2/24/23: As 16GB is for everyone now, you don't have to jump through hoops of temp number, you can directly port and order online, but make sure you don't provide a CC which can be charged upon activation. Once you place order you SIM card will me be shipped without any charges to CC. But the activation kit says once you insert SIM and activate, your card will be charged. So you have few choices for not getting charged. 1. Provide a temporary CC with limited balance 2. There is lock Credit card feature in some credit card, this is will be prevent any authorizations temporarily, so lock your CC before you activate. Then apply Prepaid refill to pay. However I had an issue with port, I've to call couple times to get activated so that I could login to online account.
Because this is an AT&T thread there is a few things you need to know before joining:
Good News! All AT&T Prepaid plans now include access to the AT&T 5G Network. *5G Compatible device/5G Branded Sim Card Required, device must be on AT&T's Whitelist to qualify. For eSim: 5G Device is required for 5G service on eSim.*Note: Your device may need a software update to be fully 5G compliant on AT&T.
Does your phone work on AT&T? This PDF in the link below shows what devices are AT&T VoLTE Certified/Approved and Whitelisted on the network.
NEW! Updated August 22nd, 2023: https://www.att.com/scmsassets/su...etwork.pdf
*Note: AT&T compatibility list may update at any time. Xiaomi devices are now banned from AT&T (did not get AT&T VoLTE Certification/Approval), select Huawei/ZTE devices still allowed. 5G Requires device capable of transmitting and receiving a 5G Signal/5G branded Compatible Sim Card.
AT&T Network Status as of March 2023:
5G+: This network is live and is expanding. When you see 5G+ this means your either connected to C-Band(n77) or mmWave. mmWave speed averages between: 600mbps - 1+ Gigs per second. C-Band speed averages between: 60mbps - 460mbps.
5G(NSA/SA): 5G Non-Standalone is where the carriers pair 5G tech with 4G LTE to provide fast data speeds. 5G Standalone is 5G that is on it's own and does not need LTE to work. *Note: At this time AT&T does not offer their 5G standalone(SA) core to customers, all 5G that is not mmWave is Non-standalone.
5Ge/4G LTE: 5Ge and 4G LTE are the same with a slight difference. 5Ge areas have Next evolution Carrier Aggregation/Back haul upgrades, areas that are LTE only have limited Carrier aggregation or only 1 LTE band broadcasting.
4G(HSPA+): This network has been retired and is shut down.
3G(UMTS): 3G UMTS has been shut down and no longer exists, In select Markets AT&T has re-farmed 3G's old spectrum and added it to 5G "n5" to boost speed and capacity.
2G(2G/EDGE/GPRS/GSM): This network had it's sunset date in 2019, it is shut down and no longer exists.
Sim card SKU's that do not support 5G+: 4453A, 4488A, 72290. Sim cards that were purchased from Straight Talk are based on 4488A and do not include 5G/5G+ support.
Sim card SKU's that do support 5G+: 6471C, 6531C, 6533C, 6661A, 6818B. eSim: 6969C.
*Note: For some devices, AT&T requires that you be on the latest Software Update to get all features working on the AT&T network including VoLTE specific features. Make sure that your phone is completely up-to-date for the best network experience.
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$300 + local taxes/fees on top ($20-$30 for most) if you pay directly with CC -- less hassle when activating but you might pay more if you're in a high tax area
You can look for ATT Prepaid refill cards on sale to save some money -- you can buy from Target website for email delivery in which case Target does not charge any taxes/fees (you can save at least 5% with Target RedCard or more if its also on sale)
*** A lot of people have trouble porting their number and getting 16gb promo when using "keep my number" option on initial order since they have to call CS for help with initial activation/port (this in an online promo so not available over phone or in-store) -- calling CS for initial activation/port might drop 16gb promo (you'll only get 8gb standard) and there's no easy way for them to give it to you afterwards:
https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=
Best option is to get a new temp number when ordering service -- just make sure the new temp number is from the same area/region as your regular phone number that you're going to port later.
For service zip code use a zip code from where your regular number is originally from -- ATT Prepaid's outdated system seems to have trouble porting numbers from different markets.
For example: if you have a Chicago number but currently live in NYC then make sure you get a new temp Chicago number when ordering/activating prepaid service. Do not get a new NYC number as their prepaid system won't be able to port a Chicago number on top of NYC number later on since the numbers are from different markets/regions.
Once your new temp number is activated you should see 16gb under line usage section (8gb bonus + 8gb standard) then you can call port activation center @ 888-898-7685 to have them port your regular number over -- let them know you just activated new prepaid service with a temp number and now you want to port your regular number over
** eSIM online activation makes it easier to get new temp number from same region and also pay with refill cards:
https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=
> eSIM online activation works for iPhones and maybe some new Androids (enter your EID and eSIM IMEI to see if activation page accepts it or not)
> If it doesn't accept your Android phone then you can choose to have either physical sim or eSIM card shipped when placing your online order, or just pick one up from an AT&T store or other retailer that sells AT&T Prepaid SIMS then use the AT&T Prepaid activation site https://www.att.com/pprepaid/activations then port your number later
Physical sim activation online (like with ESIM above) with using the temp number option with a physical sim picked up from an retail location (AT&T Store or department store like Walmart.
