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?
- Sell your old phone on eBay, Craigslist or Amazon Marketplace.
- 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.
Hi, I think my case is oposite to the discussion here. My iPhone was bought in US associated to ST. And brought almost new to Argentina by which it became useless. When I give it a Movistar SIM card it gives “invalid phone carrier” message. Went to Straight Talk and they told me its not “yet” eligible for unlock, so it seems I’ve got a brand new 5S with no use. Does anybody here knows how or where or who can unlock this iPhone to be used for Movistar Argentina? IMEI: 013986006641380
I have a locked T-Mobile iphone 6, can I use it on straight talk?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I have a boost mobile galaxy j7 can I switch it to straight talk?
No, please see What phones do work with Straight Talk for some suggestions.
I have a boost mobile LG Volt 2 that isnt activated yet. I have straight talk on my current phone, and wish to keep that service. Is it possible for me to just simply purchase a straight talk sim card and use it in the Boost mobile phone? (my current phone doesn’t require a sim card)
No, see this article What Phones work with Straight Talk for more info and alternate phones to purchase.
I have a att go phone now that i’m using with straight talk if I change to a different att go phone can I use my exiting sim? it’s a straight talk sim and both are micro
Maybe, try and see?
I have a IPhone 6s+ . From AT&T can I just put a straight talk SIM card in without getting it unlocked?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I have a locked AT&T iPhone 6 Plus. Can I use it on straight talk?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I have an LG android and I signed up for straightalk service for $45.00/mo. I purchased my phone from Walmart store. I was looking for a better deal than $45/mo and found a better deal with Consumer Cellular whose price per mo. is $25/mo. When I went to target to change my service I was told my phone was locked and therefore I could not get service from Consumer Cell-u-lar. I was not told when I bought this phoneservice providers that I had to keep their service for I year before I would be allowed to change
See our article on how to contact Straight Talk Executive Customer Support.
Do I have to have my ATT iPhone unlocked before I can use it with the ATT compatible Straight Talk sim card?
No
I bought an iPhone 5s through straight talk. I was looking to use it under AT&T if possible. The only carrier that works in the building I work in. How would I go about doing this?
You can’t. You should have purchased an unlocked iPhone and bought the AT&T SIM
I have a tmobile lg g2 phone and want to switch it to straight talk , i bought it off of my brothers friend so ive not had it turned on yet, will i still be able to purchase the sim card and get minutes onto my lg g2?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I went to http://www.wintechmobile.com/tools/zte-unlock-code-calculator and got a unlock code for my ZTE phone w/my IMEI #
I’m planning on buying a Samsung Galaxy s5 active from someone that’s a AT&T phone said it’s not unlocked will I be able to use it on straight talk?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
Yes don’t tell them it’s not unlocked
I have a galaxy edge 7 from a.t.t no contract but still owe money on phone and have a phone bill I can’t pay wondering if I could use the phone for straight talk service without paying my bill?
No, you need to pay your bill.
I really want to use my lg stylo on straight talk….. But it’s from virgin mobile should i take the chance i already have service worth Straight talk
It won’t work
I have had the same straight talk number for 6 years always used their phones as well. I recently was given a t mobile to go phone. And wanting to know if I can still use my number with t Mobil phone and Sim?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I already have Straight Talk Services but i’m buying a tmobile iphone 6plus from someone how do i transfer? will i have to buy a new simcard?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today! You will need a new SIM Card.
I have an I wireless Galaxy S7 can I use straight talk??
What carrier was it on originally? Locked or unlocked?
I have a factory locked iPhone 6 from At&t. Will my phone work with Straight talk service?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I have a iPhone 6s Plus with no service
can i use a tmobile lg g stylo on my straight talk? can i just use a sim card from the byop kit after i port my number to it
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
So, im looking at a verizon htc desire 626… Straight talk now had the same phone… Would I then be able to transfer the verizon htc to straight talk?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I hate an AT&T iPhone 6plus . I tried to get it unlock but they said the phone is on a payment plan it was sold to me by a friend. So it’s locked can I still use straight talk?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I have a sprint factory locked iPhone 6s plus can I still use straight talk?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I am a current ST customer. I have my SIM card from my current phone (which broke). I put it in my old AT&T phone and I am only able to make calls and text. How do I go about getting Data service to work?
