Community Forums

SoonToBeFT · 03-31-2018, 12:44 AM

Can all you Canadian Snowbirds, that use a Verizon MIFI (ours is an Elipsis Jetpack bought May 2017), advise how you handle your account being de-enrolled and get your MIFI back up working?

Initially purchased in December 2016 but never activated. Tried to activate at a Verizon store in May 2017 and they couldn't/wouldn't help because we'd bought it at Best Buy in Florida. Best Buy in Idaho Falls were wonderful, credited the original one that they couldn't activate for us, issued a new one, got it set up for us added a card of prepaid data and we were off and running.

August 2017 (3 months later), back down in Fla and went into the local Best Buy Store and twice no problems added two prepaid data only cards to it = off to the races again.

Then 6th February 2018 I get an email from Verizon saying they'd de-enrolled our account. Upon googling, found one person that wrote about not being told that after 5 months non-use Verizon do this! YIKES.

So how do you Canadian snowbirds manage that use a prepaid MIFI/JETPACK and then have it inactive for 6 months?

Really really appreciate the help asap because we are due to leave for a long trip to the USA in a week's time, and I need to ensure I have mobile internet whilst down there, and our cellular data plans are ridiculously expensive for USA add ons.

Thanks.

l1v3fr33ord1 · 03-31-2018, 05:11 AM

SoonToBeFT-

I have had Verizon deactivate (due to inactivity) the SIM and "give away" the JetPack's telephone number to someone else.

The solution was to have them send a new SIM and to set up a new account, with a new telephone number.

There is one fly in the ointment, though. You give Verizon an e-mail address when you set up an account, and they lock this to the telephone number. When they give the telephone number away, they are supposed to remove your e-mail address from it- but in my case they didn't. The results:

1) I had to give Verizon a different e-mail address when I set up the new account, and
2) I get e-mail notices when the "new" owner of the old telephone number is low on data.

After several tries, Verizon has been unable to remove my e-mail address from the "new" owner's account in their "system."

I believe you can ask Verizon to suspend an account for up to six months. That may work for you, next time.

Note: I live in the U.S.. Having Verizon send a new SIM to Canada may not work for you. You may have to wait until you can actually visit a Verizon-affiliate store in the U.S. to get this straightened out.

I find the pre-paid JetPack activation/reload rigamarole a royal pain at times, but it does keep me from having a more expensive monthly contract with Verizon.

SoonToBeFT · 03-31-2018, 06:32 PM

Thanks for the heads up alas sadly that's not what I wanted to hear. There are tons of Canadians that go south each winter, and spend at least 6 months back in Canada or somewhere else, so I'm wondering how they are working around this.

I read of one guy when I googled that spent 2 hrs on the phone with Verizon and eventually got issued a new telephone number and they activated his wifi but like you said, he also had to set up new email, pins, passwords etc.

The idea of getting this prepaid MIFI/Jetpack was to be able to just add as and when we wanted as we travelled through the USA. Now it seems we wasted our dollars buying it in the first place. sigh .....

Thanks again for responding with your tale of woe like ours :(

bobmac · 04-03-2018, 01:26 PM

Check out AT&T prepaid service. $65/month for UL data, US,Canada and Mexico calling. $45/month for 6gb and same calling. Checkout their coverage map for their service areas which are not as great as Verizon but fine in Florida/Eastern US.

SoonToBeFT · 04-03-2018, 11:13 PM

Thanks folks, someone else suggested AT&T but as stated not as good coverage as Verizon and don't offer the data package prepaid of 10GB expires after 90 days. Nonetheless it's good to know, but again the account can only remain inactive for 6 months, which I wonder how that sits with Canadians that often times are out of the USA for longer than 6 months due to time present and satisfying their provincial medical coverage needs.

So ....... in a nutshell I spoke with Verizon Prepaid on the phone, and they can't do anything whilst in Canada as can't talk to Verizon Towers here. Advised the SIM card is still good, so go into first Verizon store upon crossing border, get them to set up a brand new account and telephone number for the Jetpack and add data. So it appears that each and every time we will have to set up a new account. Will see how things go on our upcoming trip and report back.

Maybe it's truly a situation of just having to keep setting up a new account each time we head south of the border if it's been longer than 4 months since last usage.

Thanks so much for sharing and your input.

Sue46 · 04-04-2018, 07:11 AM

Why don't you try an MVNO, they seem to be more accommodating than the "name" brands.

SoonToBeFT · 04-04-2018, 11:08 AM

Mainly because of the write ups on lack of coverage compared to Verizon Sue by many others that have tried them. We like to get a bit away from high density areas, and for the most part Verizon albeit one of the most expensive hasn't thus far let us down hardly ever.

By MVNO's I assume you are talking straight talk, Google Fi, etc? Forgive me I'm not very aufait with a lot of this techy terminology :(

Sue46 · 04-04-2018, 02:00 PM

No not Google Fi. I am talking Cricket(Att MVNO) and Tracfone(Verizon MVNO) there might be others. Cricket is pure ATT network, Tracfone you need to request the Verizon. I think Straight Talk can be Verizon also. You just need to make sure you get the carrier you want.

We have had no problems with any coverage other than the normal amount. Never been throttled etc etc.

Support is the main issue there are no stores to go to. It is all on the phone. Once I am set up I really don't since I don't think I have ever called any of the MVNO's we have used again.