SIM/ESIM is active as soon as you hit continue after entering your email on the AT&T (short codes work even if your service isn't active) Prepaid Activation Portal https://www.att.com/prepaid/activations
Pop the physical sim into your phone and find the number or go into your cellular settings for the esim. Just use the temp phone number to register the account https://www.paygonline.
** ATT Postpaid or ATT MVNO currently then you'll need to port twice -- once to VZ/TMo based carrier to get off ATT network for few hours then port again to your new ATT Prepaid 16gb plan:
https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=
https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=
>> TMobile has $10 Connect prepaid plan + $10 sim = $20 + taxes/fees (you can also try eSIM: https://slickdeals.net/forums/showpost.php?p=
>> Visible (Verizon) is $5 if you have $25 back on $30 Visible service offer on your Chase/BoA/USBank card (you'll need compatible phone to activate service)
>> Tracfone (Verizon) $1 sim kit from Target/Walmart/BB/Amazon + $15 Tracfone prepaid smartphone plan (Target website has email delivery)
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My question is if there is a max number of days within which I need to activiate the service after ordering the sim card from the website? In another word, if I order the sim card with a $1 virtual credite card, do I need to activate it immediatly once the sim card is received? Or can I wait for a couple of months?
Thanks.
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No phone needed
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Target $5 off 50 = -$30 (for 6 cards $300 plan)
5% off of from $270 = -$13.5 (5% from redcard or discover 5% for paypal)
Extra 2% target circle earning = -$5.4 (i believe 2% is based on $45 instead of $50)
Unlike most others I decided to use Tracfone as my intermediary port so figured I'd lay out what I did.
Went to Dollar General and bought a $1 Tracfone (Verizon) SIM and activated online on their $15 one month plan porting my current AT&T prepaid number. I did have to call AT&T to get the account number for porting. I was told that there was no PIN needed to port and to use 000000, however I read elsewhere that may not be the case so I used my AT&T account security PIN in the field for PIN and it worked so YMMV on that part.
I ordered the new AT&T plan/SIM online using a $40 Visa gift card I already had. SIM arrived next day. I put it in an unlocked phone and it activated immediately with a new (temporary) AT&T number, but didn't actually have service because I still had the $300 balance to be paid on the account. Went online and bought the AT&T prepaid cards via Target and used them to fund the account. NOTE it would only let me order 4 $50 cards the next I tried was "canceled" due to customer limits it said, so I ordered one $100 card. So $275 total to activate the plan, no taxes when using the prepaid cards.
With both accounts active and working I called AT&T port activations to transfer my regular number back from Tracfone to AT&T. I was literally on the phone about 10 minutes and it all went so smoothly. VERY different experience than my last attempt at getting this plan.
One additional thing to mention for someone to try, that I forgot to look into until after I had already ordered the new SIM, is there is some decent cashback potential from a couple of the popular cashback sites. I am not certain that it will work but potential to get $40 to $75 cashback if it qualifies as a "new" account for CB purposes as well, I assume it should.
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Unlike most others I decided to use Tracfone as my intermediary port so figured I'd lay out what I did.
Went to Dollar General and bought a $1 Tracfone (Verizon) SIM and activated online on their $15 one month plan porting my current AT&T prepaid number. I did have to call AT&T to get the account number for porting. I was told that there was no PIN needed to port and to use 000000, however I read elsewhere that may not be the case so I used my AT&T account security PIN in the field for PIN and it worked so YMMV on that part.
I ordered the new AT&T plan/SIM online using a $40 Visa gift card I already had. SIM arrived next day. I put it in an unlocked phone and it activated immediately with a new (temporary) AT&T number, but didn't actually have service because I still had the $300 balance to be paid on the account. Went online and bought the AT&T prepaid cards via Target and used them to fund the account. NOTE it would only let me order 4 $50 cards the next I tried was "canceled" due to customer limits it said, so I ordered one $100 card. So $275 total to activate the plan, no taxes when using the prepaid cards.
With both accounts active and working I called AT&T port activations to transfer my regular number back from Tracfone to AT&T. I was literally on the phone about 10 minutes and it all went so smoothly. VERY different experience than my last attempt at getting this plan.
One additional thing to mention for someone to try, that I forgot to look into until after I had already ordered the new SIM, is there is some decent cashback potential from a couple of the popular cashback sites. I am not certain that it will work but potential to get $40 to $75 cashback if it qualifies as a "new" account for CB purposes as well, I assume it should.
the most important part is to start a NEW line and have both running
same zip code area code
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