Pay as you go cell plans with unlocked phone

[Raptorman]

I've never had an unlocked phone before but after 5.6 years with my current phone, the Samsung Note 4, I've decided to get a new phone -- the Samsung S20+. The S20+ will be the phone I use with both the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 and the Mavic Air 2. Presently I'm on Verizon but I'm thinking about going with T-Mobile as they already have 5G, well more like 4G LTE+, here in the Salt Lake City area and when the other carriers roll out true 5G with mmWave I can jump ship as I wish. Now here's the thing ... I've never owned an unlocked phone before and never had a pay-as-you-go plan so perhaps someone with experience here can help me avoid any mistakes and, significantly, any tricks by the carriers when signing up for a plan.

My first thought was that I'd wind up with ATT when they roll out mmWave 5G in the next few months, but it may well be more like a year before they have there act together and the same goes for Verizon etc. So, starting with T-Mobile, even with the reduced performance 5G they now offer, would tide me over until real 5G comes out and with an unlocked phone like the S20+ I should be able to go anywhere I want.

As I understand it and correct me if I'm wrong, I should be able to swap the SIM card from my 5.6 year old Note 4 into the S20+ and be good to go -- no need to inform Verizon.

I should pick up the S20+ tomorrow.


Brian

 

[KB9Radio]

I've never had an unlocked phone before but after 5.6 years with my current phone, the Samsung Note 4, I've decided to get a new phone -- the Samsung S20+. The S20+ will be the phone I use with both the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 and the Mavic Air 2. Presently I'm on Verizon but I'm thinking about going with T-Mobile as they already have 5G, well more like 4G LTE+, here in the Salt Lake City area and when the other carriers roll out true 5G with mmWave I can jump ship as I wish. Now here's the thing ... I've never owned an unlocked phone before and never had a pay-as-you-go plan so perhaps someone with experience here can help me avoid any mistakes and, significantly, any tricks by the carriers when signing up for a plan.

My first thought was that I'd wind up with ATT when they roll out mmWave 5G in the next few months, but it may well be more like a year before they have there act together and the same goes for Verizon etc. So, starting with T-Mobile, even with the reduced performance 5G they now offer, would tide me over until real 5G comes out and with an unlocked phone like the S20+ I should be able to go anywhere I want.

As I understand it and correct me if I'm wrong, I should be able to swap the SIM card from my 5.6 year old Note 4 into the S20+ and be good to go -- no need to inform Verizon.

I should pick up the S20+ tomorrow.


Brian

Probably should have the place where you are getting it set it up for you. I had an old S5 and when I bought my S9 from Best Buy they had to cut the SIM card to the correct size to fit the new phone. It wasn't an issue because they had a cutters (a punch of sort) that they put it into to cut it to the correct size. Other than that the entire setup didn't take long.

 

[Hegemone]

Yep. Sims can be swapped to what ever phone you have. I do this all the time. Used to have criket on ATT and now have Verizon monthly and no issues moving my sim from device to device. Yay for unlocked phones. Soo much better without carrier bloatware. Specs say both are nano sim size so you should be good to go.

 

[Raptorman]

Yep. Sims can be swapped to what ever phone you have. I do this all the time. Used to have criket on ATT and now have Verizon monthly and no issues moving my sim from device to device. Yay for unlocked phones. Soo much better without carrier bloatware. Specs say both are nano sim size so you should be good to go.

Got the S20 Plus today, but the SIM from the Note 4 is way too big. I signed up for the Over 55 plan at T-Mobile, but it will take a few days to receive the new nano SIM in the mail.

Brian