While carriers in the United States like AT&T offer great deals in smartphones, their unlimited calls and texting plans can be very expensive and many users have to deal with high bills every month. The truth is that nowadays, most people use their smartphones mainly for online browsing and instant messaging apps have practically replaced traditional calls and SMS texts. Unfortunately, the majority of carriers give you no choice but to sign up for one of these plans, even though in the end up may not really need them. This has prompted many people to look for alternatives that help them to reduce the cost of their bills.
Straight Talk is a prepaid solution that offers affordable plans that give you greater control over your expenses. The service is provided in partnership with retail giant Walmart and it offers a variety of plans that can adjust to different budgets. One thing that may concern those who are considering switching from their current carrier to Straight Talk is that their phone may be locked to that specific provider. Changing your carrier while keeping your current number may seem like an impossible task. However, Straight Talk has plans that run on popular carriers’ networks including AT&T. If you have a contract with AT&T and your phone is locked to that carrier, you can still switch to Straight Talk without major hassle.
More about Straight Talk
Walmart and TracFone Wireless have partnered to offer Straight Talk, an operator that offers plans that run on Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T networks. You can find Straight Talk SIM cards, top up cards and phones only on the official website or on Walmart’s website and physical stores. The basic 30-day unlimited calling and texting plan costs $45 and it gives you 2.5GB of 4G/LTE data and afterwards, you will get unlimited data at 2G speeds til the next billing cycle. Compared to a contract plan, Straight Talk can be a more convenient solution since there are very little additional taxes and fees involved.
If you need international calls, you can get a plan for $60 and if you prefer a minimal data plan, you can get it for $30. Straight Talk is compatible with the latest versions of the iPhone and you can also buy smartphones from the carrier. You have the option of using your current phone or getting a new one that is not locked to an specific network. You can buy refill cards at Walmart, or manage your account online and set up automatic payment to make sure that you always have service. A way to save money is to purchase prepaid 3, 6 or 12 month cards.
How to switch to Straight Talk
If you don’t want to change your smartphone, even after switching to Straight Talk, there is an option. You can buy “Bring Your Own Phone Activation Kit for just $60. It comes with SIM cards that would suit different types of GSM phones, or a code for CDMA phones. You also get a voucher for one month of service of the basic $45 plan that gives you unlimited local calls and texts. The Kit is available on Straight Talk’s website, Walmart’s website or you can go to a Walmart and buy it. As previously mentioned, you can also buy a new phone from Straight Talk. If you want to activate an unlocked GSM phone, you can choose between a plan that runs on T-Mobile and one that runs on AT&T’s network.
To set up you phone with Straight Talk, you just need to go to the activation site, choose the relevant option and enter the information required. If you want to port over the phone number that you currently have, you will need to enter the account number and other information about the carrier that you are using. Once you provide the information, you will need to provide the serial number for the Straight Talk SIM card, your ZIP code, as well as the service card pin number. Once you provide all the details, the last step would be to set up an account, if you haven’t done it already. When the new account is set you will be almost ready to start using the service.
Make sure that you have inserted the new SIM and then restart the phone. Keep in mind that process of porting the current phone number can take a few hours. The network and carrier will appear as TFW, which stands for TracFone Wireless. If you have any issues during the set up or are unable to make or receive calls once the process is completed, you can contact Straight Talk’s customer service to confirm that the account was activated. As previously mentioned, if you are trying to switch from an old carrier and want to port your current phone number, the process can take a few hours. Once it is completed and you are active with Straight Talk, you can request your previous provider to unlock your phone. Once they approve it, you should receive instructions to unlock your smartphone.
Switching to Straight Talk can be a great move for people who don’t want to be subject to contracts and who want to save money on their bills. Straight Talk allows you to enjoy good LTE coverage and many features that you can get from popular carriers, but it is a more affordable solution.
Spanish 
English 
French 
German 
Turkish