what phones work with tello mobile
/42 Comments/
Updated March 28th, 2024

With our Bring Your Own Phone (BYOP) option, you can easily get Tello Mobile service on your current device, in no time. 

No need to sweat about it. Chances are your device is compatible, and your wallet could use the savings. 

It’s easy to go to our BYOD page and check if it’s compatible with Tello. Then choose your plan, order a Tello SIM or get activated with a free eSIM instantly. You’ll be enjoying tiny phone bills in no time and catch yourself saying “Alexa, play ‘Feeling Good’” more often. 

We’ve made things easy when it comes to bringing your own phone to Tello. In other words, we’ll tell you if your phone works on our network. One thing we cannot verify – is if your device is unlocked and free of contract. This check is on you, because you have the information from your relationship with the previous provider or phone vendor. Therefore, you’ll need to give your current provider a quick call and ask about your device’s status.

What phones are compatible with Tello? – if only we had a penny for every time we heard it.

TBH: we’d love nothing more than to provide a list of devices compatible with Tello. However, we are limited by the technical realities:

  • the same phone model can have (sub)types, one compatible and another one incompatible
  • compatibility may depend on the network that sold the phone originally
  • the same model sold in different markets (not US) may or may not be compatible

This is why our BYOD checker does the heavy lifting and gives the exact answer for the phone you hold in your hand. All you need is to provide the correct phone IMEI.

To recap, we’ve compiled a list of requirements to check before bringing the phone you love to Tello and detailed them below. Check ‘em’ out:

📲 What phones work with Tello Mobile?

Here’s the entire list of criteria that needs to be met:

✔️ 4G LTE/5G devices

✔️ Unlocked

For example, most unlocked T-Mobile, AT&T, Cricket Wireless, Simple Mobile, and Straight Talk phones work with Tello

Many 4G LTE phones used on Verizon may also work with Tello as long as they have been unlocked.

✔️ That support LTE bands: 2, 4, 5, 12, 66, 71.

✔️ VoLTE friendly

✔️ Most models manufactured for the US market will activate on our network – phones made for overseas markets might not work

🛎️ First up: All Tello compatible phones need to be at least 4G LTE and use VoLTE

Most devices released after 2017 come with VoLTE capabilities, which is a great advantage for connecting to our service. VoLTE, or Voice over Long Term Evolution, enhances call quality, signal strength, and reduces the occurrence of dropped calls, ensuring a smoother communication experience.

In terms of iPhone users, we have good news. Every model above iPhone 6 should work with our service as long as the software is updated to the latest available.
If you’re an Android user, just make sure your device has the minimum required bands, and you’re good to go.

This being said, a lot of customers struck gold when looking around the house and finding a device that worked perfectly with Tello. Does Tello support iPhones? Totally! The best way to know is to check it via our bring your own device tool and see for yourself.

🔓 Only unlocked devices unlock the huge wireless savings from Tello

What is an unlocked phone? Unlocked phones are phones that aren’t tied to a specific carrier’s network. That means you can switch providers anytime you want. 

What’s the difference between locked and unlocked phones? Glad you asked! Locked devices ensure you can’t switch networks until after a certain time (usually stipulated within a contract), sell your phone before the period is over, or skip on your bill and switch. 

What’s the rule of thumb at Tello? You can bring your unlocked phones at Tello. We believe in freedom to choose your own phone plan. This is why we don’t lock you into long contracts because prices can change quickly in this fast-paced environment. In fact, in 2023, we’ve had a major price drop with lowered prices and increased data!
Buying in bulk is good, but having a carrier that lets you build your own plan is even better. You can change your plan whenever you want and enjoy full flexibility month over month.

📡 What LTE bands does Tello use?

The shortest answer possible: 2, 4, 5, 12, 66, 71.

How to know if your device checks out these requirements? Simply look at the device’s tech specs and check them off against the 2 compatibility requirements listed below:

In order to bring your device to Tello, it must support (at a minimum) the following set of LTE bands:

– Band 2 (1900 MHz)

– Band 4 (1700/2100 MHz)

– Band 12 (700 MHz)

However, for best service on the Tello network, your phone should have the following band/frequency in addition to the above 3:

*Band 5 (850 MHz)

*Band 71 (600 MHz) 

* Band 66 (1700/2100 Mhz)

For example, if the phone has LTE bands 2, 4, 12, and 71, then that is ideal.

