looking for anything to fancy for a phone and think anything over say $400 was my limit and I can't see spending more than that on a phone. The older phones that Visible sells are the 3 cheap budget phones and can't believe the software, hardware and firmware or whatever my phone supposedly lacks is not as good as those and one runs Android Q and another one runs Android 9 PIE. I just don't see that a phone made in 2021 versus 2018/19 doesn't work. I could see an older premium phone having more capability than mine.

One thing I found out, maybe you know, you can take 5 phones all the same make and model, all of them unlocked and not bound to a carrier and if you are lucky one will be compatible with Visible. I was looking at two phones on eBay, Moto G Power(2022) and one the IMEI number said it may become compatible, the other was compatible of course because it was sold by Visible earlier this year. I won the bid on the compatible one for just under $90 after tax and shipping and it looks like new so hopefully I don't get a lemon.

I found out about the IMEI generator when I found a YouTube about getting non-compatible phones to work on carrier networks, the video was from 2019 so I went to Google Play and search and downloaded the first app that comes up. But you have to chose one of the Samsung phones and hit the generate numbers thing and it will pop up a bunch of numbers. I tried a couple other brand phone but those numbers didn't work. 

The chat last Sunday I waited for about 30 minutes before the status bar changed to a countdown timer from 50 in line and I think another 15 minutes I was chatting with someone.

I was also looking at the Stylus 5G and if you noticed Motorola was also selling it with a 256 memory card installed to make it a total of 512GB of memory and it was still cheaper than the same one Visible was selling. But will it be compatible is the question.

It is my theory that Visible has a database and at this time the only whitelisted IMEI numbers(showing compatible) are the ones that actually sold this year and everything else is blacklisted. That I think is why I get the "your phone may become compatible" message on a phone they sell but was purchased elsewhere. I think the same that they are trying to sell us their phones. How else could 2 unlocked phones of the same make and model and the only different would the the IMEI number and one is compatible and the other is not, there should be no difference in the technology.

[nberry78]

I’m having the same issue with my dads Moto g Power(2021) it won’t pass compatibility on visible website but the phone was bought new from Verizon I was thinking of doing the same thing order a sim and try it out cause my dad don’t do anything but make a few calls a month he doesn’t text and he uses Wi-Fi at go onlin for net. If you find any solutions would you mind throwing a few suggestions my way if you don’t mind and I will do the same.. my dad doesn’t really want to pay for another phone when this one is barely a year or so old..

thank you.

[SargeSpeaks]

One thing worked for me, But NOT a guarantee, is to use a IMEI generator and find one that will pass thru Visible, get your SIM, and try it out.  

I had the MotoG2021 myself briefly, but that model may be the one that only works on their lower tier network, and not the Ultra network...but according to how your dad uses the phone, that wont matter much. 

Good luck.  

[VisiblyPresent]

FWIW, I've got an old Moto G Power 2021 - used to work prior to the new plans introduced after the original cloud based infrastructure. Hasn't worked since then (circa August 2022?)  - I occasionally swapped one of my working SIMs to see if it actually worked. Wanted to pass it along to someone looking to try Visible.

As noted by @SargeSpeaks you could always signup using someone's referral code, get $20 off the first month and give it a try - you'd only be out $5 if it failed to work.

[nberry78]

Hey just want to let people know I received my SIM card from visible and it was activated with all services working lol I don’t get it I used my visible sim yesterday and it wouldn’t work but glad it did cause I was gonna have to put him on another carrier and visible has been trucking along I even have 5GUW at the house and even with postpaid Verizon the most I ever got was LTE maybe they updated towers around here I’m even out in rural area.

[DeanKevin64]

Motorola G Power 2021 will work on the Visible network. I have used it as recently as yesterday since my current phone went dead and wouldn't charge but has since come around. I bought my 2021 model from Visible and when they upgraded to the new system in August/September 2022 so I think they wiped the IMEI database of all old Motorola phones. I was told by Visible customer service that phone didn't have the right technology which was BS, it works fine it just doesn't pass the IMEI checker.

If your dad doesn't use data at all there are cheaper better carriers out there. I just saw Consumer cellular has a $15 plan for 12 months and think it is the regular $20 plan. Only has like 1GB of data but talk and text is unlimited. If your dad qualifies you could even sign him up for the affordable connectivity program, even I qualify for that at 50, retired and low income but I like the data plan I get from Visible.

