Eeks! Stupid NAM2

I was playing around with the settings on my phone trying to get the browser to work again without haveing to take it to the Verizon store, and I switch from NAM1 to NAM2.  OOPS!  It rebooted and then said Intital Programming Required.  I went to unlock my phone, and none of my codes worked!  not the last 4 of my number, last 4 of my SSN, or the default 0000.  So I do some research online and discover Samsung has posted the way to figure out what your NAM2 unlock code is (Thank you Samsung!):

1- Identify the Hexidecimal code on the back of your device.

2- Open calculator on your computer and convert it to Scientific.

3- Click the Hex radio button.

4- Enter your Hexidecimal code.

5- Click on the Dec radio button.

6- The last 4 digits displayed are your unlock code.

Simple right?  So I pop off the battery and see only 1 identifying # on the back, and it doesn't look like hexidecimal.  I enter it in anyway, convert from Hex to Dec, and enter the resulting code... doesn't work.

So I call Verizon to see what my hexidecimal code is.  Turns out my phone doesn't have one.  Verizon is moving away from the ESN (Hexidecimal) #'s and moving to a MEID format.  That format starts with an 'A1' followed by up to 6 0's. (Ex: A1000000######).  So after getting transfered all over the place, Verizon is at a loss as to what to do.  Their only suggestion is to take my phone to a Verizon store and have it wiped and re-flashed.  No Thanks!

So I call Samsung and explaine what happened.  They ask for my MEID and give me my code in a matter of minutes. Phone is unlocked and I am able to switch back to NAM1!  I never even knew it existed and was so glad to return to it!

I am posting this 1- so others will know what to do, and 2- so Verizon will hopefully make switching from NAM1 to NAM2 either harder, or post a warning about possible problems.  Maybe they could even tell their support staff to contact Samsung when the issue arises.  It is much better than telling people to have their phone wiped!

That is my good deed of the day.