Simple Mobile is one of the many prepaid carriers to consider if you need a budget-friendly cell phone service. You can get the basic subscription for as low as $25 or even FREE if eligible for ACP. But now, what phones are compatible with Simple Mobile that I can bring? Can I also activate eSIM on the new iPhone?
After Straight Talk, Simple Mobile is another cellular brand TracFone Wireless owns. If an existing customer, I’m sure you’ve already received an email about the scheduled transition from the current carrier network. Thus, you may be one of the few people who will have to change their phones to continue getting service.
What Are the Best Phones Compatible With Simple Mobile on the New Network?
Before we come to the heavy details, below are the six best phone brands that can work with Simple Mobile. Watch closely the key features I’ve listed on each device. They all point back to making the most of your prepaid subscription, as we shall see in the next section.
Best Overall: Fully-Unlocked Apple iPhone 13 5G/ LTE A15 iOS
Top 6 features:
- It utilizes the fastest Apple A15 Bionic chip
- Has both a built-in eSIM and a physical SIM
- Compatible with up to 5G Ultra-wideband
- Supports WiFi 6 (802.11x) WLAN protocol
- Has a built-in NFC for contactless payments
- It has a rugged, IP68-rated aluminum build
Best of Budget: TracFone Samsung Galaxy A13 5G Prepaid Android
Top 6 features:
- It has a wide 6.5-inch HD+ display
- Offers fast 5G data speeds on C-band
- Supports up to WiFi 5 (802.11ac) protocol
- Has a built-in NFC chip for digital payments
- You can expand storage with a MicroSD card
- It has a fingerprint reader for fast unlocking
Best Under $200: Simple Mobile Apple iPhone SE (2020) A13 IOS
Top 6 features:
- It utilizes a fast Apple A13 Bionic chip
- Has both a built-in NFC and a physical SIM
- Supports WiFi 6 (802.11x) WLAN protocol
- You can record videos in 4K & Slo-Mo mode
- Has a rugged design, with P67 dust/ water protection
- It has a built-in NFC for payments & content sharing
Best of Under $100: Verizon Unlocked Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 RUGGED
Top 6 features:
- It utilizes a decent Snapdragon 630 processor
- Has both extended-range & high-capacity LTE
- Supports WiFi 5 (802.11.ac) WLAN protocol
- Has a built-in NFC for contactless payments
- You can record crisp videos of up to 4K quality
- It also has a rugged, IP68 810Gmilitary-grade build
Best of Seniors: TracFone-Branded Alcatel Myflip Flip Phone
Top 6 features:
- It has a 1.4-inch vs 2.8-inch QVGA display
- Supports WiFi 4 (802.11n) WLAN protocol
- Has both extended-range & high-capacity LTE
- Supports both Bluetooth & USB data connectivity
- Compatible with up to M4 & T4 hearing aid devices
- It has a Built-in MicroSD card slot to expand storage
Best of Photography: Factory Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G QHD
Top 6 features:
- It has a smooth 6.8-inch, 120HZ display
- Utilizes a super-fast Snapdragon 8 Gen chip
- Compatible with up to 5G Ultra-wideband
- Supports WiFi 6 (802.11x) WLAN protocol
- Also support both wired & wireless Samsung Dex
- You can record videos in 8K & super-slow-motion
7 Crucial Things to Know When Looking for Phones Compatible with Simple Mobile
First, you should know not just any phone can work with Simple Mobile. Then there are super-cheap options in the market that can work on the MVNO, yet you didn’t know.
Basically, all I’m trying to say here, you can make the most of your Simple Mobile service with the right cell phone. And seven crucial tips that can help you find this “right” phone include:
- Simple Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), a small phone carrier without cellular towers. Since the launch, it has partnered with T-Mobile to bring its customers service. Thus, you would need a phone with network bands 2, 4*, 5, 12*, 66, & 71* to connect to LTE. Then bands n41, n71, n258, n260, & n261 for 5G data speeds.
- Simple Mobile is dropping T-Mobile for Verizon towers by November 2024. The move comes after Verizon acquired TracFone, its parent company. So, you will now need a phone with bands 2, 4, 5*, 13*, and 66 for LTE. Then bands N77 (C-band), N260, and N261 to access 5G Ultra-wideband or N2, N5, and N66 for 5G–Nationwide (low-band).