Disregard my previous inquiry. I was able to get my APN set up correctly to use my data.
I am getting a AT&T zte zmax 2 phone could I use it through straight talk
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
My iPhone 5s is SIM card locked with att can I still get a SIM card with straight talk and use it then with the 45 dollar plan ????
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
Does byop transfer imei from sprint to straight talk
Yes
Can I switch my straight talk phone over to net 10?
No
Can I use an IPhone from Straight talk on AT&T?
If unlocked , maybe
I want to buy a specific phone from Att. It is the Huawei Ascend XT. But i want to use Straighttalk service. Since it is a GoPhone, can I just hit the compatible Sim and use it that way?
No
If i buy a phone from straight talk under what circumstances can i switch it to another carrier
You can’t
The phone plan I was on with my step mom got canceled, I still have the tmobile Galaxy Note 5. She had never paid the phone off fully but I am still using it as a WiFi phone and I can take my sim card out. Can I switch to straight talk even though my phone hasn’t been fully paid off?
Unlikely
I bought a Samsung galaxy s6 from straight talk and want transfer to metro pcs would that possible?
I don’t think so, unless you get the phone unlocked.
I have a nTelos lg g3. nTelos is no longer. website advertises that their andriod phones are unlocked, but I don’t see how to change the carrier on it. Even though sprint took over, now when i dial #611, I get a verizon message. (I know they used to run on Verizon towers) I want to use with straight talk, but website says MEID number isn’t compatible. I dont know how to proceed.
Unless you get it unlocked, it probably will not work with Straight Talk SIM. Despite what Ntelos says, it probably has some type of odd lock on it.
I have 3 phones under at&t contract 2 of them are with the next program. I want to switch them all too straight talk due to customer service issues and un explained bill spikes. If I agree to pay out our next program phones monthly without the service is it possible to purchase Sim cards and begin service with straight talk?
Yes,go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I bought a iPhone 6 Plus off eBay and I didn’t see it till I had already bought it but they said it was network locked can I still use it on straight talk.
Yes, so long as the network is Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile or AT&T you should be set. Go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
And please write back to let us know how things worked out for you!
I have an LG g4 on a T-Mobile contract. Well I broke the phone and went an bought a straight talk Samsung sky as a temporary phone till I can afford an upgrade on my contract. Can I use my tmobile sim card in the new straight talk phone? If yes, how do I do it?
No
Just bought the Straight Talk Samsung Galaxy J1 Luna 4GLTE Prepaid Smartphone but i have an active simple mobile simcard. Will i be able to use this phone with my Simple Mobile Simcard?
No
Can I always switch back to my contract carrier if I end up not liking straight talk??
Yes, or any other carrier you want! Check out Phone Bill Cut for other options
Depends on the phone you can’t always go to any carrier unless you have a certain kind of phone like galaxy s7 or iPhone 6 or moto x pure.
I just bought an Iphone 5 from walmart straight talk i want to keep tmoible as my carrier can i use that phone with my tmoblie sim card?
No
If it’s gsm and you have had it for a year then yes
I have two old alltell phones but I don’t think they take a SIM card can I use them on straight talk. Ones a htc desire and the other is samsung galaxy showcase
No
I have an locked iPhone 6 with At&t can I use it with straight talk.
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
In 2013, I purchased a Straight Talk iPhone 5S. I went into an ATT store to have them transfer services to ATT using an ATT SIM card. I just purchased an iPhone 6 Plus and would like to transfer SIM card to new phone.
I transferred my Sprint iPhone 4 to Straight Talk along with my number 2 years ago. My phone has now begin to malfuction. I was given an ATT iphone 5 by a friend who upgraded.
