Cricket Wireless is a famous American wireless service provider. It offers users affordable prepaid plans, high-quality devices, AT&T’s nationwide coverage, and a long list of special deals for new and existing customers. The company allows subscribers to upgrade their phones once every 180 days by paying a $25 device upgrade fee. Among of those you can put your Cricket sim card on another phone, consequently, Cricket Wireless offers customers the opportunity to bring their own phones and allows them to put their Cricket SIM cards in other non-cricket phones.
Cricket offers discounts on a large selection of Cricket wireless compatible phones, including Android smartphones and iPhones, which you can buy directly from the provider (online or in-store) or a third-party store, such as Amazon. Existing and new customers can benefit from the occasional price drop on Cricket plans and much more.
Cricket SIMs are compatible with AT&T devices. Cricket is a prepaid wireless provider that has been in business for several years. Because of the link between the two providers, the Cricket sim card will operate in an AT&T device. A Cricket Wireless SIM card is a prepaid phone plan that operates with AT&T, but will it work on an AT&T device? This article will provide an answer to this question and others. Let roll on
What Network Towers Does Cricket Wireless Use?
Before Cricket’s acquirement by AT&T, Cricket used Sprint’s CDMA network and towers. Since Cricket’s acquirement by AT&T in 2014, Cricket Wireless has used AT&T’s network towers and network. AT&T and thus Cricket offers a reliable nationwide network that connects 99% of the entire U.S. population. You can see Cricket’s nationwide coverage and check if the network is available in your area on this webpage by entering your address or ZIP code.
Which phone technology does Cricket Wireless use? CDMA or GSM?
Since Cricket’s acquirement by AT&T in 2014, the MVNO has used AT&T’s GSM phone technology and sells devices that use AT&T’s 3G, 4G, and 4G LTE networks. Before 2014, Cricket used Sprint’s CDMA phone technology.
Cricket’s old CDMA service was terminated by September 2015, and most phones sold before the merger weren’t compatible with Cricket’s services. Therefore, customers had to undergo the Cricket Wireless replacement phone process.
Can you change your Phone through Cricket Wireless?
Cricket Wireless offers two choices when it comes to mobile phones. You can either purchase a mobile phone directly through Cricket online or in-store or bring your own device (BYOD).
If you plan to buy a cell phone directly from the MVNO, you can visit their website, go to the main menu, tap ‘Shop,’ and select ‘Phones.’ You will get a list of all available cell phones. When you choose the one that best fits your needs, put it into the cart and complete the purchase.
Consequently, if you already have a mobile phone that you love and wish to take advantage of Cricket bring your own phone program, you must ensure your phone is compatible with their network and services. But how do you know if it is compatible? Determining whether your phone is GSM or CDMA would give you a big hint. GSM and CDMA are two different phone technologies.
While T-Mobile, AT&T, and their MVNOs, including Cricket, use GSM technology and phones, Sprint and Verizon use CDMA phones and technologies. Since Cricket Wireless is a GSM network, it quickly transfers information and service from an old device to a new one. GSM is a universal service, and each device needs to have a SIM card, which is compatible with other GSM devices.
Can you put your Cricket Wireless SIM card into another Cricket Phone?
If you are a new customer and you need to switch to the MVNO or an existing customer, and your original Cricket phone probably got irreparably damaged, you must switch to a new one. In that case, you have two choices; buy a new Cricket compatible phone or put your Cricket SIM card into another phone you may own.
Suppose you resolve to purchase a new Cricket device or get one for free due to warranty or insurance. In that case, you won’t have any difficulty at all using your old activated Cricket SIM card in another Cricket phone. Ensure the SIM card is the right size to fit your new Cricket phone’s SIM slot, insert your SIM card into the new device, and continue enjoying Cricket Wireless service.
Can you put your Cricket SIM card on another Phone carriers?
You can put your Cricket SIM card in another phone, regardless of the carrier and where you purchased the device if the SIM card fits the phone’s SIM card slot. However, the working of the SIM card in your phone depends on various factors. For your Cricket SIM card to work with another carrier’s phone, it must be;
i) Compatible with Cricket’s network and services
The MVNO uses a GSM network. Thus, your phone is more likely to be compatible with their services if it also uses GSM technology. However, as technology changes daily and most carriers and phones support 4G LTE and 5G networks, you can also bring a non-GSM phone to Cricket.
To verify if your device is compatible with Cricket, proceed to this web page, key in your phone’s 15-digit IMEI number, and tap ‘Check.’ If you don’t know your phone’s IMEI number, you can dial *#06# to get it or find it in your phone’s settings.
ii) Unlocked from your previous carrier
If your phone is locked to your previous carrier’s services, you must unlock it before bringing it to the MVNO. You need to contact your previous carrier and request them to unlock your device. However, the device must meet their unlocking requirements like, the device must be paid in full, not under contract, and not flagged as lost, stolen, or otherwise flagged ineligible for unlocking.
How to Switch Cricket SIM Card to another Cricket Phone and another Carrier Phone
You can easily switch your Cricket Wireless SIM card to another Cricket phone or another carrier’s phone by following the simple steps below.
- Ensure your Cricket SIM card is already activated and relatively latest, as the technology changes regularly.
- Buy or bring another Cricket phone or another carrier’s phone and turn it off.
- Inspect your phone’s SIM card slot to check the size of SIM cards it supports. There are three different SIM card sizes – mini, micro, and nano.
- If your device has a slot that supports the size of your Cricket SIM card, insert your Cricket SIM card into your phone’s SIM card slot.
In most cases, a Cricket SIM card doesn’t fit your phone’s SIM card slot; there is no need to worry. You can order a new Cricket SIM card of the correct size online or in-store.
- Turn on the device once you have inserted your Cricket SIM card into your phone’s SIM card slot.
- If you have an active Cricket service, they may not need you to activate the phone. Otherwise, you will have to activate it. You can do so on this webpage. To confirm whether or not your service is activated, try to place a call, send a text message, or use data. If you can do so, the service is already activated.
How to Transfer Everything from Old Cricket Phone to New Cricket Phone?
To successfully transfer your Cricket phone service to another phone, follow the easy steps below.
Step 1: Purchase a new Cricket phone. You can upgrade it through Cricket or bring your own compatible device. If you plan to upgrade, open your browser, proceed to Cricket’s official website, and log into your Cricket account with your Cricket phone number and password. Press the ‘Upgrade’ option, and you will be transferred to their shopping page. Review the available devices and buy the one that best fits your needs.
Step 2: If you purchased your device through another carrier, ensure it is compatible with the Cricket network. Check the compatibility by entering your phone’s 15-digit IMEI number.
Step 3: If the device isn’t activated, activate it to transfer your existing Cricket service. Tap the first link under ‘Resources’, then select ‘Activate now.’ You will need to enter your phone’s serial number, found on the inner surface of its battery.
Then tap ‘Next,’ enter your Cricket account info, log into your account, and choose to activate this device to your existing account. Tap ‘Activate.’ Within a short time, the transfer will be complete.
Bottom line
Cricket’s SIM card can only offer Cricket’s services, as that is its only purpose. As such, it cannot be unlocked to offer other services. However, most other carriers’ phones can be unlocked and brought to Cricket’s network. On the other hand, Cricket phones can also be unlocked and taken to other networks. However, you have to meet specific unlocking requirements to unlock the device.