This subreddit is for all discussion of all cell phones, tablets, and related things. Feel free to ask anything related to phones!
Also see for more info on no-contract service providers and for further help in choosing a phone. Discuss cell phone brands and operating systems, cell phone carriers, deals and discounts on cell phones, etc. Rules: • Don't be a dick. All demeaning, trolling, etc. Posts and comments will be deleted.
• Respect everyone's choice of phone. You are welcome to debate phones and operating systems, but don't insult people for theirs or bother them about it. Example of what is okay: ' I prefer Android over iPhone because.'
Example of what is not okay: 'Wow you're such a fanboi, you stupid iSheep. Everyone knows iPhones suck. Let me know when you've bought a REAL phone.' • Do not post referral links. Please exchange these in private. • No pornographic content of any sort is allowed! First, make sure that US Cellular has unlocked his phone.
According to US Cellular's Unlocking policy, the GS4 is locked and needs to be unlocked by USC: If you're starting a new line of service, you'll have a hard time convincing the Verizon reps to activate on a US Cellular phone. If you already have an active Verizon SIM, then yes, it'll work, just stick in your Verizon SIM. However, it lacks Verizon's main LTE Band 13. You'll still get CDMA Bands 0 and 1 for 1x (2G) calls and EVDO (3G) data, as well as LTE Band 4 (XLTE) and LTE Band 2 (limited markets). You might need to manually set the APNs, but the Verizon SIM should auto-load them for you. Nah, Verizon employees will only activate new lines of service on Verizon devices and non-Verizon iPhones/Nexus/Moto X Pure. If they see that it's a US Cellular device, they'll refuse to activate it.
Similarly, if you try doing it all online, I believe that the Verizon site asks you to input the IMEI of the phone it's going to be activated in, and if it doesn't recognize the IMEI (non-Verizon-approved device), it won't allow you. Two ways around this: • Ask someone you know who has Verizon if you can borrow their phone (without SIM) for an afternoon, use that as the activating device in store/online, and once your SIM in activated (verify if you can make calls/etc on the borrowed device), remove your new SIM and stick it into the US Cellular phone and return the Verizon phone. • Buy a super cheap Verizon LTE device from Ebay/Swappa/etc to be used for the activation process. Some pretty beat-up HTC Thunderbolts can be picked up from Ebay for $10 (although it uses full-sized SIM cards, so you'll have to trim it down to microSIM size for the USC GS4).
Aug 28, 2013 I recently purchased a US Verizon phone and had it shipped to me in Canada. It is for use in the US when we are there on vacation next month.
Beware of Verizon Prepaid devices, as you can't use them to activate a new postpaid line until they've been unlocked, which requires one month of prepaid service (price of phone + $30). In your situation, you'll still need to bring in a Verizon-approved LTE phone (whether borrowed from someone or a cheapo one from Ebay).
Take it with you and go into the store, say you want to upgrade from basic flipphone service to a smartphone-compatible plan, and that you want to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), which is the phone you borrowed/cheapo you bought from ebay/etc. The rep will make any necessary changes to your plan/account and load your number onto a SIM, which they will then stick into your BYOD to activate service. Also, keep in mind that the GS4 uses microSIM, so see if you can borrow a device that has a microSIM slot.
If you get a phone with a fullSIM slot, the rep will give you a fullSIM card, and you'll have to trim it down with scissors or a SIM cutter to get it down to microSIM size. Similarly, if you borrow a phone with a nanoSIM slot, the rep will give you a nanoSIM card, which will need SIM adapters to fit into the larger microSIM slot.
First thing you need to check if you want to keep your phone and switch to a new carrier is the type of phone you have - GSM or CDMA All T-Mobile and AT&T devices are compatible with one another when you switch carriers. They both run off the same software technology, GSM.
GSM devices are compatible across the board. All Sprint, Verizon and US Cellular devices are not compatible with one another when you switch carriers. Even though they run off the same software technology, CDMA, they are still exclusive with themselves. You may be able to switch carrier and keep your existing Sprint phone but you need to check with Sprint first To use our BYO search, click the links below for the relevant BYO plans for your phone type Some devices that are compatible with every service, no matter CDMA or GSM are devices that have recently come out, within the last year and a half.
Phones like iPhone 6, 6+, 6s, 6s+ that are compatible with 3G and 4G LTE speeds or Samsung Note 3, Note 4, s5, s6 that are compatible with all 2G service speeds. The Google Nexus 5, 5x, 6p, 6x is also compatible with all carriers that run 3G and 4G LTE speeds. This list of compatible phones wired with both software's is only growing with new devices coming out and more people wanting to switch carriers. These are just the devices we have figured out thus far. Click the links below to see specific Bring Your Own Phone plans for each type of phone.