"Initial programming needed!" on new VX 8600

Hello there. I just got the LGVX 8600 yesterday and the woman at the desk said it would take a while to activate it. Well it has been over one day and it still says "Initial programming needed!" on the screens. It will not send messages or make calls and I would like to use the phone I purchased. Am I just being impatient? Thank you.

Dial *228 (press send), then choose option 1. Your phone should have been programmed at the store, but apparently the rep was too busy to attend to that little detail.

Thanks so much. The rep didn't seem like she knew what she was doing. Thanks again!

For what it's worth, Verizon has hired a lot of new employees this winter season... myself included. Some of us have a bit more of a technical background than others. Some of us have also been customers of Verizon for a very long time and have learned a few more "tricks" than others.

I am just glad that I could help you out.

fyi, my xv6800 would not program with *228, it continuously failed.

this happens every time i have to do a hard reset on the phone.

on the east coast, verizon;s HSID primary channel is 01 (all carriers have a different channel they run the data on so the frequencies dont intermingle)

so, if yours ends up being like mine, try:

*22801 eastern seaboard uses verizon -01 can go as high as -07 so if you can't program run through the sequence till you reach your carrier's service...

another little fyi, you can't program onto sprint or nextell or alltel this way if your phone is a different carrier, it will only connect with your actual carrier so running through a sequence for programming will only return the correct packet for your service, no chance of messing it up

good luck

Even I know this step and I do not work at a VZ store.

I think it should be a requirement for any rep to program the phone with the *228 Option 1 when the phone is purchased in the store. Even better when the phone ESN number is added the phone could display a message saying Welcome to Verizon Wireless Initial Programming is required in order for this device to work on the network press OK to initiate the programming and it would do it automatically and reset the phone.