- Simple Mobile has not introduced eSIM support yet. And this means you can’t use iPhone 14 (US version), which has no physical SIM slot. I’m hoping the operator will introduce the feature sometime this year. But if they do, my guess is the feature will be available on Simple Mobile with Verizon.
- Simple Mobile supports roaming, which makes the phone usable outside the native coverage zones.
- Simple Mobile also supports a WiFi calling feature. It is a handy feature when outside the native coverage areas, where you also can’t roam. However, you must have a phone with a built-in WiFi calling feature before you can use it.
- Simple Mobile has deprioritized data, where the browsing speed drops during network congestion. For this reason, you might find a 5G phone much better since the data speeds will still be high when deprioritization happens.
- Simple Mobile supports a personal hotspot feature if you want toshare data with your other smartphones, tablets, computer, or even TV. So, you might want to have a phone with the best cellular and WiFi technology possible.
*Marks the primary network frequency that Simple Mobile use for extended-range coverage or a signal that penetrates even walls. Your phone will not work on the carrier if it doesn’t have at least one of these primary frequencies.
What Phones are Compatible with Simple Mobile
The five different types of phones that can work on Simple Mobile service:
- Simple Mobile phones. They usually come locked to its service, which in most cases is to prevent use on other carriers. The carrier lock also has the phone programmed to its root network, making it naturally compatible.
- Factory-unlocked phones are compatible with Simple Mobile too since they have no network restrictions. However, the phones must have network frequencies necessary to tap into the MVNO’s Carrier Network, Verizon (or T-Mobile if you haven’t switched the SIM yet).
- Carrier-unlocked phones with the right network technology can also work with a Simple Mobile SIM card. A nice example would be the Cricket Unlocked Alcatel QUICKFLIP 4044C if you still have the T-Mobile-compatible Simple Mobile SIM.
- TracFone phones are usually compatible with the service from its subsidiaries- in this case, Simple Mobile. It works from the parent-child bond, such as when Virgin Mobile phones were compatible with Assurance Wireless.
- Main Carrier phones, or at least some, are usually naturally compatible with their MVNOs. For instance, some Verizon-locked phones will now work with the new Simple Mobile SIM on Verizon. It’s just like when you would use some T-Mobile Branded devices with Simple Mobile SIM in the past.
Note:
If you already have a phone, you can run the IMEI on the online checker from the Simple Mobile BYOD page to see if it’s compatible or not. The checker will analyze the network technology (available frequency bands) and any possible red flags.
Another thing, we might witness the phone compatibility check on Simple Mobile become a little strict after a complete switch to the Verizon network.
Of course, Verizon has always been notorious for compatibility from the reliance on CDMA protocol. But the strictness you can expect on the new Simple Mobile will be the blacklisting of International phones, something T-Mobile still allows.
Alternative Phones that are Compatible with Simple Mobile
Besides the six brands I’ve listed in the beginning, other phones that work with Simple Mobile on the new carrier network, Verizon, flawlessly include:
| Cellular Network | eSIM Support | ROM vs RAM | |
| Fully-Unlocked Apple iPhone 13 5G/ LTE A15 iOS | 5G & 4G LTE | Yes | 128GB, 4GB |
| Simple Mobile Apple iPhone 12 5G A14 Bionic | 5G & 4G LTE | Yes | 64GB, 4GB |
| Fully-Unlocked Samsung Galaxy A13 5G-Enabled Android | 5G & 4G LTE | No | 64GB, 4GB |
| Unlocked Samsung Galaxy A71 5G Full HD+ Android | 5G & 4G LTE | No | 128GB, 6GB |
| TracFone-Branded Alcatel Myflip Flip Phone for Seniors | 4G LTE | No | 4GB, 0.5GB |
| Simple Mobile Apple iPhone SE (2020) A13 IOS | 4G LTE | Yes | 64GB, 3GB |
| Verizon Unlocked Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 | 4G LTE | No | 64GB, 4GB |
| Fully-Unlocked Google Pixel 4a 5G/ LTE Android | 5G & 4G LTE | Yes | 128GB, 6GB |
| Fully Unlocked Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G Android | 5G & 4G LTE | No | 128GB, 6GB |
| Unlocked Motorola Moto G Play (2021) 6.5-inch Android | 4G LTE | No | 32GB, 3GB |
| Fully-Unlocked Apple iPhone 11 A13 Bionic iOS | 4G LTE | Yes | 64GB, 4GB |
| Factory Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G QHD | 5G & 4G LTE | Yes | 256GB, 12GB |
| Simple Mobile Apple iPhone XR A12 Bionic iOS | 4G LTE | Yes | 128GB, 3GB |
| TracFone Samsung Galaxy A13 5G Prepaid Android | 5G & 4G LTE | No | 64GB, 4GB |
| TracFone Motorola Moto G Pure (2021 Release) Android | 4G LTE | No | 32GB, 3GB |
| Unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G Snapdragon | 4G LTE | No | 256GB, 12GB |
| Fully-Unlocked LG Reflect 4G LTE Android | 4G LTE | No | 32GB, 3GB |
| Fully Unlocked Google Pixel 6 w/ 5G Smartphone | 5G & 4G LTE | Yes | 128GB, 8GB |
| Factory Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S21 with 5G/ LTE | 5G & 4G LTE | Yes | 256GB, 8GB |
| Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus 4G LTE Android | 4G LTE | No | 128GB, 6GB |
Commonly Asked Questions
Will my Simple Mobile phone have Coverage in Oregon?