Will I be able to move my number and Straight Talk to this phone? I really dont want to lose my number…
Call ST executive customer support
I have a lg stylo 2 on sprint… will it work if I switched to straight talk
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I have an unlocked HTC desire 510 on Sprint towers. Can I use it for straight talk?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I have an iphone 5s from verizon. Will they unlock it for me so I can go to straight talk? It was my husband’s phone and he has passed away and there is no longer an account with verizon.
Yes, they should. Please use the contact form on the site to reach out if there is anything else I can do for you. Sorry to hear of your loss, and I’d love to help with whatever I can.
I don’t want to post but you know many of the answers on this site are invalid right?
Yes as they are in most forums. Things change constantly and they can’t much keep up with it all.
Please let me know what’s incorrect and I’ll get it fixed.
The site is constantly updated; but I can’t guarantee all is correct, since things change so quickly.
My phone is an unlocked galaxy s6 (originally sprint) ive spent over $60 to get this phone activated and still getting the run around, any suggestions?
Call Straight Talk executive customer support
I have a Samsung galaxy j7 unlocked from metro pcs. Can I use the Verizon byop kit?
No
I have a lg stylo v2 verizon..ive never activated with mins. Just playing games and texting with wifi–my question is..can i by a sim card to mKe it straight talk! If so, which sim card!
Thanks
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
Check your manual or Google for SIM Card size
I am under contract with Verizon until July 2017, once this ends can i use my Galaxy S6 with Straight Talk?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I bought my mother a gms galaxy s5 phone for Christmas. Can she use her sim card from her old phone and can she still use straight talk even though it’s a att unlocked phone?
No, Yes
Yes definitely
I have a ZTE phone that is carried by Straight Talk and I also have a LG K3 that is carried by Boost Mobile. I would like to make my ZTE Straight Talk phone so that I can instead have it be carried by Boost Mobile under my account I run my LG K3 with is that possible??
No
FYI almost 90% of all of this is wrong. I work for straight talk
I have an iPhone 6 plus purchased from Walmart using straight talk wireless. I am selling my phone to a friend and she wants to use it for metro pcs, is that possible?
No
That is incorrect the phone is dual band it takes a year to use any carrier if you bought it unlocked without st Branding its already unlocked.
i purchased an iphone 5s set it up with straight talk, but it will not work in my area no coverage..can i switch to another carrier?? like tmobile
If it is locked, no. Unlocked, yes. Try another carrier
I bought a straight talk galaxy 5s but I’m with Walmart family. Will this phone work with that company? How do I get it unlocked?
Call your carrier and demand an unlock code.
I have 3 lines from sprint, all contract phones. One is galaxy edge 7, two others are iphone 7’s. I am unable to pay bill on all 3 lines. Is there anyway i can switch all 3 lines to straight talk?
No, please pay your bill, it’s the right thing to do.
I brought a sprint phone over to straight talk for one month, but didnt like the service. Now they wont let me change carriers and the imei still shows as activated even though its deactivated. Of course, customer service has been of no help to me. Do you have any ideas??
Call Straight Talk executive customer support.
If I buy a gs5 from ST will an at&t sim work with it?
No
You don’t know if thats wrong or not
I have a LG2 stylo currently with sprint it’s a locked phone will I be able to use it with straight talk?
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
Wrong they will reprogram the sim call if it’s been unlocked it will just caust the service plan.
I have an att LG phoenix 2 on straight talk but lm wanting to move my service to tmobile but I can’t get the unlock code…
Any suggestion’s on how to unlock it???
I have an at&t I phone I have already found out it is compatible with straight talk but can I use Verizon towers on it?
Probably not, but if it is a CDMA phone you can try
we bought a unlocked samsung S7 from best buy attached to no carrier .
it is GSM and CDMA compatable but there is only CDMA tower coverage in our area . we can use straight talk , total wireless , Metro , and Boom USA says it will cover our area that is only CDMA.
