Not compatible yet?

[patrickinmi]

I am trying to upgrade to a new plan. So  looked at the phones at the visible store . The phones that i am interested are out of stock. So I bought an unlock Motorola moto g stylus 5g 2022 (a phone that is sold at the Visible store and MotorolaMobility specifically says it's compatible) So when I put in the imei# it says "Not Compatible" but " We anticipate your phone will be compatible soon". What is going on here this is not the first unlocked phone I have purchased and activated. Now this will be the second phone I bought, tried and now will have the hassle of retuning. Visible you are making this way to difficult. I am so aggravated. There is nothing wrong with the Moto g power 2020 that I have now. But I keep on getting text and emails from Visible saying that my current phone is not compatible with the upgraded network and to continue service i need to upgrade. So how long do I have before I will be cutoff. 

[Anonymous]

I would hate to say it but this is how Visible treats Motorola phones, you have to buy it from Visible or it will show not compatible. It's just easier for them to only put IMEI numbers for those phones they bought straight from Motorola to sell on their site in their database. I have had the same problem with a G Power 2021 I bought from them and it showed not compatible. I then bought a used 2022 model and the only one I could find on eBay that passed the compatibility checker was one that was sold by Visible earlier in 2022, I checked close to 100 IMEI numbers(phones that had numbers listed) on a couple different Motorola phones Visible sells and not a one passed the checker. I bought the phone and used that number to get the card. Put the card in the 2021 model and activated it without issue. This was after customer service told me that same phone doesn't have the right technology, really.

Motorola will tell you it will work with Visible, and it will likely work without issue. You can contact customer service here and see if they say different but they will use the same checker that you use. 

In some research I did on phones to pass the Visible checker had you bought an iPhone, models less than 5 to 6 years old would pass the checker without even asking for an IMEI number unless you do eSIM then it will ask for that number. For android phones a newer Google phone such as the Pixel 6A, 6/Pro or 7/Pro I found about 6 to 8 on eBay that listed IMEI numbers and everyone passed. I don't know about Samsung though. So not sure why they have it in for Motorola.

[patrickinmi]

Thanks for the reply.I did not have this problem when I brought my moto g power 2020 over from yahoo mobile when they tanked . Bought the unlocked phone from Target. I just put my IMEi in the checker and presto the sim card was at my door an activated within 24 hours easy peasy. I still like my g power I'm halfway through my 3rd year with it and it still holds a charge for 2-3 days and operates like it did on day 1. But started getting text and emails from Visible back in Feb. stating that they were upgrading networks and my phone would no longer be compatible and to continue service I had to upgrade my phone (required). I figured no problem I'll save a few $'s on the monthly and I've gotten alot out of this $175 phone. But they are making it a problem. So if I use a pixel IMEI to get through checker and get the sim sent to me I should be okay(I didn't know if they have different sims for different phones) ? The checker says they anticipate this Moto G Stylus 5G 2022 phone to be compatible soon. Thanks again for the info

[Anonymous]

I am not sure how Visible is handling the IMEI database and it's checker. It is my assumption that when they come out with the new plans they wiped the database clean and started with 2022 models of Motorola phones. Again I am just guessing. The SIM's should all be the same, the only difference is a physical SIM and a electronic or eSIM, but I would not attempt eSIM in your case. The SIM is only programmed with your number and which plan you are on, otherwise they are all the same. They are not tied to a phone that I am aware of, just your phone number, that technology kind of goes over my head.

I have argued with customer service over this issue on 3 occasions. First time I asked when the new plans come out last fall I was told my 2021 G Power didn't have the right technology which is false. The second time I asked in December and was told they were working on adding as many phones from the old list to the new list as fast as possible, I assume the list is the database. They said my phone may become compatible at some point but yet it still shows not compatible. The 3rd time was a couple weeks ago on Visible's reddit page after they posted some misinformation about these noncompatible phones and I got into an argument with them on private messaging there trying to get answers to why they are blocking all these phones. One of my questions was what is the difference between a phone that Motorola sells and the same phone they sell. Was told they optimize phones for use on the Visible network. I then said there is no way Motorola is making a different phone for every different carrier and MVNO out there, my question was if they were unboxing and programming or optimizing each and every phone. They couldn't answer and I got a vague political type response. I got so infuriated with the responses, it was a waste of time and I kind of knew it.

Yes, there are ways around the checker and it does go against the terms of service to use a phone that is not approved. I was told 2 weeks ago I wouldn't get help if I had issues if I used an unapproved phone. But technically I am because even though I activated in the 2021 model I am using the 2022 model that passed the checker but my account shows me using the old noncompatible phone. They didn't seem to want to change it and me using the IMEI number from the newer phone absolutely did nothing to change anything at Visible.

Will your 2020 model phone work, it may or may not as I am not sure about that old of a phone. Your 2022 Stylus there is probably no doubt it will work if you can get a card. Just hope you don't have issues because Visible might leave you hanging. Will your phone become compatible it is possible but I highly doubt they are putting any effort into their database to fix this so I wouldn't hold your breath.

It does really make me mad that Visible is pulling stuff like this to existing and new customers. The new system is using Verizon's(who owns Visible) core system, there should be no reason they can't use there IMEI database in the IMEI checker. Why they do what they are doing is beyond me.

[patrickinmi]

Maybe my relationship with Visible has run its course . Maybe it's time  just to move on. I am just to old for the aggravation. Who knows how many hours I have wasted to know avail. It has just irritated me to  my core. I probably pass on Visible for now .It's been an okay run for a couple of years . If they are going to require upgrades at least have your crap together so its easy for your customer probably going to take my current g power to another carrier if I can and keep it until it dies. But I am done with the aggravation. Thanks for your input.