If your set on Visible you can get a card shipped to you for the G Power, when signing up just lie on the compatibility checker and say you have an iPhone 10 or 12, it won't ask for an IMEI and have a physical SIM shipped to you. You will have no issues activating the card in the 2021 G Power, I didn't have any when I upgraded from the old system to the new. Bas thing about bypassing the IMEI checker is if you have any issue activating or with service customer service has told me that they can refuse helping me using an unapproved device. Hope this helps.

[nberry78]

Oh cool thanks. I will just say iPhone 10 an bypass the imei checker it’s weird cause the phone itself came from Verizon postpaid account he bought new from Verizon so I don’t get why it wouldn’t work unless they just want my dad to buy another phone.. I will sign him up with the lowest plan($25) he doesn’t do much make a few calls and no text (trying to get him to learn hehe) and the only data he uses is the home Wi-Fi he has. I just want to stay with visible cause I have that as well and it just works so flawlessly around here even better now than with Verizon postpaid go figure lol. Thanks for the suggestion and I will go that route..

have a great evening!

[DeanKevin64]

My 2021 they made not compatible even shows it will work on just about any other network including Verizon who owns Visible. Sad they pull that crap. The thing with the phones is the phone from Verizon was made for Verizon and will have a slightly different model number than one made for Visible. Visible only seems to add the ones they sell to their IMEI database. I even argued with Visible customer service about this compatibility thing even from a phone they sold me and basically made me buy a new one so I was compliant with the new system then to top it off I took the new SIM for the new system and put it in the old phone and was able to activate it and it worked. So he should be good using that phone on Visible.

Edit: Also, don't forget to use your friends and family code for his first month so you both get credit.

[nberry78]

I just used my visible sim on the Moto G Power(2021) it would recognize it and see my number from the options but it synced up with the phone and than lost the service and couldn’t get it back but I have already ordered a $5(after referral) sim and gonna try the lower tier plan cause I have the $35(including AWU) so maybe that might work thanks for the suggestions hope it works tomorrow when I receive the other sim from visible..

[DeanKevin64]

The plan won't make a difference. It should still pull in a 4G LTE signal on the plus plan.

I know the 2021 no longer gets updates but does it have the latest updates possible. Last security update should show February 1st, 2023 in my update history. I tried to post the current software version number but for some reason dots and dashes with numbers the forum flags as a bad word. 

If your card doesn't sync then you might run into problems getting the phone to work with the new SIM. I find it odd that mine works fine. 

If you can't get the phone to activate the card you shouldn't be charged. I ordered mine on a holiday weekend and wasn't charged until the day I activated and that day becomes the due date for the following months.

Good luck!

[SargeSpeaks]

Found the link to the article i was reading about the Moto Power.

https://www.phonearena.com/news/moto-g-power-2021-deal-best-battery-life-budget-phone_id143083

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I gave it a read. It cost $215 not including tax on this site last year. I personally like the phone and does everything I need it to. The bad thing is the memory of the one that Visible sold is only 32GB and the phone has a lot of bloatware on it. I did have a memory so that is installed and everything I can is put on it to free up the phone memory which is about 2/3 full. Battery is decent and I play a couple puzzle games and with hotspot usage I still have to charge it everyday. It works.

[Anonymous]

Here is the link to the YouTube video I found. Keep in mind it is a few years old and whether it will work with phones and the new plans. I will try my phone in December or January when we have to finally switch over.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56fR0SNCZYU

[SargeSpeaks]

Ok, thanks. Yes, a few years can make a huge diff, but right now Im working with no solutions other than whats here. I assume this will be an APN modification vid. Have to find out what to do if it's true the newest OS updates are preventing APN mods.

[Anonymous]

I checked and only have the one APN mentioned in the video and couldn't change or add an APN. I am not familiar with doing this kind of stuff. I am on Android 11 if that makes any difference. I guess I solved my problem buying a used phone so not sure how helpful this will be. But anyway that is where I found the IMEI generator app.

[SargeSpeaks]

I just downloaded the IMEI app...decided to give that a try after watching that vid you sent. That guy gave good info, including small info, such as making sure you download the Visible app prior to adding the SIM. He had good step-by-step info.

Changing APN setting isnt hard at all, but if you say you couldnt change it, that may be related to that update that prevents it. But perhaps you couldnt because yours is already set with a SIM. You should be able to do it when you get your unlocked phone. I wont be ready until January just like you. My contract is every 3 months, and i did paid my Oct bill last week, being getting on Visible wasnt easy. So let's keep each other in the loop in January. 