If you want to take advantage of the Tello 5G coverage, then you will need a device that supports 5G bands N41 and N71. 

🌐 VoLTE

VoLTE, short for Voice over LTE, enhances your calling experience by ensuring superior call quality, eliminating dropped calls, and providing faster connectivity with broader coverage.

If you want to bring your phone to Tello, VoLTE is a must. 

How do you know if your phone supports VoLTE? 

Android steps: Open the Settings app on your phone and go to the ‘About phone’ menu >> ‘SIM Status‘>> Tap it and a popup should appear. If the voice network type is listed as LTE, you’re good to go.

On your iPhone, go to Settings >> Cellular >> Cellular Data Options and tap Enable LTE or Settings >> Mobile Data and tap Enable LTE. If your carrier supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE), you’ll see these options: Off: Turns off LTE. Voice & Data: Allows voice calls and cellular-data use over LTE. 

🤳 Bringing your phone to Tello means you have to change your number?

Simply, no.

Once you know your beloved device checks out all the boxes and you got the “Awesome” message on our device checker, bring it over to the bright side of wireless and keep your phone number. Remember: port in is only available after your SIM is received and activated.

Here’s the carrier transfer info you’ll need to make that happen. 

 

42 replies
  3. Michael
    Michael says:

    Hi,

    I am interested in this phone, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE SM-G781B. It says it has these bands:

    NETWORK
    2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2
    3G bands HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
    4G bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66
    5G bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 41, 78
    *(make sure your carrier support the 5G bands)

    Will it be compatible on your network including 5G?

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Maria from Tello
      Maria from Tello says:

      Micheal, the bands look ok to me. Here’s all the info for Tello:
      The device must support (at a minimum) the following set of LTE bands:
      Band 2 (1900 MHz)
      Band 4 (2100 MHz)
      Band 12 (700 MHz)

      However, for best service on our GSM network, your phone should have at least 1 of the following bands/frequencies in addition to the above 3:
      Band 5 (850 MHz)
      Band 66 (1700 Mhz)
      Band 71 (600 MHz)

      For example, if the phone has bands 2, 4, 12, and 71, then that is ideal.

      You’ll still need to check your device’s compatibility here to be sure: https://tello.com/bring_your_own_phone, thanks!

      Reply
  7. Suzanne
    Suzanne says:

    Does Tello work with USB mobile sticks? For example, the KuWFi 4G LTE USB Modem Mobile Stick, or ZTE MF820B 4G LTE USB Modem, or similar? I am hoping to provide a mobile hotspot for my laptop.

    Reply
    • Tello
      Tello says:

      Hi Suzanne,

      You can check by verifying the IMEI of the stick on our Bring Your Own Phone page, but please note the amount of data that you can share through Hotspot is limited as mentioned in our Terms & Conditions: “The Unlimited Plan is meant for using data mainly with your mobile phone. We reserve the right to limit excessive tethering/hotspot usage above 5GB. Accounts where we find excessive data usage may experience slowness in speed and/or service limitations for the current billing cycle, up to termination.”

      Hope this answers your questions.

      Reply
    • Mike from Tello | Tello Customer Support
      Mike from Tello | Tello Customer Support says:

      Hi Jeff,

      For the 4G bands, we have the following requirements:

      The device must support (at a minimum) the following set of LTE bands;
      – Band 2 (1900 MHz)
      – Band 4 (2100 MHz)
      – Band 12 (700 MHz)

      However, for the best service on our GSM network, the phone should have at least 1 of the following bands/frequencies in addition to the above 3.

      * Band 5 (850 MHz)
      * Band 66 (1700 Mhz)
      * Band 71 (600 MHz)

      For example, if the phone has bands 2, 4, 12, and 71, then that is ideal.
      Phones made for overseas markets and older CDMA-network phones are more likely not to accommodate these band requirements.

      Regarding 5G:
      We are using 2 bands:

      * Band n71 (600 MHz) – Extended Range (XR) 5G

      * Band n41 (2.5 GHz) – Ultra Capacity (UC) 5G

      We hope this answered your question!

