Using a phone from another carrier on Straight Talk Wireless
If you haven’t already read my article on Straight Talk Wireless, you might not be aware that Straight Talk is one of the best deals in cellular.
There is some mystery around Straight Talk, and I hope to answer today one of the most frequently asked questions regarding Straight Talk:
Can I use my existing Verizon / AT&T / T-Mobile / Sprint / Tracphone / etc cellular phone?
The answer depends on the type of phone that you have. Keep reading for more information
AT&T, T-Mobile or Any Unlocked GSM Phone
You can now take advantage of Straight Talk SIM, to use your existing phone on Straight Talk’s no-contract plans. At this time, you must purchase the $45/month “Unlimited” plan to take advantage of this offer. To take advantage of this, you simply order a SIM card from Straight Talk, place that SIM card into your phone and follow a few simple instructions.
Anything Else
If you have anything besides an AT&T, T-Mobile or unlocked GSM handset, the answer is: Technically yes, but ultimately no (keep reading for the details). However: you can get Straight Talk Phones starting at FREE, and you can get a 10% discount on all phones if you buy them through Mr. Rebates, as described in our original post on Straight Talk Wireless, so sell your old phone and go and buy a new phone and forget about porting your phone.
Verizon Phones
Much like AT&T, this is technically possible. It would require cloning the ESN number of a Straight Talk phone into the desired phone. However, this activity is not legal to do this in the United States of America. Therefore, you can not port your Verizon phone to Straight Talk.
Sprint or Nextel Phones
If your phone is a Sprint, Nextel, Virgin Mobile, Boost Mobile: Now that Straight Talk is using Sprint for their Android phone, the technical possibility exists to use one of these phones on the Straight Talk Sprint network. However, this would be against Straight Talk’s terms of service, so it’s ultimately not permitted, even if it is now technically possible.
Taking your Straight Talk Phone to another carrier
Straight Talk phones are designed to be used only with Straight Talk Service. Under some circumstances, you may be eligible to have your Straight Talk phone reprogrammed to work with another carrier, but you must contact us to do so. Not all Straight Talk phones are capable of being reprogrammed.
Get up and Running on Straight Talk
In closing, you can’t port a phone from any carrier to Straight Talk, but you can port from Straight Talk to another carrier.
However, since Straight Talk has a inexpensive phone selection starting at “Free” I suggest this:
- Sell your old phone on eBay, Craigslist or Amazon Marketplace
- Get started on Straight Talk with a new phone. Be sure to get free shipping and get 10% cash back when you do this – don’t leave money on the table!
