How to Bring Your Own Phone to Another Carrier (and Save Money)

Chris Holmes Staff Writer

Updated 16 December 2024

Contents

In this guide:

Step 1: Make Sure Your Phone Is Paid Off
Step 2: Check That Your Phone Is Unlocked
Step 3. Pick a Plan to Switch and BYOD
Pros & Cons of Bringing Your Own Device
Bringing Your Own Phone: FAQs

Bringing your own phone (BYOP) to another carrier is a great way to make sure you are paying the price you want to pay for the plan that works best for you. To switch to a new carrier, you'll take these key steps:

Make sure your phone is paid off
Unlock your phone
Shop for a new phone

Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T would love to have you bring your phone to their networks, but if you really want to save big and take advantage of being able to bring your phone to any carrier, you'll want to switch to a smaller MVNO.

#1	Visible	Visible $25 Visible Plan Unlimited 4G LTE/5G data Verizon 5G Network in select areas with compatible devices Unlimited mobile hotspot data $25.00/mo Taxes & Fees included View Plan	$25.00/mo Taxes & Fees included	View Plan
#2	Mint Mobile	Mint Mobile Unlimited Data Plan Unlimited 4G LTE/5G data T-Mobile 5G Network in select areas with compatible devices 20GB mobile hotspot data Deal: Get this plan for just $25/mo. when you switch to Mint Mobile using promo code 15OFF at checkout. Upfront payment required $25.00/mo $75.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $25.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only. View Plan	$25.00/mo $75.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $25.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only.	View Plan
#3	Twigby Mobile	Twigby Mobile Unlimited Talk, Text and 2GB Data 2GB of 4G LTE/5G data Verizon 5G Network in select areas with compatible devices 2GB mobile hotspot data Deal: New Customers get 2GB of data for $5 a month for 3 months! $5.00/mo for the first 3 months then $15.00/month View Plan	$5.00/mo for the first 3 months then $15.00/month	View Plan
#4	Tello	Tello Unlimited Text, 300 Minutes, and 2GB Plan 2GB of 4G LTE/5G data T-Mobile 5G Network in select areas with compatible devices 2GB mobile hotspot data $8.00/mo View Plan	$8.00/mo	View Plan

Step 1: Make Sure Your Phone Is Paid Off

When considering bringing your phone to a new carrier, the first thing to make sure of is that your device is fully paid for. Most carriers allow you to finance your phone via monthly installments, where the phone costs are incorporated into your monthly bill. It’s easy to forget that your bill is comprised of both your plan and your phone costs!

Before switching, double-check your account to confirm your phone has been paid off in its entirety. In most cases, you can pay off the remaining balance of your phone in one lump sum, freeing you of any device-related contractual obligations with your current carrier. For more information, check out our complete guide to changing carriers even if you still owe money. Sometimes, carriers will offer limited-time deals where they'll pay off your phone for you when you switch—so if you see one, act fast!

Step 2: Check That Your Phone Is Unlocked

Once you’ve ensured your device is paid off, the next thing to do is make sure that your device is unlocked—meaning it is no longer bound to its original carrier network. There are a few different ways to check if your phone is unlocked before taking your iPhone to another carrier or switching your Android to a new network:

Android:

Navigate to your Android settings
Choose “Connections”
Select “Networks” (May also read “Mobile Networks” or Cellular Networks depending on your device)
Pick “Network Operators”

If your phone only shows a single available network, odds are your phone is still locked. Alternatively, if you see multiple networks, it means your Android phone is most likely unlocked.

Apple iPhones (iOS):

Navigate to your iPhone settings
Select “Cellular”
Choose “Cellular Data Options"

Cellular “Data Networks” should be displayed as categories if your phone is unlocked.

Alternative methods

Try using a SIM card from a network other than your phone's original network. If you can make calls and text normally with compatible SIMs, your phone is likely already unlocked. OR Contact your carrier directly to inquire about your phone’s unlock status on your account.

What if my phone is locked?

If, after checking, you find your phone is still locked, you’ll need to take a few steps to unlock your phone. Fortunately, unlocking your device is a fairly simple process, as long as you meet your carrier's requirements. These usually include:

Meeting a minimum length of time with your carrier
Keeping your account in good standing (not delinquent)
Having a device that is not reported lost/stolen

Requirements vary from carrier to carrier, so check your carrier’s specific unlock policy.

We have more unlocking info plus full carrier unlock guides, but here are some general unlock requirements for the three major carriers—AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.

MVNO device unlock policies

Like major carriers, MVNOs have specific unlock requirements that must be met as well. If you have a locked phone from an MVNO, check out one of our MVNO unlock guides:

Step 3. Pick a Plan to Switch and BYOD

Picking the right plan is the next work of order, but you’ll want to ask yourself a few questions to set you in the right direction:

Will I need an unlimited plan? Do the apps I use require large amounts of data?
Are entertainment perks important to me? Can I save money by combining them with my cell phone plan?
Will I need high-definition or standard-definition streaming?
Will I have coverage in all the areas I frequent?

