How to Use a Smartphone on Assurance Wireless?
Assurance Wireless is one of the most popular free government phone providers. As such, many customers wish to use their own smartphone on Assurance Wireless. While Assurance Wireless refuses to allow smartphones in their program, the fact that they are using Virgin Mobile’s services that utilize the Sprint network indicates that the option is there.
The process is that a phone is approved for the prepaid services as a ‘donor’, transferring the serial number and other settings for that mobile device to the one you wish to use. When it comes to prepaid service, you are using an approved mobile device. As such, you can use your own phone on a service that should offer a Bring Your Own Device program anyway.
Note: It’s impossible to cheat the prepaid service or to use the information to obtain services that are not paid for. You can use the exact amount of minutes, messages, and data you have on your plan regardless of which phone you use. Using more minutes, messages, or data will inevitably result in paying an additional fee.
Assurance Wireless Activation Process
The Assurance Wireless activation process is simple. All you have to do to activate Assurance Wireless is to follow the steps below:
- Step 1: If you were mailed an Assurance Wireless Android smartphone, press and hold the power button on your device to turn it on.
- Step 2: Enable hands-free activation to connect the device to the Assurance Wireless network. Your Assurance Wireless device can easily complete the hands-free activation process with no user interaction whatsoever.
- Step 3: Allow the device to check for any updates and to update the PRL. If there are any firmware updates available, follow the on-screen instructions to complete them.
- Step 4: The device may turn off automatically after the updates. Otherwise, you can restart it. Once you turn the device back on, it may ask you to customize it.
- Step 5: Dial 611 and follow the recorded directions.
- Step 6: When asked, enter your Assurance Wireless account PIN, which is located at the top of your Assurance approval letter.
- Step 7: The Assurance Wireless activation process is now complete.
Customers who sign up with a representative, on the other hand, will receive help with the activation process.
Do I Need to Activate the Assurance Wireless Replacement Phone?
If your Assurance Wireless phone got damaged, lost, or stolen and you have received a replacement device, you will be required to activate it. If so, you may be wondering how to do so.
When it comes to replacement phones, the Assurance Wireless activation process is the same as with original devices. Simply follow the Assurance Wireless activation steps listed below:
- Step 1: Press and hold the power button on your device to turn it on.
- Step 2: Enable hands-free activation to connect the device to the Assurance Wireless network.
- Step 3: Allow the device to check for any updates and to update the PRL. If there are any firmware updates available, follow the on-screen instructions to complete them.
- Step 4: The device may turn off automatically after the updates. Otherwise, you can restart it. Once you turn the device back on, it may ask you to customize it.
- Step 5: Dial 611 and follow the recorded directions.
- Step 6: When prompted, provide your Assurance Wireless account PIN, which is located at the top of your Assurance approval letter.
- Step 7: The Assurance Wireless activation process is now complete.
In case you experience any trouble in the process, simply contact Assurance’s customer support service.
Can I Activate Assurance Wireless Online?
Currently, Assurance Wireless doesn’t offer any online activation process. Instead, you can activate your Assurance Wireless device manually through the device, as described in the ‘Assurance Wireless Activation Process’ section. Customers who have signed up with a representative can receive their help with the application process.
If My Phone Didn’t Activate What Do I Do?
Sometimes when we are setting up our phones we may rush through the process and overlook an important step. In case you did the Assurance Wireless activation process described above and it didn’t work, there are a couple of things you can check or do to successfully activate the device.
If your phone didn’t activate, you can try the following:
- Turn on Airplane mode on your device for 30 seconds and then turn it off. This way, the phone will be required to find a signal once more. When the phone gets the signal, place a call to confirm activation success.
- Turn off your phone and remove its battery if possible. Wait for a few moments, reinsert the battery, and restart your device. When the phone gets the signal, place a call to confirm activation success.
- Reset your network settings by going to ‘Settings’, ‘Reset Network Settings’ or ‘Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile, and Bluetooth’. Once you reset these settings, your phone will be required to find a signal once more. When the phone gets the signal, place a call to confirm activation success.
Do I Need Assurance Wireless Activation Code?
In order to complete the Assurance Wireless activation process, you won’t be required to get or provide any Assurance Wireless activation code.
Instead, during the Assurance Wireless activation process, you will be required to provide your Assurance Wireless account PIN. