Verizon and Telnor maritime phone service

Has anyone who uses Verizon as a cell phone carrier recently used their phone on a Cunard ship? I had no trouble setting this up last summer but it seems something has changed.

I just got off the line with Verizon after my attempt to set up international service online returned an error message and to call their customer service. The Verizon agent told me that my CDMA global phone won't work and that Cunard has its own carrier. All I found on Cunard's FAQ was this: https://ask.cunard.com/help/life-on-board/mobile_onboard

Any insights? Something isn't making sense here and perhaps the agent has no familiarity with accessing a network from a ship.

CDMA roaming has been retired, you need a phone that is quad band GSM Umts. In Addition to cdma for the USA.

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Thanks for getting back so fast. My phone does use CDMA but can be switched to GSM/GPRS/EDGE (Quad,(850MHz/900MHz/1800MHz/1900MHz). So I should be OK. When I went online the second time my device was now showing up as compatible with service on Cunard Queen Mary 2. It's an LG Terra which Verizon still sells as a global device that "works in over 200 countries". Being able to call from the ship or within the UK/Europe is specifically why I upgraded from an old Motorola. (Yes, I prefer "dumb" phones!)

I think the agent just didn't have much experience. Trying to sell a Canada/Mexico plan doesn't fit well with Cunard itineraries. It was fortunate that this summer I had had a very knowledgeable rep who determined that my SIM card had to be registered.

This information might be helpful to other US passengers who use Verizon: setting up international roaming might not be simple so don't leave it to the last minute

Yeah the terra is good, just need the SIM card listed in the system.... Silly reps, the computer screen tells them everything they need to know and do.

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Just when you have the tech conquered they retire it. :confused:

Yep, but Verizon is still selling the LG Terra as a phone which will "work in over 200 countries". I think the reps are pressured to upsell packages and she admitted they lost a lot of business when cruise lines switched to Telnor from MCP. What was really annoying is still not being able to set up international roaming on line but having to call an agent - despite having already gone through the laborious SIM card registration earlier.