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thegoatgamer 71.4K Views
Aug 21, 2026 11:17 AM

Cricket Wireless: 128GB Apple iPhone 16e (Locked) + 3-Mo. Supreme Unlimited Plan

$190

$780

75% off
w/ Port-In + Free S&Hat Cricket Wireless
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Deal Details
Cricket Wireless has 128GB Apple iPhone 16e (Locked, Black) + 3-Months Prepaid Supreme Unlimited Plan on sale for $189.99 when you port in a number. Shipping is free.

Thanks to Community Member thegoatgamer for sharing this deal.

Note: Ensure the offer on the product page is checked. New customers may see an additional $25 off coupon when you add the item to your cart and wait a few minutes; a popup offer may appear with a coupon code. See device unlock policy.

Specs:
  • 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED (2532 x 1170 pixels at 460 ppi)
  • Apple A18 chip (3nm) with 8-core Neural Engine
  • 8 GB LPDDR5X
  • 128 GB NVMe (non-expandable)
  • Single 48 MP Fusion camera (f/1.6 aperture, OIS, 2x optical-quality telephoto via crop)
  • 12 MP TrueDepth camera
  • iOS 18 (upgradable)
  • 4,005 mAh (approx. up to 22 hours video playback)
  • USB-C port, Qi wireless charging support
  • Face ID and Action Button (lacks Camera Control)
  • IP68 water and dust resistance (up to 6 meters for 30 minutes)
  • 5G, Wi-Fi, and Apple C1 custom cellular modem
  • 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm; 167 grams

Editor's Notes

Written by Nate650 | Staff
  • Please see the original post for additional details & give the wiki and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.

Original Post

Written by thegoatgamer
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Cricket Wireless has 128GB Apple iPhone 16e (Locked, Black) + 3-Months Prepaid Supreme Unlimited Plan on sale for $189.99 when you port in a number. Shipping is free.

Thanks to Community Member thegoatgamer for sharing this deal.

Note: Ensure the offer on the product page is checked. New customers may see an additional $25 off coupon when you add the item to your cart and wait a few minutes; a popup offer may appear with a coupon code. See device unlock policy.

Specs:
  • 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED (2532 x 1170 pixels at 460 ppi)
  • Apple A18 chip (3nm) with 8-core Neural Engine
  • 8 GB LPDDR5X
  • 128 GB NVMe (non-expandable)
  • Single 48 MP Fusion camera (f/1.6 aperture, OIS, 2x optical-quality telephoto via crop)
  • 12 MP TrueDepth camera
  • iOS 18 (upgradable)
  • 4,005 mAh (approx. up to 22 hours video playback)
  • USB-C port, Qi wireless charging support
  • Face ID and Action Button (lacks Camera Control)
  • IP68 water and dust resistance (up to 6 meters for 30 minutes)
  • 5G, Wi-Fi, and Apple C1 custom cellular modem
  • 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.8 mm; 167 grams

Editor's Notes

Written by Nate650 | Staff
  • Please see the original post for additional details & give the wiki and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion.

Original Post

Written by thegoatgamer

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Top Comments

SD_new
351Comments
67Reputation
Let's do the math; the device and 365 days of service will cost:

Device cost if porting a phone number: $9.99

3 months of service after factoring the $25 "new customer" pop-up coupon OP mentioned: $165

9 months of service @ $30: $270

9.99 + 165 + 270 = $444.99 + tax on device cost
Go to Comment
anthem_the_cat
940Comments
318Reputation
Google Voice does not work. I tried entering in my GV number and it claims "landlines cannot be ported over". I ended getting an esim via Tello for $10 after taxes. Chose the 300 minutes w/ no data plan.

Also, Capital One Offers has a $7 back clickthrough offer.
Go to Comment
Lunathelunatic
18Comments
10Reputation
All these year unlock periods now. The poor billionaires weren't making enough!
Go to Comment

Community Reviews

This Cricket iPhone 16e bundle is mainly attractive as a low upfront way to get an iPhone with a fresh battery, especially if you plan to trade it into Apple. The phone has repeatedly been accepted by Apple Store trade in for a $310 gift card, and the included three months of service are prepaid. The big catch is Cricket's unlock rule, which requires 365 days of paid service, so the line stays locked for a year. Porting and checkout can also be finicky, and the real total rises once service and add ons are included.

