What exactly are the ESN # on cell phones for?

Question

I am selling 2 sprint phones and always see ppl talk about them...are they like a tracker to tell you whether the phone is stolen or not? Can they also use that number to see if they can use it with a specific provider?

Answer 1

it is an Electronic Seriel Number. When you make a call the ESN is sent with the call to verify that the call is valid. Really it is a phone identifier for when you make a call, the manufacturer puts it in, not a wireless carrier.

Some wireless companies will only use phones made for them or that they know the ESN of. You can call a carrier to find out if a phone will work in their system.

Answer 2

The number you are describing is an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) - a unique 32-bit number programmed into the phone when it is manufactured.

Here is how cloning occurs: When your phone makes a call, it transmits the ESN and MIN to the network at the beginning of the call. The MIN/ESN pair is a unique tag for your phone, and it is how the phone company knows whom to bill for the call. When your phone transmits its MIN/ESN pair, it is possible for nefarious sorts to listen (with a scanner) and capture the pair. With the right equipment, it is fairly easy to modify another phone so that it contains your MIN/ESN pair, which allows the nefarious sort to make calls on your account.