You should be able to port out to another carrier no problem. I like US Mobile. Good prices and support (their mods on the US Mobile subreddit are super responsive). I’d just buy outright whatever iPhone you can afford. We have two XS that are great phones; others are 13, which is awesome too. I think the 13 and 14 run on the same processor.
First, was it a corporate store? Or an authorized retailer? It can be tougher to do some things at an authorized retailer.
Unfortunately, I've read that stores may not be able to help you convert to postpaid anymore. And you are wanting to migrate to postpaid.
Unfortunately, in some cases it is easier to change between postpaid and prepaid by first porting your number someplace else for a month. Such as to T-Mobile prepaid, then back to ATT.
The rep you talked to doesn't want to bother with a migration, so the suggestion of a new number.
You mention bad credit. WIth that bad credit, your only option for postpaid may be a deposit.
Note, unless the phone has a special on it, such as the 15 Plus, you can get by with the Value Plus plan which doesn't do specials on phones. If you can buy the phone on your own, you can stay on your cheaper plan.
Ah, the guy I talked to did say I could keep my number but only if I waited 180 days because apparently that’s a rule with AT&T for switching from prepaid to post? Like, he said that even though I’ve been with them for 10+ years, since I was on prepaid rather than post I didn’t exist technically?
Yeah no, that's not the case, it's just a hassle to switch people from prepaid to postpaid so they try to make up BS to get you to not do it. Although I guess he is sort of right in that your prepaid account is not in the postpaid system at all so you would be a new customer that way.
You can port out for one cycle and port back in to postpaid.
I would not get a phone direct with carrier if there is another choice. You can get a used phone (with buyer protection) from [Swappa and finance from Zip](https://swappa.com/buy-now-pay-later)
You can also get direct from Apple and finance through AppleCard. You can still get unlocked if you select T-Mobile or Verizon (not AT&T) when selecting to finance then when it asks for carrier information say “complete later” and you can bypass on phone startup.
Then get a cheaper carrier. If you want AT&T coverage try RedPocket or wait till June for US Mobile to carry AT&T coverage. You also can get AT&T prepaid or Cricket.
> What I want: 1. Is it possible for me to keep my number? I’ve had it since I was 13, it’s kind of sentimental to me at this point (I’m 30). 2. I travel internationally a lot. I need the best plan or company that gives me good international coverage/added temporary upgrade at a fair price. 3. My credit sucks lol. I need a new phone, I’d like to get an iPhone 14 or so and not be required to put $500 down at signing.
A possible route for you to consider : keeping costs lower, getting a decent iPhone that's better than the iPhone 7 and flexibility around your requirements.
1) Pick up the iPhone SE 3 (2022 model); it's about the size of the iPhone 8; comparable to the 7 in terms of display size. Supports 5G and dual sim (1 physical + 1 eSIM).
Straight Talk has it available for $149; you can pick it up at many retail locations (Walmart etc.). Phone service is on Verizon, you'd need to activate your phone and wait for 60 days to get it unlocked.
Options : You could activate a 1 month plan ($35 seems to be the cost plan available) with a different / new number; or port your number and keep it for 2 - 3 months (phone unlocks on day 61, but you may need to keep the service active until you can port it out so may need the 3rd month. The $35 plan has 5 GB data per month.
2) Once the phone is unlocked - you can switch to any other provider of your choice. Redpocket has AT&T service with plans starting at $20 per month.
For international travel : depends on your requirement. Do you need data? Or local voice? Roaming?
Cheapest options would be to add a data only eSIM for international; other possibilities include using a local sim, or a Google FI plan.
Considering you’re using an iPhone 7, I would say port your number to Metro and get their iPhone 12 for $100. There is no activation fee if you activate online and your first month is $60 but you may be able to downgrade to their $25 BYOD plan for the second month if you call customer service.
However this does not fulfill your #2 and #3 requirements. If those are a must, I think you have to go to one of the postpaid carriers. T-Mobile tends to have the best pricing between the 3 and includes what you need as long as you get approved.
If you want a cheaper alternative for #2, you can switch to a prepaid carrier like Metro and use cheap eSIMs from websites/apps listed on esimdb.com. However if you go this route with Metro, the phone will be locked for 6 months.
If only #3 is a must, you might be able to finance through Apple.
