An Electronic Serial Number (ESN) is a unique identifier assigned to every CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) mobile phone. It is a 32-bit number that is used to identify the phone on the network and to prevent it from being cloned or used fraudulently. The ESN is typically printed on a label affixed to the back of the phone, but it can also be found by dialing *#06# on the phone’s keypad.
It is important to know how to check the ESN of a phone before purchasing it, as a phone with a bad ESN may not be able to be activated on the network. Additionally, if a phone is lost or stolen, the ESN can be used to blacklist the phone, preventing it from being used on the network.