Cricket Wireless is a well-known telecommunications company in the United States that was founded in 1999 by Leap Wireless. The carrier is currently owned by AT&T. Since its introduction to the telecommunications industry, it has experienced tremendous growth, acquiring up to 10 million customers nationwide. Cricket offers online and in-store services for customers to purchase SIM cards and phones.
However, you cannot use any Cricket Wireless services if they are not activated. Additionally, you will need to check the phone’s eligibility before you proceed with activation. If you have purchased a phone, SIM card, or both from Cricket and do not know how to activate them, continue reading this tutorial for a step-by-step guide on how to activate your Cricket phone and SIM card. We will also discuss the benefits of activating your Cricket phone, as well as other Cricket Wireless information.
Why Should You Need To Activate Your Cricket Phone
The primary reason for activating your Cricket phone is to gain access to all of the services that Cricket Wireless offers. It is essential to activate your phone with Cricket Wireless, as you will be unable to enjoy its benefits if you do not. If you were previously using another carrier, you will be unable to access Cricket services if your phone is not activated with them. Therefore, activating your Cricket phone allows you to bring your own phone and enroll in Cricket Wireless.
Ways To Activate My Cricket Phone
After purchasing a Cricket phone online or in-store, you must activate it to use Cricket Wireless services. This also applies to phones or SIM cards purchased from non-Cricket retail stores such as Amazon. There are two ways to activate your phone with Cricket Wireless:
Activate Cricket Service Online via Official Website
After purchasing your phone, you can activate it online through the Cricket Wireless website. This is an advantage because online activation saves you both time and money. However, before you start the process, make sure you have your phone and order numbers. You can find these numbers in the confirmation email that Cricket Wireless sent you.
- Go to the Cricket Wireless website: cricketwireless.com/activate.html and click on the “Activate Your Phone” button.
- Enter your phone and order numbers. These numbers can be found on the confirmation email that you received from Cricket Wireless.
- Select your device type.
- Select whether you are a new or existing customer.
- Enter your order number and Cricket phone number.
- Enter your Cricket username and password.
- Enter your four-digit Cricket PIN.
- Click on the “Activate” button.
- Your phone will be activated within a few minutes.
Activate Your Cricket Phone Service as a new customer (From Non-Cricket Retailer)
The second method is generally used to activate a Cricket phone that was purchased from a non-Cricket retailer store. Some stores where you can buy phones or Cricket SIM card kits include Amazon, Walmart, and Target. Therefore, if you bought your devices or SIM card from these stores, follow these steps to activate your Cricket service:
Have the following items ready before you begin the process:
- A Cricket SIM card
- A universal SIM card kit from a non-Cricket retailer
- A copy of your current wireless bill
- Payment information
- A 4-digit PIN
If you have all of the above details, please follow these steps to activate your Cricket phone:
- Go to the Cricket Wireless website and click on the “Activate” button.
- Select your language.
- If you are a new customer, select “Yes, sign me up!” option.
- Enter your device ID and SIM card number.
- Select a plan and any add-on features you want.
- Enter your account information or create a new account.
- Enter your payment information and confirm.
Once you have activated your phone, you can start using Cricket Wireless services.
How to Activate my Cricket SIM Card
Please follow these steps to activate or install a Cricket SIM card:
- Switch off your phone.
- Locate the SIM card slot on your phone. Please note that different phone models have different SIM slot locations. For example, if you have a feature phone, you will need to remove the battery to locate the SIM card slot. If you have an iPhone or some other smartphone, the SIM card tray is usually located on the side of the phone.
- Insert your Cricket SIM card into the slot or tray using a smartphone.
- Once your SIM card is inserted, turn on your phone and follow the on-screen instructions to activate your service.
What to Do if I Can’t Activate Cricket Phone With These Instructions?
If your Cricket phone failed to activate using the above procedures, do not fret. There are two options that you can explore to activate your Cricket phone:
- Contacting Cricket customer service at 1-800-CRICKET (274-2538).
- Visiting one of the Cricket stores available in your area. To locate a Cricket Wireless store in your area, kindly search “cricketwireless.com/stores” and enter your ZIP code.