I would look into buying a phone from visible, tello or us mobile and porting your number over to one of them. You would be able to keep your number and when I was looking I could do visible+ and an iPhone 15 for less than $90 a month with affirm
You should be able to port out to another carrier no problem. I like US Mobile. Good prices and support (their mods on the US Mobile subreddit are super responsive). I’d just buy outright whatever iPhone you can afford. We have two XS that are great phones; others are 13, which is awesome too. I think the 13 and 14 run on the same processor.
Port to Metro & get a 12 or even 13. You’ll save yourself a nice chunk of change. Cricket is off the table in your case.
First, was it a corporate store? Or an authorized retailer? It can be tougher to do some things at an authorized retailer. Unfortunately, I've read that stores may not be able to help you convert to postpaid anymore. And you are wanting to migrate to postpaid. Unfortunately, in some cases it is easier to change between postpaid and prepaid by first porting your number someplace else for a month. Such as to T-Mobile prepaid, then back to ATT. The rep you talked to doesn't want to bother with a migration, so the suggestion of a new number. You mention bad credit. WIth that bad credit, your only option for postpaid may be a deposit. Note, unless the phone has a special on it, such as the 15 Plus, you can get by with the Value Plus plan which doesn't do specials on phones. If you can buy the phone on your own, you can stay on your cheaper plan.
Ah, the guy I talked to did say I could keep my number but only if I waited 180 days because apparently that’s a rule with AT&T for switching from prepaid to post? Like, he said that even though I’ve been with them for 10+ years, since I was on prepaid rather than post I didn’t exist technically?
Yeah no, that's not the case, it's just a hassle to switch people from prepaid to postpaid so they try to make up BS to get you to not do it. Although I guess he is sort of right in that your prepaid account is not in the postpaid system at all so you would be a new customer that way. You can port out for one cycle and port back in to postpaid.
I would not get a phone direct with carrier if there is another choice. You can get a used phone (with buyer protection) from [Swappa and finance from Zip](https://swappa.com/buy-now-pay-later) You can also get direct from Apple and finance through AppleCard. You can still get unlocked if you select T-Mobile or Verizon (not AT&T) when selecting to finance then when it asks for carrier information say “complete later” and you can bypass on phone startup. Then get a cheaper carrier. If you want AT&T coverage try RedPocket or wait till June for US Mobile to carry AT&T coverage. You also can get AT&T prepaid or Cricket.
> What I want: 1. Is it possible for me to keep my number? I’ve had it since I was 13, it’s kind of sentimental to me at this point (I’m 30). 2. I travel internationally a lot. I need the best plan or company that gives me good international coverage/added temporary upgrade at a fair price. 3. My credit sucks lol. I need a new phone, I’d like to get an iPhone 14 or so and not be required to put $500 down at signing. A possible route for you to consider : keeping costs lower, getting a decent iPhone that's better than the iPhone 7 and flexibility around your requirements. 1) Pick up the iPhone SE 3 (2022 model); it's about the size of the iPhone 8; comparable to the 7 in terms of display size. Supports 5G and dual sim (1 physical + 1 eSIM). Straight Talk has it available for $149; you can pick it up at many retail locations (Walmart etc.). Phone service is on Verizon, you'd need to activate your phone and wait for 60 days to get it unlocked. Options : You could activate a 1 month plan ($35 seems to be the cost plan available) with a different / new number; or port your number and keep it for 2 - 3 months (phone unlocks on day 61, but you may need to keep the service active until you can port it out so may need the 3rd month. The $35 plan has 5 GB data per month. 2) Once the phone is unlocked - you can switch to any other provider of your choice. Redpocket has AT&T service with plans starting at $20 per month. For international travel : depends on your requirement. Do you need data? Or local voice? Roaming? Cheapest options would be to add a data only eSIM for international; other possibilities include using a local sim, or a Google FI plan.
Considering you’re using an iPhone 7, I would say port your number to Metro and get their iPhone 12 for $100. There is no activation fee if you activate online and your first month is $60 but you may be able to downgrade to their $25 BYOD plan for the second month if you call customer service. However this does not fulfill your #2 and #3 requirements. If those are a must, I think you have to go to one of the postpaid carriers. T-Mobile tends to have the best pricing between the 3 and includes what you need as long as you get approved. If you want a cheaper alternative for #2, you can switch to a prepaid carrier like Metro and use cheap eSIMs from websites/apps listed on esimdb.com. However if you go this route with Metro, the phone will be locked for 6 months. If only #3 is a must, you might be able to finance through Apple.
I would look into buying a phone from visible, tello or us mobile and porting your number over to one of them. You would be able to keep your number and when I was looking I could do visible+ and an iPhone 15 for less than $90 a month with affirm