Tall, dark, unlocked: Tello Phone Compatibility
Sometimes, looking for a compatible phone for a new wireless provider is a lot like dating, especially when stating your expectations.
In order to enroll your phone to Tello it should be unlocked, GSM ready and free of any contract – aka tall, dark & handsome, right?
Let’s ease the process and take it one term at a time.
Unlocked phone (available)
An unlocked cell phone is not tied into a certain carrier’s network so it will work with more than one provider, but it’s not quite like an open relationship, but more as a no strings attached situation.
Most phones are like that – locked – to a certain cellular carrier because it makes sense: you receive a sweet discount on the handset in exchange for signing a service contract with them. And, in addition to the discount, you also get the voice & data to actually use the phone in case – yes, the devil is always in the details, but this is how the system works.
But not everyone is into this, for a variety of reasons: if you frequently travel abroad, to be tied to a phone that won’t work internationally (or one that will cost you an arm and a leg to use in foreign countries), for example, doesn’t sound that great! Other people simply prefer freedom and are unwilling to sign the lengthy service contracts (of two years, typically) that many carriers require.
Good news: Tello’s philosophy is that contracts should be extinct, so you’re in the right place!
GSM (your type)
In what compatibility is concerned, one of the most important things to consider is if your speak the same language and whether the other one is your type to begin with.
CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and GSM (Global System for Mobiles) are shorthand for the two major radio systems used in cell phones. Unlike competing systems, such as GSM, CDMA does not assign a specific frequency to each user. CDMA provides better capacity for voice & data communications than other mobile technologies, allowing more subscribers to connect at any given time.
How is this info important to you? It matters when it comes to changing your phone.
It’s easier to swap phones on GSM networks because GSM carriers put customer information on a removable SIM card. That’s not the case with CDMA. In the U.S., CDMA carriers use network-based white lists to verify their subscribers. That means you can only switch phones with your carrier’s permission.
Free of contract (willing)
We don’t really feel the need to explain this term, as it stands for pure freedom and not being tied to a legal agreement for a specific period of time.
If you don’t actually buy a phone from a carrier, there is always the option of getting one from the manufacturer. More and more of manufacturers are selling “unlocked” phones – devices that can easily be used among the four major wireless carriers – directly from their websites or stores through payment plans, so maybe this is something you can see into.
Magic solution for compatibility check (spark)
And if you’re still not sure, you only need your IMEI (also known as ESN/MEID code) to check for yourself on our Bring Your Own Phone page. The process is simple and does all the work for you.
Once you enter your IMEI, you will follow several steps:
- Find out if your phone can join Tello or not
- Find out if you need a GSM SIM card to enable 4G LTE Data (you can buy one online from Tello.com)
- Decide whether you want to port in your old number or get a new one from Tello
Your website redirects to Motorola if buying a new Motorola phone, such as Moto E4. Are these phones sold ready to activate or would a CDMA SIM card be needed?
I now see the description says: “This phone doesn’t come with a CDMA SIM. You can buy one when you activate your phone with us…”
Don’t know if I missed that before or it was recently added.
Hello Jeff,
Yes, you saw that right, you would need a CDMA SIM, but the good news is that when you join Tello, the SIM will be delivered to you without any costs by USPS.
Hope this helps, thanks!
Can I port my # from ATT
Hi Joe, as long as the number is active and the port in details are correct, there should be no problem in transferring the number to Tello.
I there. I have some questions:
I have a iphone 5s free, I need a CDMA SIM or not?
How time need to activate the service awaiting the CDMA SIM and in case of not, when I have service?
If a month I want to pause the service Can I do it? and How?
Thanks in advance.
Hello,
Thanks for reaching out!
Most iPhones work on Tello if they are built for the US. You’ll find out if your phone needs a CDMA Sim after entering your IMEI/ESN/MEID on the Bring Your Own Phone page, while you’re enrolling your phone to Tello. After that you need to go to My Tello and follow these steps: find the Activate Device button and enter the required information. It may take up to 30 minutes for the activation to be implemented. You may need to switch your device OFF and then ON for this to work. You’re all set!