  • Apple-only buyers wanting a cheap temporary iPhone, because it can be traded to Apple for a $310 gift card while still locked to Cricket.

    pamadarognoixHotsoupJaTaN

  • Shoppers planning to keep Cricket service for a year, because the phone unlocks after 365 days of paid service and can then be used on other networks.

    SD_newc2nah777thegoatgamer

  • Families replacing older iPhones on a budget, because the deal can be paired with Apple trade-ins to step up to newer models for relatively low out-of-pocket cost.

    Hotsoupniceperson77niceperson77

  • People who need a fresh battery and a basic iPhone upgrade, because the 16e can feel like a reset from aging phones with declining battery health.

    niceperson77niceperson77

  • People who need an unlocked phone right away, because it stays carrier-locked until a full year of active paid service is complete.

    SD_newthegoatgamerc2nah777

  • Shoppers expecting to skip the service commitment, because the three months are prepaid and the remaining nine months are still needed to reach unlock eligibility.

    thegoatgamerSD_new

  • Anyone using Google Voice as the port-in number, because Google Voice can fail to port and be rejected as a landline.

    anthem_the_cat

  • People upgrading an existing Cricket line, because the offer is aimed at new customers bringing a ported number or starting a new number.

    Bigsteve05

Common Questions (6)

AI-generated summary based on comments from the community. Updated ago

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137 Comments

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Aug 21, 2026 2:21 PM
940 Comments
Joined Oct 2006
anthem_the_catAug 21, 2026 2:21 PM
940 Comments
delete
Aug 21, 2026 2:24 PM
1K Comments
Joined Jul 2018
ChaosBaitAug 21, 2026 2:24 PM
1K Comments
It requires a port-in. Does Google Voice number work for Cricket?
Aug 21, 2026 2:36 PM
25 Comments
Joined Oct 2022
IndigoKestrel199Aug 21, 2026 2:36 PM
25 Comments
Would I need to wait 3 months before trading in the phone with Apple in order to be considered paid off? It looks like the final price of 165/190 pays off the phone for the 3 months, correct? Would trading this in get the $310 credit from Apple?
Aug 21, 2026 2:37 PM
80 Comments
Joined Nov 2012
Zhoutai7218Aug 21, 2026 2:37 PM
80 Comments
I got an iPhone 16e for around the price from metro with port in a few months back it was $99 + a month of service. I think they still unlock after 365 days I could be wrong 🫣
Aug 21, 2026 2:51 PM
940 Comments
Joined Oct 2006
anthem_the_catAug 21, 2026 2:51 PM
940 Comments

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank

Quote from ChaosBait View quoted comment :
It requires a port-in. Does Google Voice number work for Cricket?
Google Voice does not work. I tried entering in my GV number and it claims "landlines cannot be ported over". I ended getting an esim via Tello for $10 after taxes. Chose the 300 minutes w/ no data plan.

Also, Capital One Offers has a $7 back clickthrough offer.
5
Aug 21, 2026 3:03 PM
230 Comments
Joined Dec 2019
MaroonChannel5281Aug 21, 2026 3:03 PM
230 Comments

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank

Quote from anthem_the_cat View quoted comment :
One year of "paid" service makes it so hard. I remember the days when you could pay for like one month of service and throw in a drawer and wait for 11 months.Just checked apple's website and trade-in value is $310...can someone confirm that Apple will accept locked phones?
I did traded 2 of these in march this year with similar cricket deal, apple accepted locked phones for gift cards
2
Aug 21, 2026 3:15 PM
1.9K Comments
Joined Apr 2016
wolfie14Aug 21, 2026 3:15 PM
1.9K Comments
In terms of unlock periods, I could have sworn that a few years ago, things were moving in a different direction and the terms were becoming more lenient.

