Looking for a phone replacement, want the Nexus 5 or One Plus One. Why aren't they compatible?
walshbm15
Enthusiast - Level 1

Hi all,

I am currently in the process of shopping for an acceptable replacement for my current phone. I am looking to buy a phone full price off contract and use it on the network. A few different ones I am looking at and prefer to have are the One Plus One and the Nexus 5. Now I understand when looking online people have tried popping a VZ sim card into both of these phones but have had no luck successfully connecting. Why is this? (I understand Verizon is a CDMA network)

When looking on the two websites, both of these phones contain the appropriate LTE radios and have support for the bands that Verizon currently uses. In addition the Nexus 5 also appears to have support for the CDMA radio and can utilize the Band Classes: 0, 1, and 10; (I'm not familiar with the ones that Verizon currently uses, some incite could be helpful?). The actual tech specs found on the two websites can be seen below:

Nexus 5:

Networks

2G/3G/4G LTE

North America:

GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

CDMA: Band Class: 0/1/10

WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/6/8/19

LTE: Bands: 1/2/4/5/17/19/25/26/41

One Plus One:

GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz

WCDMA Bands: 1/2/4/5/8

LTE Bands: 1/3/4/7/17/38/40




If those are the correct CDMA bands that Verizon uses on their network, then why does the Nexus 5 not work on the network? Is there anything that can be done to make it work? Secondly, I understand that the One Plus One is not equipped with a CDMA radio, but why does it not connect to the LTE network? In addition I understand that Verizon is in the process of rolling out their VoLTE network, if either the Nexus or the One Plus One was able to connect using just LTE then theoretically you would not need the phone to connect using CDMA and everything would work properly, correct?



Looking forward to the responses. Have been a customer for years now and would like to continue that, but am starting to loose faith.


Labels (1)
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Re: Looking for a phone replacement, want the Nexus 5 or One Plus One. Why aren't they compatible?
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

The IMEI numbers for those models need to be in the Verizon Wireless database of compatible and certified devices. Neither of those models are in the database and CAN'T be activated on the Verizon Wireless network.

If you can wait a month or two, the Nexus 6 will likely fit your needs and it is compatible with the Verizon Wireless network.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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Re: Looking for a phone replacement, want the Nexus 5 or One Plus One. Why aren't they compatible?
tbo27
Master - Level 2

Yeah theoretically.  But in reality they have to be vzw phones now . Maybe in the future but but big red needs $$. And that need cannot be satiated. Start looking at vzw phones to buy

Re: Looking for a phone replacement, want the Nexus 5 or One Plus One. Why aren't they compatible?
Heretic1989
Specialist - Level 2

Do you know what happened when vzw tried (if they even tried) to input those IMEIs into their database?

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Re: Looking for a phone replacement, want the Nexus 5 or One Plus One. Why aren't they compatible?
tbo27
Master - Level 2

Right they didn't try

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Re: Looking for a phone replacement, want the Nexus 5 or One Plus One. Why aren't they compatible?
firesafetybear
Contributor - Level 3

These will never work, and even after VoLTE it probably won't. They're both missing Band 13 which is key to Verizon.

They want you to buy THEIR phones on THEIR network. They don't make money when you buy those phones at cost. Another reason why the terrible Gnex was over $500 when it launched on Verizon. I'm surprised Verizon is getting another Nexus, but then again, it's now $650 so the appeal of Nexus devices is gone. To some, not all. Hope you can find a replacement.