Transferring to new sim from ebay

**LCSJL** · 03-14-2023, 01:58 PM

I am going to transfer to a sim purchased from ebay with service preloaded on it. I already checked on chat that there is service time on the sim. What is the best way to do the actual transfer?

**hpham** · 03-14-2023, 02:02 PM

Transfer from what phone to what phone? TF-branded to ebay (BYOP) SIM or BYOP SIM to ebay (BYOP) SIM?

**LCSJL** · 03-14-2023, 03:29 PM

I need to transfer from byod sim to a new ebay byod sim

**hpham** · 03-14-2023, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by LCSJL

I need to transfer from byod sim to a new ebay byod sim

If you want to keep using the current PHONE with the new ebay BYOP SIM, you'll have to ask the rep to activate the new ebay BYOP SIM with a transfer from the current BYOP SIM AND pair the new ebay SIM to the same PHONE's IMEI. That might be a bit tricky for the rep.

It will be simpler if you have a 2nd (inactive) phone which can be TF-branded or BYOP (with its own BYOP SIM). Transfer service from your current BYOP PHONE & SIM to the 2nd phone. That will free up the IMEI of the current phone. Then ask the rep to activate the ebay SIM with a transfer from the 2nd phone, and pair the ebay SIM to the IMEI of the current phone.

**LCSJL** · 03-14-2023, 05:55 PM

The phone currently does not have the IMEI paired to the sim. The sim is a ATT sim. New one will be Verizon.

**hpham** · 03-14-2023, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by LCSJL

The phone currently does not have the IMEI paired to the sim. The sim is a ATT sim. New one will be Verizon.

In that case, tell the rep to activate the ebay SIM with a transfer from your current service and give the rep the current phone's IMEI.

**sillyette** · 03-14-2023, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by hpham

If you want to keep using the current PHONE with the new ebay BYOP SIM, you'll have to ask the rep to activate the new ebay BYOP SIM with a transfer from the current BYOP SIM AND pair the new ebay SIM to the same PHONE's IMEI. That might be a bit tricky for the rep.

It will be simpler if you have a 2nd (inactive) phone which can be TF-branded or BYOP (with its own BYOP SIM). Transfer service from your current BYOP PHONE & SIM to the 2nd phone. That will free up the IMEI of the current phone. Then ask the rep to activate the ebay SIM with a transfer from the 2nd phone, and pair the ebay SIM to the IMEI of the current phone.

Hi hpham, it is possible that Tracfone has fried my brains again

, because your second paragraph is looking overly-complicated to me.

-- is the intermediate transfer to a second phone really required?

I mean, suppose OP has a BYOP Verizon sim.
When he asks the Chat rep to activate the ebay sim with a transfer from his current service, won't that free up his current phone's IMEI?

And once the service has been transferred to the ebay sim, won't Tracfone "marry" the ebay sim to the freed-up IMEI as soon as OP puts the ebay sim into that phone? That should eliminate the need to pair the sim to the phone, right.

Or maybe Tracfone has totally confused me again!

**hpham** · 03-14-2023, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by sillyette

I mean, suppose OP has a BYOP Verizon sim.
When he asks the Chat rep to activate the ebay sim with a transfer from his current service, won't that free up his current phone's IMEI?

When I asked a Chat rep to activate a new BYOP TF/Verizon SIM with a transfer from my current service, the rep asked for the IMEI of the phone and the SIM number BEFORE starting the transfer process. As such, if I provided the IMEI of the current phone it would not be accepted because it was still tied to the current BYOP TF/Verizon SIM.

I don't know the "tools" that a rep has his/her disposal. MAYBE if the rep can use a temporary IMEI to pair with the new BYOP TF/Verizon SIM in order to activate it with a transfer, then the IMEI would be freed up when the old SIM had been deactivated, then the rep can now pair the new SIM to the phone's IMEI. Maybe AlexTrac can enlighten us (...or plagiarize my post again

).

**LCSJL** · 03-17-2023, 10:35 PM

Transfered my service to the new ebay sim this afternoon via chat. Transfers went through in a few minutes and had service. ATT to Verizon transfer did not take too long. Preloaded service on the new sim did not update correctly. Going to wait till tomorrow and will check again. Just glad the number transfer correctly and the phone is working.

**PaulCrawhorne** · 03-18-2023, 10:14 AM

It happens frequently that the SIM advertised on eBay as preloaded actually has no plan attached.

The fix is to file a claim against the seller and get a refund. They usually do not require the (now used) SIM be returned.

Did you buy it from the official TF store?

The better way for annual top-ups is cheap phone bundles, even if you get zero utility out of the hardware.

Or occasionally the annual plans are sold for $49 or even less (no SIM involved)

**LCSJL** · 03-18-2023, 10:40 AM

The service time updated and I got the 365 days and minutes. The text and data updated but did not add the correct amount. Far from what it was suppose to be. Guest I should wait a little longer before I contact them.

**LCSJL** · 03-18-2023, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by PaulCrawhorne

It happens frequently that the SIM advertised on eBay as preloaded actually has no plan attached.

The fix is to file a claim against the seller and get a refund. They usually do not require the (now used) SIM be returned.

Did you buy it from the official TF store?

The better way for annual top-ups is cheap phone bundles, even if you get zero utility out of the hardware.

Or occasionally the annual plans are sold for $49 or even less (no SIM involved)

Yes,the sim came from the TF store on ebay.

If you file a claim against the seller on ebay would that make the sim inactive? The phone number has already been transfer to it. I would not want to lose service to the phone.

**Lisme** · 03-18-2023, 11:25 AM

Cross-carrier transfers add a layer of Tracfone instability. The airtime does not always do right.

Also, eBay SIMs are notorious for being faulty and necessitating a refund. It is sheer incompetence.

Both of the above scenarios happened to me. Along with the new SIM not even activating on the network correctly.

Customer service was useless. Luckily, this was a low-balance burner line.

I asked for an eBay refund, and it was granted almost immediately with no repercussions.

**PaulCrawhorne** · 03-18-2023, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by LCSJL

Yes,the sim came from the TF store on ebay.

If you file a claim against the seller on ebay would that make the sim inactive? The phone number has already been transfer to it. I would not want to lose service to the phone.

In theory they could require the SIM be physically returned.

In practice no.

**mango3** · 03-19-2023, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by LCSJL

The service time updated and I got the 365 days and minutes. The text and data updated but did not add the correct amount. Far from what it was suppose to be. Guest I should wait a little longer before I contact them.

did you have service time/mins/data on your old TF/att byop sim? you merged/combined them?
I need to do something like this in the future to transfer from TF/att byop sim to TF/verizon byop sim.