Does anyone know what changed? Maybe I'm just misremembering.
1

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Aug 21, 2026 3:33 PM
47 Comments
Joined Aug 2015
needyduckAug 21, 2026 3:33 PM
47 Comments
Which carriers allow port in? Will number barn work? Looking to port in a cheap number
1
Aug 21, 2026 3:34 PM
565 Comments
Joined Dec 2003
nrjankAug 21, 2026 3:34 PM
565 Comments
have a full cricket family plan (5 lines) on the 25/line unlimited plan. can i just get a throwaway number for the deal then sim swap to a phone i want to upgrade?
Aug 21, 2026 3:42 PM
39 Comments
Joined Oct 2022
LovelySnow1360Aug 21, 2026 3:42 PM
39 Comments
Quote from nrjank View quoted comment :
have a full cricket family plan (5 lines) on the 25/line unlimited plan. can i just get a throwaway number for the deal then sim swap to a phone i want to upgrade?
Yes, I did that
Aug 21, 2026 3:55 PM
121 Comments
Joined Mar 2023
denaiserAug 21, 2026 3:55 PM
121 Comments
Quote from SD_new View quoted comment :
Let's do the math; the device and 365 days of service will cost:

Device cost if porting a phone number: $9.99

3 months of service after factoring the $25 "new customer" pop-up coupon OP mentioned: $165

9 months of service @ $30: $270

9.99 + 165 + 270 = $444.99 + tax on device cost
Why do you add $270? Nevermind, you pay for service wherever you have a phone line. I pay $25/line for Visible now, so it will be +$5/line for me. I will pay whether or not I will use the deal, so for me it will be $9.99+165+45 = $219.99 + tax on device cost
A little bit more than $220 for new iPhone 16e.
Eventually, it's a slickdeal.
1
Aug 21, 2026 3:59 PM
226 Comments
Joined May 2015
nikolgjonikolovAug 21, 2026 3:59 PM
226 Comments
Quote from anthem_the_cat View quoted comment :
One year of "paid" service makes it so hard. I remember the days when you could pay for like one month of service and throw in a drawer and wait for 11 months.Just checked apple's website and trade-in value is $310...can someone confirm that Apple will accept locked phones?
"I remember the days" you mean last month?
1
2
Pro
Aug 21, 2026 4:17 PM
562 Comments
Joined Dec 2004
Hotsoup
Pro
Aug 21, 2026 4:17 PM
562 Comments
Quote from anthem_the_cat View quoted comment :
One year of "paid" service makes it so hard. I remember the days when you could pay for like one month of service and throw in a drawer and wait for 11 months.Just checked apple's website and trade-in value is $310...can someone confirm that Apple will accept locked phones?
I can confirm that trade-in at Apple Store accepts locked phones.


I was on a similar deal for a "free" 16e back in March when I'd pay $60/month x2. After that, phone was still locked. My plan was to trade it in for a 17e at Apple Store for $310. My net discount would be +190$ on the 17e. Other people used similar strategies to get other iPhones or Apple accessories.

And one of the key factors was that Apple Store accepted the carrier-locked 16e for the trade.
Last edited by Hotsoup August 21, 2026 at 09:29 AM.
Original Poster
Pro
Aug 21, 2026 4:24 PM
120 Comments
Joined Mar 2018
thegoatgamerAug 21, 2026 4:24 PM
Original Poster
Pro
120 Comments
Quote from IndigoKestrel199 View quoted comment :
Would I need to wait 3 months before trading in the phone with Apple in order to be considered paid off? It looks like the final price of 165/190 pays off the phone for the 3 months, correct? Would trading this in get the $310 credit from Apple?
Yea, I think you pay it off at time of purchase. The 3 months of service you must prepay, so it's not like you will get a fee for not finishing paying the 3 month period when it's prepaid.
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Original Poster
Pro
Aug 21, 2026 4:25 PM
120 Comments
Joined Mar 2018
thegoatgamerAug 21, 2026 4:25 PM
Original Poster
Pro
120 Comments
Quote from MaroonChannel5281 View quoted comment :
I did traded 2 of these in march this year with similar cricket deal, apple accepted locked phones for gift cards
probably why they extended it to prepay 3 months instead of 2 knowing people do this.

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