Back up your device to make sure you don’t lose any data in the transfer
Bringing your phone to a new carrier is a great option if you love your current phone, want to keep your phone number and still save money while you are at it.
With Spectrum Mobile®, you can bring your phone, tablet or smartwatch when you choose a data plan with no contracts, no added taxes and no extra fees. Exclusively for Spectrum Internet® customers, your first Unlimited Mobile line is included for a year. You could save big on your wireless bill, with $30/mo per additional line for Unlimited data plans.
If you use mostly WiFi and want to save on your mobile plan, you can pay By the Gig at $20/mo per additional line for the first GB and just $5/GB after the first GB.
With the ability to bring your own phone plus mixing and matching plans for each person on your account, saving with Spectrum Mobile has never been easier. Plus, Spectrum Mobile often has offers for customers adding extra lines. Learn how you could get up to $2,500 to pay off your remaining phone balance when you switch to Spectrum Mobile from any other carrier.
The process of bringing your phone to a carrier like Spectrum Mobile is very simple:
1. Check if your phone is compatible with the new carrier
2. Make sure your phone is unlocked
3. Choose your plan
4. Order your SIM card or activate your eSIM
5. Activate your account
Keep reading to learn the details of how to bring your own device (BYOD) to Spectrum Mobile, along with some helpful tips to make sure the BYOD process is smooth and simple.
Will my phone work with a new carrier?
To check if your phone or device is compatible with Spectrum Mobile or another carrier, you’ll need your device's IMEI number to perform the IMEI check.
Once you’ve completed your IMEI lookup and have the number, you can see if your device is compatible with the Spectrum Mobile network. Navigate to BYOD Eligibility Check to see if your device qualifies. Note that if you have a dual SIM device, you will enter the primary IMEI number associated with the device in order to confirm its eligibility.
Once you’ve ensured your phone is compatible with your new carrier, the next step is checking to see if your phone is unlocked.
After you’ve verified that your device is compatible with your new carrier, you’ll need to reach out to your current provider to unlock your device from their network.
Is my phone unlocked?
To get your phone unlocked from your current carrier, reach out to the provider to unlock your device from their network. This process can take up to 48 hours, but each carrier is different. Contact them for details on their process.
If you are switching to Spectrum Mobile, here are some tips to make sure unlocking your phone goes smoothly:
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Be sure you’ve paid off your device in full
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Check that you’ve installed the latest software on your device
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If you are bringing your own tablet or smartwatch, make sure it is cellular enabled
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To transfer your current phone number, get account information from your previous carrier
After you’ve checked device compatibility and unlocked your phone, the next step is to choose a mobile data plan with your new carrier.
Which phone plan has the best benefits?
Spectrum Mobile offers flexible data plans to meet your needs. Whether you choose By the Gig or an Unlimited Data plan, you can talk and text all you want with no contracts, no added taxes and no extra fees. Plus, you get nationwide 5G access in every plan at no extra cost. Spectrum Internet® is required to become a Spectrum Mobile customer, and many people find that combining their Internet and Mobile providers is a great way to save money – as you do with Spectrum Mobile and Spectrum Internet.
After you’ve chosen a data plan, you can order your SIM card. With Spectrum Mobile, you can go with an embedded SIM (eSIM), which allows you to activate your service online without waiting for a new SIM card in the mail. You’ll often be able to activate your new service the same day.
Visit eSIM activation for more information on activating your eSIM-enabled device instantly when you BYOD.
For existing Spectrum Mobile customers who add a new line, a Spectrum Mobile SIM card will be provided to you. If you want to replace a device on an existing line, you can continue to use your Spectrum Mobile SIM card in the new device. However, if you are upgrading your device from 4G to 5G, keep in mind that you will need a new 5G SIM card.
The final step in the BYOD process is activating your account.
For Spectrum Mobile account activation, you can follow activation steps using our online dashboard or activate your device using the My Spectrum App. You’ll find the My Spectrum App has the tools you need to manage your account efficiently.
Aside from saving money, one of the biggest benefits of Spectrum Mobile BYOD is that you can keep your own phone number – so don’t forget this step!
To transfer your phone number to your new Spectrum Mobile line of service, select keep my phone number during the checkout process. After that, you’ll be prompted to provide account information from your previous carrier. You will need:
- Account holder name
- Account address
- Account number
- Account PIN
Remember that you shouldn’t cancel service with your current carrier until you’ve transferred your phone number to Spectrum Mobile. You can also find detailed instructions on transferring your mobile phone number for your reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
BYOD means Bring Your Own Device, and BYOP means Bring Your Own Phone. As long as your existing phone is compatible with Spectrum Mobile, you can follow the steps outlined above to BYOD and use your current phone number with a Spectrum Mobile data plan.
The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is a unique number that helps identify a device on a mobile network. The IMEI number is 15 digits and is assigned to every GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) phone. Keep in mind that dual-SIM phones have two IMEI numbers.
To find your device’s IMEI number:
1. From your home screen, navigate to "Settings"
2. Select "General"
3. Select "About"
4. Scroll down to the IMEI, ESN or MEID number
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