Page Plus has allowed Verizon Wireless customers to “bring their own device” to the prepaid service. Generally, this has been permitted with no per-device restrictions, barring a good reason. It appears that Verizon however has chosen to restrict Apple’s latest offering from prepaid MVNOs on their network completely.
In the past, Page Plus users have been unable to activate certain Palm and HTC devices due to a network issue, which was later fixed. The only devices that are prohibited currently are BlackBerry devices (as PagePlus has not licensed a BIS server), and Verizon prepaid phones (due to subsidy issues with Verizon).
Apple’s iPhone however does not fall under any perceived grounds for prohibiting BYOD, and this move directly contradicts Verizon’s open network and open device commitments. Unlike GSM phones, CDMA phones are not locked to a specific carrier outside of minor provisioning changes. In addition, Verizon/CDMA iPhone 4 phones are sold at full retail prices, starting at $649.99.
This move appears to be territorial on Apple’s part, as Apple continues to resist allowing the device on true pay-as-you-go offerings in the United States. Apple similarly worked with AT&T to prohibit iPhone devices from being used on GoPhone Pay As You Go service, despite no real justification ever being issued from either Apple or AT&T on the matter.
Verizon Wireless declined an opportunity to comment to PhoneNews.com on this report. Requests for comment sent to Apple and Page Plus Cellular have not been responded to.