What to Do if I Have Any Issues During the Cricket Phone Activation
If you are having issues activate your Cricket phone, there are several possible reasons. Here are some things you can check:
- Make sure that the transfer process was completed correctly: If you are transferring your line from another carrier, you will need to confirm with them that the transfer was successful. You can also call the customer support of your previous carrier for guidance.
- Check your network signal: Make sure that you are in an area with good network coverage. You can use a coverage map to check this. If there is no network coverage in your area, you may need to wait until coverage is extended.
- Confirm that your phone is compatible with Cricket: You can check the Cricket compatibility requirements on their website. If your phone is locked to another carrier, you will need to unlock it before you can use it with Cricket.
- Check the status of your Cricket SIM card: Make sure that the SIM card is not damaged. If it is, you will need to replace it.
- Activate your Cricket SIM card: Make sure that you are activating the SIM card correctly. The activation process is different for phones and SIM cards purchased online, in-store, and from non-Cricket retailer stores.
- Update your phone’s firmware: Make sure that your phone’s firmware is up to date. This will help to ensure that your phone is compatible with the Cricket network.
- Clear your phone’s cache: Clearing your phone’s cache can help to resolve minor issues that may be preventing your phone from activating.
- Contact customer service: If you have tried all of the above and are still having problems, you can contact Cricket customer service for assistance.
What Benefits Do I Get After Activating Cricket Phone
Congratulations on activating your Cricket phone! Here are some of the benefits you can enjoy from Cricket Wireless:
- No contracts: Cricket Wireless offers no-contract plans, so you can cancel at any time.
- Unlimited data, text, and talk: Cricket Wireless plans include unlimited data, text, and talk.
- Referral program: Cricket Wireless offers a referral program that gives you a discount of up to $25 when someone joins using your referral code.
- Nationwide 4G LTE and 5G network coverage: Cricket Wireless has nationwide 4G LTE and 5G network coverage.
- International calling: Cricket Wireless offers international calling to over 200 countries..
FAQs
Are there any hidden costs or overage charges in Cricket Wireless?
Cricket Wireless is transparent about its pricing and does not charge hidden fees or overage charges. If you exceed your data package, your data speeds will be slowed until your next billing cycle. This is in contrast to other carriers, which may charge additional fees for exceeding your data plan.
Is Cricket Wireless SIM Card CDMA or GSM?
Cricket Wireless utilizes AT&T network towers to provide service to its customers. AT&T uses GSM network technology, which makes Cricket Wireless SIM cards GSM-compatible. This means that all phones that use GSM technology can be used with Cricket Wireless..
Can I move my contacts from my old cricket phone to my new one?
Yes. Today’s cloud technology makes it relatively easy to transfer data, including contacts, to a new phone. For example, Google automatically backs up contacts using the Contact app. To transfer your contacts to a new phone, simply log in with the same Google account you used on your old phone. The same applies to iPhones, which require you to log in with your Apple account to retrieve your contacts.
Can I activate my cricket phone online?
Yes, Cricket Wireless allows customers to activate their phones online if they purchased them from the online store. As mentioned previously, customers will need to have the order number and phone number shared via email by Cricket, and then proceed to the official website to start the process. Do you have these details? If so, please search for the website URL: “cricketwireless.com/activate.html” and start the activation process by following the prompts. We recommend that you follow the above process of activating your phone online via the Cricket website.
How do I know if my Cricket SIM card is activated?
Once you have completed the Cricket SIM card activation process, you will typically be required to insert your card into a compatible phone. If the card has been activated successfully, you will see the network status in the network status bar once you turn on the phone. It will either be 4G or 5G, depending on the network available in your area. This indicates that your Cricket Wireless SIM card has been activated.
How do I know if my cricket phone is unlocked?
Most Cricket phones are typically locked to the Cricket Wireless network. Thus, if you wish to have your phone unlocked, you must contact Cricket customer service to have it unlocked. Once the phone is unlocked, you can test it with another non-Cricket SIM card. If you are able to connect to a network with the non-Cricket SIM card, then your phone has been successfully unlocked.
What Happens If Your Cricket Account is canceled?
Cricket may cancel your account for several reasons. If this happens, all available balances will be forfeited. Additionally, your Cricket phone number, email address, and ID used to register the account will be deactivated. This means that your number may be reassigned to another customer, and you will incur charges to reactivate your account.
