How to tell if iPhone 5 verizon has good esn?

How can I tell if iPhone 5 verizon has good esn?

The easiest way is to call customer service, it beats taking a trip to the store and having to wait in line just for them to tell you it has a negative esn. People call in everyday to check, trust me. We don't mind you asking.

Bad ESNsVerizon Wireless phones' ESN numbers help the company keep track of each individual cellphone as well as the account with which the phone is used. In the event that an account holder abandons his Verizon Wireless account or reports his phone as lost or stolen, Verizon will place a flag on the ESN on the account holder's phone. This flag is often referred to as a "bad" ESN. Phones with flagged or bad ESNs will be unable to be activated on the Verizon Wireless network until the flag is cleared. The bad ESN can only be cleared when the past-due account is paid off or the phone is reported as recovered by the account holder. LocationTo locate the Verizon Wireless phone's ESN, carefully remove the battery cover from the back of the phone, then remove the battery. Underneath the battery compartment is a shiny white sticker with several number codes printed on it in black ink. The middle number sequence is the ESN, or serial number. Writing the number down on a piece of paper and storing it in a safe place is helpful when you need to make calls to customer service from your handset, as it will save you the time of removing the battery and rebooting your phone each time you need to reference it. VerificationWhen purchasing a used Verizon phone, you will need to contact Verizon Wireless customer service at 800-922-0204 and speak with a representative who will be able to verify that the ESN of the phone in question is good and not flagged. A good ESN will be able to be activated on the Verizon Wireless network with no problems. If during the phone call you are told that the ESN is bad or flagged, you should not purchase the handset in question as it will be unable to be activated on Verizon's network. AlternativesIf you are told that your Verizon Wireless cellphone has a bad ESN, it will not be able to be activated on the Verizon network, but it can be reprogrammed to work on some regional prepaid phone company's networks. Large prepaid cellphone companies such as Cricket, Revol and US Cellular routinely reprogram, or "flash," phones with locked ESNs from other networks for use on their network. A fee may be charged for this service. For more information, contact your local prepaid cellphone provider.