Cell Phones

Using a phone from another carrier on Straight Talk Wireless

Straight Talk BYOD Cell Phone

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 Unlocked GSM Phones

You can now take advantage of Straight Talk SIM, to use your existing phone on Straight Talk’s no-contract plans.  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.

Note: This does not include AT&T Go Phones.

Verizon, Sprint or Unlocked CDMA Phones

Much like AT&T/T-Mobile, it is possible to take your Verizon or Sprint Wireless device and use it with Straight Talk on the Verizon or Sprint network through Straight Talk’s Bring your own CDMA Phone Program.

Note: This does not include Verizon Prepaid phones or Sprint prepaid phones.

Other Unlocked Phones

Unlocked phones will almost always work on Straight Talk as long as they support the bands needed to communicate with the Straight Talk towers.  You might try contacting Straight Talk Customer Support to verify before purchasing a SIM, to make sure you purchase the correct one for your device.

Anything Else 

If you have a locked phone that is not from postpaid AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint the answer is: Probably not; proceed at your own risk.

Here is a list of the types of phones that won’t work unless they are unlocked:

  • US Cellular Phones
  • C Spire Wireless Phones
  • nTelos Wireless Phones
  • Metro PCS Phones
  • Verizon Prepaid Phones
  • AT&T Go Phones
  • Total Wireless Phones
  • TracFone Phones
  • SafeLink Phones
  • NET10 Phones
  • Straight Talk Phones
  • Boost Mobile Phones
  • Virgin Mobile Phones
  • Cricket Phones
  • Republic Wireless Phones
  • PagePlus Phones
  • BlackBerry Phones (may not work even if unlocked)
  • Nextel Phones (may not work even if unlocked)

What if my phone won’t work?

  1. Sell your old phone on eBay, Craigslist or Amazon Marketplace.
  2. Buy a compatible phones on Amazon, eBay, or you can buy one directly from Straight Talk.  Your best bet will be unlocked phones, but you can also find some good deals on phones that are locked to Verizon, Sprint, AT&T or T-Mobile.

Get up and Running on Straight Talk

As you read above, many phones are eligible to run on Straight Talk, but there are some that will not work.  If you have any questions about if your phone will work, see our article what phones work with Straight Talk and Net 10 BYOD SIM cards.

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