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So you’re ready to ditch that big wireless bill but not quite ready to kick your phone to the curb with it? We get that. Today’s phones are built to last a lot longer than your patience with your big wireless carrier, and that’s why
Mint Mobile lets you keep using your phone with our premium wireless service. It’s a feature we call Bring Your Own Phone (BYOP for short). For a phone to work with Mint Mobile’s service, it has to be unlocked and compatible. Essentially any 5G or 4G LTE-supported phone that accepts a SIM card (or supports eSIM) will work with our service. If you previously used that phone with AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket Wireless, Simple Mobile or Straight
Talk, then it’ll probably work with Mint. You just might have to reach out to your previous carrier to have them unlock it for you. You can check if your phone and our network are Mint to be right now using our nifty compatibility checker. You just need your phone’s IMEI number, which can be found by dialing *#06# or by going into your phone’s settings. If your phone isn’t a match for our network, that’s a bummer – but there are other options. We offer a wide variety of new cell phones for sale through our website, all of which are guaranteed to work with our service. Many also come with bundle deals that include our premium wireless service. You also have the option to purchase an unlocked phone from a third party or directly from a manufacturer,
but we strongly urge you to verify that it’s compatible before purchasing and to make sure it has a warranty. After all, a new phone is a pretty big investment. What about when I’m ready to upgrade my phone?That wide variety of new cell phones for sale on our website is also available to existing customers ready to upgrade. If you prefer to upgrade your phone directly through the manufacturer or another third party, you’ll need to make sure your new phone supports our network first. Here’s a few things you should check for:
If you’re still not sure, you can always plug the phone’s IMEI into our compatibility checker. Was this article helpful?RELATED ARTICLESWhen you buy a phone from T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T; they offer you a subsidized phone deal in exchange for a 2-year (or 30-months) contract. They also lock your phone, so that you cannot take the phone to another carrier. To use the phone you bought from Verizon on the AT&T network (or vice versa), you'll have to unlock your phone. The US carriers used to lock your phone for years, but with the "Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act", you have to right to unlock your phone if you meet their "Unlocking Policy". The easiest way to unlock your phone is by contacting your phone carrier. Each carrier has a different unlock policy, but you have to meet the following requirements to be eligible:
To unlock your phone, your carrier will verify your identity by asking your account number, phone number, last 4-digits of SSN, and IMEI, MEID, or ESN number of your phone. The following is the carrier-specific unlock policy.
Active duty military people can call the carrier's customer service, and have their phone unlocked without restriction. However, you'll have to prove your active deployment in the US military. Is it legal to pay 3rd-party company to unlock your phone?Every phone has a unlock code that removes restrictions on where it can be serviced, and they are available from the manufacturers. Carriers keep unlock codes in their database and unlock phones when they become eligible to be unlocked. Some of those unlock codes are stolen and sold in the black market (or dark web) and monetized by unauthorized persons (or companies). It is illegal for them to sell "stolen" unlock codes. Although it is not illegal for you to buy the code, it may break your contract term with your carrier. It is always best to use your carrier to unlock your phone, and never buy an unlock code from a third-party. How to find if my phone is locked?You can check if your phone is unlocked by looking at your phone settings.
Android ll (Left), iOS 14.4.1 (Right) What are GSM, CDMA and LTE?There are two mobile technologies used in 2G and 3G networks, and they are GSM (Global System for Mobiles) and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). The newer technology uses LTE, so GSM and CDMA don't matter but for backward compatibility reasons they are still around. In the USA, AT&T and T-Mobile are using GSM while Sprint and Verizon are using CDMA. All US Carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon) switched to 4G LTE, but some voice calls were still going through 2G and 3G networks. With US carriers supporting voice over 4G, the distinction will go away and every service will be delivered on 4G and 5G technologies. One notable difference between the GSM and CDMA is the use of SIM cards. GSM uses the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card to identify the subscriber (i.e. phone number) while CDMA doesn't use a SIM card because the information is integrated into the phone. A CDMA carrier like Verizon does not require a SIM card, but they use it to enable LTE so phones that are operating in CDMA technology may have a SIM card slot. How can I tell if my phone will work on Carrier A?In order for a phone to work with a particular carrier, the following 3 things must be compatible.
Most newer phones support both GSM and CDMA as well as the newer LTE, but frequency bands and radio channels may not be compatible on international borders. Your Samsung Galaxy S20 used with Sprint in the USA, may not work with SKT operator in Korea. Thus, Samsung produces 6 different models of Galaxy S20 meeting different frequency bands and channels. How can I tell if my phone uses GSM or CDMA? There are a couple of ways you can find its mobile technology.
How can I tell if my phone will work with a particular carrier? The next thing that you'll need to check is the frequency band and the channels being used. If you look up the model of the phone and carrier's spec sheet, you'll be able to find if your phone is compatible with the carrier. Or, you may check with a compatibility check test with your IMEI or MEID.
The compatibility check is one piece of the puzzle, and the other puzzle is the "unlocked" status of your phone. Your phone must be unlocked in order for it to be used in a network other than the carrier who locked it. Does your phone support Dual SIM cards?There are a few phone models that support dual SIM cards. Dual SIM cards allow you to have two separate phone lines with two phone numbers. You may use one for work and the other for personal, and not have to carry 2 phones. You may also take your phone to other countries, and use the second SIM slot for local carrier service. You may choose to use one SIM as the primary, and the other for secondary so that if you make a call it will use your primary phone line. You may also selectively pick a secondary phone line to make a phone call. You'll receive a call and SMS from both phone lines.
Samsung Dual SIM Slots There are other vendors like LG, HTC, and Huawei that produce phones that support Dual SIMs. You may have to check their specification sheet to know if a specific model supports dual SIMs. ConclusionTo determine if your phone is compatible with a particular carrier, (1) the phone must be unlocked, (2) must support technology whether it's GSM or CDMA, (3) support the frequency band, and (4) support the radio channels. You can contact your carrier to unlock your phone if you are eligible, and check phone specifications to determine if it meets frequency and channel requirements. If you also utilize the dual-SIM, you can have 2 phone numbers in a single phone. AuthorIP Location IP Location has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided on this website. However, the information is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. IP Location does not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained on this website. How do I find out if my phone is compatible?If you look up the model of the phone and carrier's spec sheet, you'll be able to find if your phone is compatible with the carrier. Or, you may check with a compatibility check test with your IMEI or MEID.
What phones are not compatible with TT-Mobile's network will stop working with over a dozen older phones this month. AT&T or Verizon Galaxy Note 4 (T-Mobile branded version will still work, but needs a software update). AT&T Galaxy Note Edge.. HTC Desire 10 Lifestyle.. HTC Desire 650.. Google Nexus 9.. Huawei Mate 8.. Huawei P9.. Mikrotikls SIA R11e-LTE6.. Do all phones work with TCheck eligibility. A device must be unlocked to be compatible with the T-Mobile network. Check out Unlock your mobile wireless device if needed. T-Mobile can't provide an unlock code, contact the original carrier to request an unlock code.
How do I know if my IMEI is compatible?Check compatibility with your phone's IMEI.
Every phone has a unique number—15 digits that tells you the make, model, and if it's ready to use on our network. Most phones are compatible. IMEI STATUS CHECK: Dial *#06# to get your phone's IMEI, or find it in phone settings.
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