[Anonymous]

The phone itself should be unlocked since I am able to check it with other carriers, even Verizon, and it shows compatible with those carriers.

This APN and other technological stuff is over my head. I did follow his directions but when I get to the place showing the APN's there is only one showing and it is locked and I can't edit it or add any. As you said maybe it is set and locked by the SIM card. 

I didn't know Visible did a 3 month contract, I am on the auto pay month by month. I am waiting to save money of course. 

When we finally need to switch over and get the new SIM and once I have it activated in the phone I have coming I am going to move it to my current phone to see if it actually works.

Yes, I will try and remember to come back and keep you updated.

[SargeSpeaks]

No, it's not Visible who does 3 months, it's Mint, and that's who i want to leave. Cool set and nice options with the plan, but Im not crazy about T-Mo.

However, I am not getting deflated about something with Visi. While reading comments under the video you sent me, a person mentioned that Visi doesnt support Domestic roaming. This wasnt a big deal at 1st thought, because i want the roaming for my International travel...but then, the commenter mentioned that no domestic service means, the typical great coverage you get with Verizon towers, wont be as widespread with Visi, because normally when you go to an area where there is no 5G-Ultra, No 5G, and No LTE, it downgrades to capturing 3G and 4G. But Visi only supports LTE and higher. So we'd get no benefit being around towers releasing 4G signals. AARRGGH!!! Now Im super frustrated. I have domestic connection issues, depending where I go. Hoping there will be  coverage upgrades by the new year. Doubt it! They likely only paid for the higher signal bands. Also, if you happen to be in a area with a high amount of VZ users, those phone get connection priority over Visi. Ugh.

Oh...and i have a Note 9, with Android-10. I went into my settings, and I also cant modify nor add APN settings. It likely locks after the SIM sets it. Im assuming youll be able to change it with your other phone without issue, as it wont have a SIM setting. The only thing i dont like about this, is if you have a new or additional setting, you wont be able to do anything once you set it initially...but hopefully any new setting with the network happen during the updates that pertain to the service you have. I had a phone in the recent past in which i had to play with the APN to get it to work on Boost, and that also had Android-10.

[SargeSpeaks]

I am seeing a YouTube vid, produced in Aug.2022, that states there is now Domestic Roaming in areas where it was previously unavailable. I just dont know what that means as it relates to what it connects to. If 5G Ultra fails, you get, 5G, if 5G fails, you get LTE...but will I get 4G? When i move around, I notice the 4G seems to be more readily available than any other signal. Even 4G-LTE isnt everywhere.

[Anonymous]

I see, you are trying to migrate over to Visible. I didn't quite get that at first.

I looked it up on Google and Domestic roaming is exactly what I thought it was, here is the definition: Domestic data roaming refers to using your phone outside of your provider's U.S. network. In locations throughout the U.S. where your carrier doesn't yet have coverage, they'll often partner with other networks to ensure you have access to data across the nation. This reminds of years ago with my brothers phone, anything outside the NW part of our state was roaming or domestic roaming as it is apparently called now.

I am in a rural part of my state and we have 4G LTE. There are a number of areas with no signal and I doubt Verizon will add towers in these areas as those areas has very few residents. If you want to see coverage for your area or areas you travel to frequently you can check the coverage map, I tried here but it never loaded so I went over to Verizon instead. Where I live I am about 13 miles from one tower and I have 1 to 2 bars(out of 5) inside or out. I did buy a SureCall signal booster, the EZ 4G one, from eBay, but should have looked closer as it is an older model that only receives 4G. The newer model can also get 5G but again we have no 5G in this area. It does work good as I am getting 4 to 5 bars but have to be next to the antenna in the living room(you have to put the receiver in a window as far as you can from the antenna), rest of the house is the weaker signal. I did check the Verizon map the other day and see 5G has been added to an area about 120 mile SW of me when it was only in a larger city 200 miles from me. 5G UW is only in major cities at the moment and I don't  think we will see 5G for a while much less 5G UW.

Yes, the one thing bad about unlimited data on this cheaper network we get throttled back when there is high usage or demand. During the day I will have times I will be as low as 1 mbps while 2 maybe 3mbps is about the norm. Late night, like now, when traffic is low I run I will get over 30mbps. 1:30AM here and just checked it at 44mbps download speed. It was never limited before on the old plan than I am on but on my laptop using hotspot and it shows 5 to 6mbps now. I know the phone cuts the hotspot and before at this time I would run 10 to 20mbps so not sure what is going on. I know the new plan it will be capped at 5mbps.