      Reply
  10. Bethany
    Bethany says:

    Is tello compatible with the nothing phone 1? This is the information their site offers:
    Below is a list of carrier bands that support Phone (1). CDMA is not supported.

    Carrier: AT&T
    LTE Bands: 2/4/5/12/17/26/66
    5G Bands: not supported
    Carrier: T-Mobile
    LTE Bands: 2/4/5/12/26/66
    5G Bands: N41
    Carrier: Verizon
    LTE Bands: 2/4/5/66
    5G Bands: not supported

    Please note, not all carriers will fully allow Phone (1) to operate on their network.
    Please check the limitations for each of the main US carriers below:

    AT&T: 5G network is not supported. 4G and 3G are supported. Additionally VoLTE and VoWifi will not work.
    T-Mobile: 3G, 4G and 5G are supported, however, not all 5G bands are supported.
    Verizon: Compatibility with Verizon is very limited. Verizon 5G and CDMA networks are not supported. 4G is supported. Prior to using your Phone (1), you will need to contact Verizon customer service to add Phone (1) IMEI to their database.

    Reply
  11. Robert
    Robert says:

    Hello, is there any other way to verify if a cell phone is compatible, besides IMEI? I entered my IMEI before purchasing service and I told told it was good to go, but after days of troubleshooting, come to find out my cell ISN’T compatible. I’m scared to purchase a new phone only for THAT not to work, either. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Tello
      Tello says:

      Hi Robert,

      You can also look at the device’s tech specs and check them off against the 2 compatibility requirements listed below:

      (a). The device must support VoLTE (the type of VoLTE compatible with our network).
      Older phone models tend to be missing this feature more often than newer models.

      (b). Bands
      The device must support (at a minimum) the following set of LTE bands:
      Band 2 (1900 MHz)
      Band 4 (2100 MHz)
      Band 12 (700 MHz)

      However, for best service on our GSM network, your phone should have at least 1 of the following bands/frequencies in addition to the above 3:
      Band 5 (850 MHz)
      Band 66 (1700 Mhz)
      Band 71 (600 MHz)

      For example, if the phone has bands 2, 4, 12, and 71, then that is ideal.
      Phones made for overseas markets and older phones are more likely not to accommodate these band requirements.

      Hope this helps ;)

      Reply
    • Tello
      Tello says:

      We can confirm that iPhone 14 will work perfectly with our eSIM.
      Before you enrol it to our service, please make sure the device is unlocked.

      We appreciate your interest in our service.

      Reply
    • Tello
      Tello says:

      The most accurate way to check the compatibility of a device is on our website: https://tello.com/bring_your_own_phone

      Unfortunately, we cannot say for sure only by device model.
      You can also check with our Customer Support Team available 24/7. They can help you with more information in regards to the bands available and network requirements.

      Reply
    • Tello
      Tello says:

      Unfortunately, if the device is locked, it will not work with our service.
      Any device should be unlocked so it can work with Tello.

      Reply
  17. Douglas Smith
    Douglas Smith says:

    Do you know if any of the tracphones will easily transfer to tello? Do you have to unlock them or just swap out the sim card?

    Reply
    • Tello
      Tello says:

      Indeed, this device should work with our service.
      Please make sure the device is unlocked before you purchase it.

      We are looking forward to having you on board!

      Reply
  19. David K
    David K says:

    Warning: as Robert said, the IMEI checker is not 100% accurate. As of today, it says my IMEI 358957170329972 works, but customer service (which was very fast/helpful) noticed it does not support the necessary LTE bands. (It’s a Nokia 105 4G; they suggested I buy a Nokia 225 4G instead.)

    So customers, be warned and make sure to check the bands. (And Tello, ideally you can fix your IMEI checker, too.)

    Reply
    • Tello
      Tello says:

      Hi there!
      As long as the phone is manufactured for the US market, it should work with our service!

      If the phone is released after 2022, there is a 99% chance it will work with our service.

      Reply

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* Not all devices containing the Sprint trademark are eligible; please contact your Tello representative to determine eligibility. Specific restrictions and exclusions apply. Some features of the device may not function properly when activated with Tello. Please ask your Tello representative about any limitations.