Whether you’re looking to save money, take advantage of our great international calling rates or just want free 5G on America’s largest 5G network, you’ve made a fantastic wireless decision by making the leap to Ultra Mobile. One way to save even more with Ultra Mobile is by bringing your own phone with you. This article will walk you through making sure your phone is compatible with Ultra Mobile and, if it is, how to bring it over in just a few steps.

BYOP in 4 easy steps: Check phone compatibility, make sure your phone is unlocked, pick your perfect plan, and keep your number or get a new one with a purple background and a phone icon

Check phone compatibility

Most current phones are compatible with our network, but there are a few exceptions. As long as your phone supports 5G or 4G LTE, you should be good to go. The compatibility checker on our website can tell you if your phone will work, you just need to provide the make & model or your phone’s IMEI. The IMEI is your phone’s “International Mobile Equipment Identity,” which is a 15-digit serial number unique to your phone (think of it like a fingerprint). It can be found by dialing *#06# on your phone’s keypad.

Make sure your phone is unlocked

In order to bring your own phone to Ultra Mobile, it also needs to be unlocked. For the full ins & outs of what an unlocked phone means, check out our blog on the subject. In short, it means it’s not tethered to one specific wireless carrier. If you purchased the phone from your current carrier and haven’t paid it off yet, there’s a good chance it’s still locked to their network and won’t accept an Ultra Mobile SIM card. If that’s the case, you can check out our blog that walks you through unlocking your phone. It’s not as intimidating as it may sound, we promise.  

Pick your perfect plan

Before you bring your phone to Ultra Mobile, you have to pick a plan to go with it. All Ultra Mobile plans include unlimited talk & text plus a bunch of other features (5G, Mobile Hotspot, Wi-Fi Calling, etc). The main difference between all our plans is how much high-speed data they include.

If you’re on Wi-Fi 24/7,  our 3GB Plan might be more than enough, since you don’t use mobile data when you’re connected to Wi-Fi. But if you’re on the go, streaming & scrolling all day every day, you may need our Unlimited Plan. Whatever your data needs may be, Ultra Mobile has a plan for you. For a more in-depth comparison, check out our blog all about how our plans work. You can also take a short quiz that will help match you to the perfect plan by visiting our Plans page. 

Keep your number or get a new one

Not only do you get to keep your current phone should you choose to, you can also bring your current phone number. Or if you’re looking for a clean slate, you can always get a new one.

  • If you want to activate a new number, simply choose “Activate a New Number” during the activation process and you’ll be given a new phone number based on your ZIP code. We have another blog you can check out for step-by-step instructions on how to activate your Ultra Mobile plan. 
  • To transfer your own phone number to Ultra Mobile, you’ll need to select “Transfer an Existing Number” during activation and provide the following details:
    • Your account number with your current carrier
    • Your Account PIN or Transfer PIN 
    • Your Billing Zip Code

Be sure to keep your current service active until you’ve activated your Ultra Mobile plan and transferred your number successfully. If you cancel your plan before transferring your number, you’ll lose it for good.
We have another blog that provides step-by-step instructions on how to transfer your number to Ultra Mobile that you can refer to when the time comes. 

you're ready to bring your phone to ultra mobile that is inside a phone with a purple background

You’re ready to bring your phone to Ultra Mobile

Now that you know how easy it is to bring your phone to Ultra Mobile, it’s time to get started. We’re here to help make the change as seamless as possible. If you need help switching or have any questions, our Customer Care Team is available 6am-6pm PT at 888-777-0446, including Spanish and Mandarin-speaking reps. With Unlimited Nationwide Talk & Text, Unlimited Talk & Text to 90+ International Destinations and features like Free Mobile Hotspot and Free 5G, backed by America’s largest 5G network*, the only thing you’ll notice when you switch is a decrease in your monthly bill and an increase in your peace of mind. We look forward to having you.

*“5G and/or 4G LTE access req’s capable device w/in appropriate coverage area. Actual availability, speed & coverage may vary.”

Bring Your Phone to Ultra Mobile