If you're traveling as you might already know you will need the plus plan as there will be no roaming on the basic plan. Also, from the way I read it you get 50GB of premium data which you won't be throttled back until it is used up.

I do like the plans and the discounts I am currently getting and I do hate that I had to buy a phone. The bad thing about Visible is the poor customer service. I have been fortunate that I have contacted 2 to 3 times in the last 15 months to get answers and wait times before were 20 minutes but got my issues fixed. But, this last time was the worst the worst and if you read my other thread you know why. Sorry for being long winded. Will do a follow up later.

[SargeSpeaks]

The only problem with that definition, it says "Domestic" roaming is roaming "Outside" of your "U.S." network. That makes it sound like the international definition. Domestic is roaming "Within" the US network, just not your carrier, or a alternate signal of your carrier.  I just worry about the dead spots that VZ will have covered that Visi wont. It's all the same towers, but not all the same access to everything. As for what Im reading on the Visi page about the Ultra package, it mentions international calls and text, does Not mention international roaming. I need to know I can us it when Im in DR. Only says i can call and text DR.

And yeah, rural areas are horrible with many carrier signals. And some of those signal boosters only boost the weak signal...not a true enhancement. The boost is only as good as the signal it's getting. A true enhancement would be "grasping" signals...like raising the antennae on a TV or radio, making it stronger, then sending it to you.  That would give you the ability to have the signal without sitting on top of the antennae.

And that data throttling sucks also. Your slow during busy hours as you mentioned, because of the preferred phones getting pref, on top of the throttle that happens when you go over data usage...even when it's "unlimited". 

Unfortunately, Visi is known for the lack of customer service versatility. Hoping a lot improves in different areas down the road as it gets more subscribers. Looking more and more like i need to delay my January transfer. Ugh. I'll keep an eyeball on things though.

[Anonymous]

From my understanding there is domestic roaming with both of the new plans. I think what is meant by domestic roaming is what plain roaming was years ago. I never had a cell phone before this one but one of my brothers has had them since the old Motorola bag phones. When cell phone replaced those they had roaming when going outside of your calling area, like leaving your area code area in your part of the state. Now with coverage that is kind of nonexistent. There might be areas that may not be covered by Verizon that others carriers cover and that is where I think domestic roaming comes in. This is how I interpret this. 

Yes, I am just boosting my weak signal and did research before buying one. From that research there isn't any booster made that I know of that will draw in a signal where there is none. What I read is if I had 2 to 3 bars that I am boosting I could place the antenna more central in the house and the antenna will cover a larger area, or that what it states in the instructions of most of the ones I looked at. You can get boosters that have outside antenna's to receive signal and you boost and send the signal to an inside antenna, those are a little better than the one I bought but I really don't like ladders and wanted a simple install. If you do a lot of driving in areas of weak signals I did notice when researching these they do make a booster for the auto if that helps you out in your area. 

On the old plan and the regular new plan they are deprioritized on speed it depends on how heavy the traffic is but it's still unlimited. The new plus plan is like having a Verizon data plan which is not deprioritized until the the 50GB is used up then you get deprioritized just like being on the regular plan. Speeds are fast enough for me but certainly does get a little slow now and then but I can live with it since I am not capped. The speeds all depend on congestion on any given tower, I think the more towers their are in heavier areas the better.

This video popped up on my homepage on YouTube and gave it a watch and was interesting. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD42sXWkEz0&t=20s

I do like Visible but I have nothing to compare it to. All I could find for plans for single lines were all around $90 and at that price I still wouldn't have one so I like Visible for that. Now I have to do a shameless plug, if you ever decide to switch to Visible use this link/code https://www.visible.com/get/?3qJzF8 and we both will save on a month of Visible. I can't believe I just did that!😁

[Joangolfer]

This is still a big problem (FEB 2023), I went to the visible web site to look at the 5G phones they sell guess what a lot cheaper at best buy.  I got a moto g Stylus 5G model XT2131 dash 1 (they will not let me put the dash in the post) at Best buy and activated it on Verizon so thought I was good.  No luck even when they sell the same phone on the visible site.  Would love to know the model number on the visible web site moto g Stylus 5G.  Also so for fun put your IMEI into the chat and the robot will most likely tell you it is good.  That is what it did for me but no luck ordering a sim takes you back to the web site.  Hoping they add my phone soon or going to T-Moble or Mint