IF i bring this phone to straight talk , will a filmware update done in order for it to work on the straight talk system or some other programming i have never heard of , change it to where it will be branded or attached to straight talk by policy , or switches flipping or settings change it so it will be in the future treated the same as any phone sold by straight talk with the restrictions on taking it to other carriers if it is not on the list of portable phones to the new company?
the accepting of straight talks temrs mean that they can change the software to make it the same as theirs now ? and then would be branded to a carrier when it was not when i bought it ? and thus hard to put on many networdks if i want to change . if i didnt make sense i understand . its hard for me to say what i dont understand ! thanks
Straight talk will not change the software on your phone at all.
Check coverage maps to see which of the Straight Talk carrier partners (T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon) will work in your area, and choose the carrier that seems to have the best coverage.
I highly doubt that only CDMA works in your area. Check around.
I am currently using straight talk. I am using my iPhone 4 from Verizon. I am going to buy an iPhone 5 but it is a AT&T . Do I need to buy a SIM card from straight talk? My iPhone 4 doesn’t have a sim card
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
I have a iPhone 5s I brought from Walmart straight talk wireless and I was wondering if I could change to a different carrier but still keep this phone
You cannot unless you get the phone unlocked.
Just bought a iphone 6s plus that was locked through sprint (netlos) can i use my sims card i have and use it for that phone? If not what can i do to get it unlocked?
If no Ntelos, it probably will not work.
i have cspire network locked phone (note5)(i did not know it was locked) i bought used, hoping it would work in South Africa (it does not) ill be back in the USA in February and would like to know what simcard i need to get to use the phone when in the USA
Sorry for the double post
Go back to CSpire or buy another phone for use with another carrier. To avoid being chained to a carrier, buy an unlocked phone.
I have a Samsung galaxy on5 with service thru metro pcs. Service has been spotty to zero, and I want to switch to straight talk. I have unlocked it (so it says) and want to be as sure as possible before I actually purchase straight talk. Advise and guidance please!!! Thank you.
Yes, go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!
Use the AT&T SIM for better coverage.
Have a samsung galaxy I purchased at a rent a center put it on 45 dolkar bring your own phone straight talk sent me a sim and tgen when I called them they told me to sekect att as my carruer well I have relicated to a different county and need verizon how do I change carrierz to verizon
Call Straight Talk executive customer support for help with this query.
You might also consider Google Fi for international use.
I bought a straight talk phone from ebay. Samsung 3s. It’s Locked by AT&T. But my carrier is Verizon. I wanted to transfer my number, but have to have it in an area that has at and the service. How can this be changed
Sign up with an address in an area that has the coverage you need, instead of your home address.
I have a new boost mobil j7 cell unused.I would like to use straight talk can i use that on this phone????
No
Look all you have to do if sprint won’t unlock your iphone is buy an at&t gsm straight talk nano sim…pop it in, call straight talk and activate the sim. It will use the LTE towers and work perfectly. Ive done 3 of them this month and mine has been on for 6 months with no proplem. Anyone that says it isn’t possible doesn’t know what they are talking about. Im using mine right now.
I worked for straight talk and you are exactly right, it will bypass the imei Trac step so rather you owe money or not on any gsm phone it can work.
I hav a blu z621 att phone but I’m wit striaght talk can i just put my Striaght talk sim in my att
No
Question: my son, who knows more than I, st least I thought he did, assured me if I bought an iPhone with Verizon I could transfer it to straight talk. Once I checked they said the meid is incompatible. No SIM. Is there any work around for this ite am I stuck with Verizon’s bad service,? I hate to give up my iphone 6. Can’t buy another.
See our article on how to contact Straight Talk Executive Customer Support.
If I have a US cellular phone that is being financed can it be transferred to straight talk?
If the bill is paid and it is unlocked, yes
I have a locked Samsung Galaxy s5 can I use stright talk
As long as it unlocked or locked to postpaid AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon, it should work great! Go to Straight Talk SIM or Net 10 SIM to order today!