If you’re traveling and need to keep your number active for when you return to the US, you can easily do so for just $5/month with Pay as you go Credit that can be used for international calls as well. When you return, you can renew your phone plan or get another one with no problems. Thanks!
i wish to keep my existing phone number and i have read i can do this, is there a way to transfer all of my contacts, photos and phone number to the new phone?
Hello Travis,
It all depends on what device you have. Here is a good article on how to transfer your content from one Android phone to another: https://www.wikihow.com/Transfer-Contacts-from-One-Android-to-Another-Android-Device. Hope it helps, thanks!
I have a new 2018 iPad that came with a blank Apple SIMM and want cellular data service, but not phone or text service. What do I need to use your plan?
Hi, John,
Thanks for reaching out. Your iPad should work on Tello, but to make sure, check it here: https://tello.com/bring_your_own_phone. Also, the great thing about us is that you can build a custom plan, and choose exactly what you need, like a data only plan, in this case. Check out our tool and configure your plan here: https://tello.com/buy/custom_plans. Have a great one!
I have an iPhone 8 plus, currently on Verizon. I have never removed a SIM card. I absolutely need to keep my phone number and contacts. If we subscribe, do you walk us through the process?
Jane,
Thanks for reaching out! We are totally here for you, so please contact our Support Team. You’ll get a real human in seconds and he’ll talk you through the process if needed!
Best,
Maria
I have a simple phone, GSM unlocked, it is not CDMA, currently on T-Mobile.
Will it work with Tello?
Hello,
Unfortunately, only CDMA devices work on Tello at the moment.
You can always get one from us and benefit from the Black Friday Deals we’re currently having. It’s a perfect time to test Tello for free, check it out: https://tello.com/promo/blackfriday. Thanks a lot!
Hi – am considering joining and buying one of your phones. wondering if you will have a xmas special as I’m not in a hurry (or New Years).
Hi Trish,
You can see here all the phones on sale – with a discount bubble attached: https://tello.com/phones. If you join now, you can also benefit from our Xmas Promotion and choose any phone plan you want for just $5 for the first month of service. Hurry!
Thanks & happy to welcome you!
Is Samsung galaxy 6 compatable? It’s unlocked free of contract and thru Sprint. It says the imei # Is not, why?
Hello Teresa,
Thank you for writing. Please provide the IMEI code so we can assist you with this problem.
Regards.
I have a Sprint Motorola V3M I am trying to activate with my service. I tried typing ##(my device MSL)# but nothing happened. I tried hitting send and also going to messages and typing with no luck. Is there anyone who can help?
Hi, Kyle, sorry to hear you’re having trouble with this. Please feel free to contact our Customer Service to walk you through it, thanks a bunch!
I bought a new ipad, tello CS told me my ipad is GSM so I cannot sign up, but when I checked with sprint with the same IMEI, they told me I can sign up because for ipad data plan only need 4G LTE which is compatible with sprint. In fact, apple store only sells one type of cellular ipad which they claim works for all carriers in the USA. Why does tello not let me sign up while sprint says no problem?
Hi Frank,
Thank you for your message. In order to bring an iPad to Tello it must be Sprint/CDMA compatible and unlocked. To find out what the problem might be please contact Customer Support https://tello.com/contact and provide your IMEI.
Have a great day!
So all blackberry phones will not work on Tello?
Hi, TJ,
There are only a handful of devices that can’t join Tello. Devices like the following are not Tello friendly: Palm, RIM (Blackberry), Ready Link/PTT, Q-Chat, 13K Vocoder or Power Source.
I have a Moto E4+ that I’ve been trying to put on Tello. Sprint, Boost & US Mobile will take it but Tello rejects it. Is there a way to find out who has the hold on it? Tried Virgin, but they aren’t taking new customers. tnx for ur help.
Hey, there,
Sorry to hear about this issue. I’d try calling our Customer Support team and letting them know about the situation, maybe they have a little wisdom to share. Hope it helps, thanks!