Verizon and my changing account details.

Or, how Natasha told Boris he wasn't using the phone he thought he was using...

I attempted to make a call today, and got an error message similar to:

"Your plan does not include long-distance or international calls.  Please dial *611..."

I assure you, I have long-distance.  I assure you I pay my >$200/month bill on time every month.  Verizon, I assure you I am using the phone I think I am using.  I assure Verizon you have Gremlins in your IT department...

Verizon Tech Support starts telling me I have "done something" to confuse the network so that my phone doesn't work.  Funny, I made 4 calls today with no problem...

Here is what they say:

1.  The IMEI in their system is not a number that belongs to any phone I own or pay for on my monthly bill;
2.  The phone they think I am using was not a phone I was using (it was shipped to Samsung for "repair");
3.  Other "data/details" regarding my device differ from what is in their system...; &
4.  Likely, I'll need to get a new SIM to fix the issue.

At that point, I am frustrated.  I breathe...

I say the Galaxy Nexus isn't being used because it has been at Samsung's repair facility for about three weeks.

"Oh," she says.  Samsung probably messed this up...

I wonder how Samsung gets data into Verizon's system without Verizon showing their system data has changed...  I wait, patiently, for a low-watt bulb to light up...

Instead, I say the phone just got back today, has not been turned on, has no battery in the device, has no SIM card, and hasn't been powered on since, at least, Monday when the device was shipped from Samsung to me.  Unless the UPS drivers are "hooking up" as they fly/drive...

I continue...:

1.  The phone worked fine earlier today (even 1 hour ago);
2.  The Galaxy Nexus is not a phone I've used since I returned the 4th replacement Galaxy Nexus back to them since none of the Galaxy Nexus phones I've received from Verizon work as phones (See http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=24019, if you need background data);
3.  I have done nothing since I made my last call-no app installed, no music played, nothing...;
4.  The SIM is not the issue...;
5.  Verizon needs to investigate since my account has been changed and their own system says no change has occurred...

She, after some logical discussion, agrees and calls IT so that a new "trouble ticket" is opened.  I now have 2 trouble tickets opened with Verizon engineers...

I am "pre-approved" to switch out the Galaxy Nexus for the Samsung Galaxy III, and now I find out @supercurio, an Android dev, is stating on Twitter that the Verizon Samsung Galaxy III bootloader is locked and that he may blacklist his apps from Verizon devices.

Oh, wonderful...  Verizon has no other "top-of-the-line" phone.  If my Galaxy Nexus still has the issue after being "repaired," what phone do I pick?

What say you?