TracFone brands have already started to move customers on other networks (AT&T or T-Mobile) to Verizon towers. However, the switch is not all a bad thing. For instance, your Simple Mobile phone can have coverage in Oregon’s remote/ rural areas, where T-Mobile tends to struggle a lot.
What are the APN settings of Simple Mobile?
In case you’re experiencing data issues, you can adjust the APN settings of your Simple Mobile as follows:
Name: (whichever you prefer)
APN: simple
Username: (leave it blank)
Password: (leave it blank)
Proxy: (leave it blank)
Port: 8080
Server: (leave it blank)
MMSC: http://smpl.mms.msg.eng.t-mobile.com/mms/wapenc
MMS Proxy: (leave it blank)
MMS Port: 80
MCC: (leave default)
MNC: (leave default)
Authentication type: PAP
APN type: default,mms,supl
APN protocol: IPv4/IPv6
APN protocol: IPv4
Bearer: Unspecified
Once you hit the “Save” button, your phone should be able to browse or send MMS. If that does solve the problem, text “APN” to 611611, and the carrier will send a network config packet.
How Do I activate my Simple Mobile Phone?
Once ready to join, you can easily activate your Simple Mobile phone in eight easy steps:
Insert the Simple Mobile SIM card into your phone
Power the phone on and wait for it to fully start-up
Once the phone is on, make sure it’s connecting to a WiFi
Now, you will get a prompt to select either “activate with a new number” or “Transfer your number”. (The prompt just appears right on the home screen)
Next, enter the Zip code of where you intend to use the phone
After entering the ZIP code, you’ll get a prompt to enter your service PIN. You will find the PIN on the back of the service plan card that came with your SIM kit)
Now, enter your email address and tap the confirming button.
Finally, reboot your phone and it should have a signal, ready to call, Text, or browse the web.
What are the Pros and Cons of Simple Mobile?
Like in any other field, service providers do have their strengths and weaknesses. The Pros and Cons of Simple Mobile include:
Pros:
It offers decent data speeds
Supports the mobile hotspot feature
Has WiFi Calling on capable devices
Supports up to 4K UHD video streaming
Includes free calling to Mexico & Canada
Has a retail department for phones & accessories
It Supports Domestic & international roaming free of charge
Cons:
It still hasn’t added eSIM support yet
Has capped data speed on its service plans
You get deprioritized data (data speed drops when the network is busy)
Final Thoughts
Not everyone is happy with the new requirement to switch to the new Simple Mobile SIM cards on Verizon. But others are glad, as Verizon tends to have the overall best coverage o 4G LTE, including in rural areas.
When you purchase a replacement or upgrade phone for Simple Mobile from third-party sellers, make sure the device supports the network technology, i.e. cellular bands. This has been one of the main problems for many existing customers that have switched to the new Simple Mobile SIM card, as Verizon and T-Mobile operate on different frequencies.
That said, though, Simple Mobile needs to step up and add eSIM support. It’s a crucial feature for a lot of people, especially if you don’t want to carry around two phones or tend to travel outside the country much.