It’s important to be completely honest with yourself about your cell phone habits, as picking the wrong plan can lead to avoidable headaches. Once you have a solid idea of what you’ll need from your new carrier, there’s more than enough viable options available to tick all of your boxes. The fastest, most effective way to find the perfect plan is by using our coverage tool, which compares over 40 carrier plans—letting you filter based on carrier, plan type, data, minutes, and more.

Need a little more help choosing? These plans are some of the most popular plans you can bring your phone to:

#1	Visible	Visible Unlimited Data No Contract $25/mo	100%	View Plan
#2	Mint Mobile	Mint Mobile Unlimited Data No Contract $25/mo Deal: Get this plan for just $25/mo. when you switch to Mint Mobile using promo code 15OFF at checkout. Upfront payment required	81%	View Plan
#3	XFINITY Mobile	XFINITY Mobile Unlimited Data No Contract $0/mo Deal: Get a FREE 1 year of Xfinity Mobile Select Plan with Xfinity Internet required	68%	View Plan
#4	T-Mobile	T-Mobile Unlimited Data No Contract $50/mo Deal: Get up to $800 via virtual prepaid MasterCard when you bring an eligible phone, activate a new line on select plans and port-in your number and switch from select carriers	67%	View Plan
#5	US Mobile	US Mobile Unlimited Data No Contract $25/mo whistleOut Exclusive: Get this plan for only $45 for 3 months ($15/mo.) with new number activation OR $5 off per month for 6 mo. (up to 3 lines) OR 30 Days FREE Trial	45%	View Plan
#6	Verizon	Verizon Unlimited Data No Contract $70/mo $40 Upfront Deal: Get $10 off per line for 1 line via monthly promo credits over 36 months. For new customers only	31%	View Plan

Once you’ve found the right carrier, it's time to actually go through with the switch. Every carrier has minor quirks when it comes to switching to their plans—particularly if you’re bringing your own device, since you'll likely need to get a new SIM card and swap it into your phone. Keep in mind, however, that these carriers want you to switch with them and they are going to everything they can to make the process as simple as they can. For instance, practically all carriers will work with your current carrier to get your number transferred. Check out some of these carrier switching guides to help make the process more seamless.

Switching providers

Click on a carrier to learn how to switch to them and bring your own phone.

About phone compatibility

With the shutdown of 3G networks (including CDMA and GSM), phone compatibility is closer to universal across all networks than it has been in the past. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that your phone will be compatible with all carriers. You'll still have to check with every carrier before you switch to make sure your phone is compatible. Don't worry! It's standard practice to for carriers to ensure compatibility before signing you on.

Pros & Cons of Bringing Your Own Device

While bringing your own device has its benefits, there are some things to keep in mind when choosing to take the BYOD approach.

BYOD pros & cons

Pros	Cons
You’ll save big on phone costs There’s no learning curve for your current device You can take advantage of carrier specials, specifically for BYOD customers You avoid monthly phone payments that would tie you to your new carrier	Older devices my not be able to take full advantage of the most recent network technologies (i.e., 4G LTE; 5G) You might miss out on phone discounts that are only available at sign-up

Generally speaking, the pros to bringing your own device outweigh the cons, particularly if you’ve gotten your current phone recently. That said, it’s always good to be aware of what you may be missing out on by opting to BYOD—such as new phone discounts and network features with select carriers.

If your biggest concern is cutting costs, you’ll likely be saving the more money by bringing your own phone than you would by getting a discount on a new device. Not only do plenty of carriers offer BYOD specials, but you’ll have the freedom to move from carrier to carrier without being tied down by unpaid installments on a new device.

Bringing Your Own Phone: FAQs

Still have questions about switching and bringing your own phone? We’ve got you covered. Check out these frequently asked questions to help guide you in the right direction.

Is it cheaper to bring your own phone?

Bringing your own personal device is almost always the cheaper option when switching carriers. Many even offer discounts when you bring your own phone. That said, you can often snag seriously deep discounts on new phones when you trade in your current device, so make sure you thoroughly weigh your options!

How do I know if I have a compatible phone for my new carrier?

The best way to check for carrier compatibility is by running a IMEI check on a carrier’s website. If you have an older device, you can also take a look at our compatibility check tool to avoid having to bounce from carrier to carrier.

What does BYOD/BYOP mean?

BYOD/BYOP is simply short for “bring your own device” or “bring your own phone”. Carriers will often use these terms interchangeably.

Is it worth buying a phone outright?

In many cases, initially buying your phone outright— as opposed to paying for it in monthly installments—will give you much more freedom, particularly when it comes to bringing your phone with you as you switch carriers. Since it's already paid off, you'll be able to switch to a new carrier as soon as you've met any other unlocking requirements.

Chris Holmes

Staff Writer

Chris Holmes is a Contributing Writer for WhistleOut, where he covers the cell phone and internet industries. His work has been cited in publications like The Verge, The New York Times, and WIRED.

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