SIM cards<\/a>.<\/p>\nThe SIM card is like the brain of your mobile phone\u2014it\u2019s the tiny chip that carries all the important information that allows your phone to connect to a provider\u2019s wireless network. Best of all, if your phone is compatible with our service, we provide you with the SIM card for free!<\/p>\n
For the switch to work properly, you\u2019ll need to have what\u2019s called \u201can unlocked GSM phone.\u201d Consumer Cellular\u2019s service operates via GSM network technology. It\u2019s the same type of network used by AT&T and T-Mobile, so you\u2019ll have the best chance of successfully switching if your phone is from one of those carriers. Other carriers, including Verizon and Sprint, operate on a different type, called a CDMA network. Most CDMA phones use different technology, so they can\u2019t be switched to our service, though some newer smartphones with a SIM card slot can accommodate both types of networks.<\/p>\n
Before you can use your GSM phone with our SIM card, your current carrier has to \u201cunlock\u201d your phone to allow it to work with another carrier\u2019s network. In most cases, a carrier will unlock your phone only if you\u2019ve already paid for the device in full. In many cases, this is not done automatically, so you’ll need to make a request to begin the unlocking process. They may also provide you with a code to enter into your phone, which will unlock it to work with a different carrier.<\/p>\n
Once your GSM phone is unlocked, the process of bringing it to Consumer Cellular\u2019s service is pretty straightforward. Just choose a monthly plan<\/a>, and we ship our SIM card to you absolutely free! You can also pick one up your local Target store, or order online here<\/a>. Once the SIM card is inserted into your phone, you can connect to Consumer Cellular and start using your phone on our network, and enjoy all of the terrific benefits<\/a> that we offer!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"People often wonder if they can switch their wireless service while keeping the phone they\u2019re currently using. After all, if you\u2019ve already got everything the way you like it, why start over with a new phone if you don\u2019t have to? Every device manufacturer is slightly different, so we can\u2019t guarantee that every phone will […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":5696,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n
You Asked, We Answered: How Do I Know a Phone Is Unlocked?<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about unlocked GSM phones today with Consumer Cellular! We make it incredibly easy to switch wireless service while still using your current device.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.consumercellular.com\/blog\/you-asked-we-answered-how-do-i-know-a-phone-is-unlocked\/\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Susan Thomas\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\r\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"You Asked, We Answered: How Do I Know a Phone Is Unlocked?","description":"Learn about unlocked GSM phones today with Consumer Cellular! 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