June 29, 2023
If you’ve ever taken a trip down to eBay so you could purchase a phone, you would have surely seen the phrase ‘bad ESN’ in the listing description of one of the phones. If you are quite observant, you would also notice a reduction in the price of the phone, as compared to the price the same phone would go for if it had a ‘clean ESN’.
So, a bad ESN has got to be some sort of disadvantage, right?
Well, yes…
But, there’s more to it than that. As you would read through this article, you would discover all you need to know about ESNs.
Let the journey begin!
Before anything else, let’s understand what an ESN is.
Around the globe, there are two major kinds of cellular networks in use: GSM, which uses SIM cards, and CDMA, which uses ESN numbers.
While GSM associates IMEI with specific mobile gadgets and SIM cards to identify the customer, CDMA uses ESNs to identify both the gadget and the customer.
So, what does ESN stand for? ESN stands for Electronic Serial Number. And, what is an ESN on a phone used for? Through ESNs, carriers can track specific phones and blacklist those phones which have been declared stolen.
Pretty much the same thing. IMEI and ESN mean the same thing – simply unique identity numbers- regardless of the brand in which they appear.
When a device is declared to have a clean ESN, it means that it is 100% ready to be activated with its intended carrier. It means that the device has never been reported stolen or missing, and there are no outstanding payments due. In either case, the phone would have a bad ESN.
First off, you’ve got to know what it is. By simply placing a call, you could know your ESN. Here’s some information on how to find your ESNs for popular mobile carriers:
Once you have gotten your ESN, it is easy to check if it is clean or not. The blacklist directory is open to everyone to make inquiries.
Gotten your ESN? Head onto Swappa or CheckESN to check your ESN’s state for free.
If a phone is said to have a bad ESN, it could be due to one of these three reasons:
Similarly, a bad ESN iPhone is one in which the user cannot activate his/her phone with the carrier.
Based on the severity of the issue, the iPhone may be blocked on one or all carriers. Also, if your iPhone is not unlocked, you cannot simply flip-the-switch on carriers. So, be sure your iPhone is unlocked for international use.
Can we use iPhones with a bad ESN? Well, yes. Once you fix it, you are good to go!
If a phone is said to be blacklisted, it simply means the device was reported stolen. However, a blacklisted phone can be removed from the blacklist- but only by the person who reported it stolen.
To check if your phone is blacklisted or has a bad ESN, the first step is finding out your unique IMEI number. For most phones, simply typing out *#06# on your keypad would display it.
Once you’ve got this, there are two ways through which you can confirm the state of your phone:
A bad ESN means there is a problem with the carrier- not the phone. The original owner made the ‘ESN’ bad. Unfortunately, the phone cannot be activated until this problem is solved.
Follow these steps to make your ESN good again:
Also, some companies like IMEI AUTHORITY and CellUnlocker promise to unblock your bad ESN for a small fee.
Yes, you can! While some local stores would prefer buying it in parts, some online buyback stores will buy financed phones you still owe money on. Obviously, you wouldn’t want to sell a stolen phone.
What do you do if your phone is stolen?
Simple: Report your IMEI/ESN number to your carrier as soon as possible. Doing so would make it difficult for the stolen phone to be resold.
If you journeyed with us to this point, you are probably smarter than most of your friends in matters regarding ESNs. That’s pretty much all you need to know about ESNs—and how you can use them to protect yourself.
We accept phones that are re-financed or not paid off as long as they are not blacklisted.
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We accept devices in a variety of conditions, including damaged or even broken devices.
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Closed on Saturday, Sunday
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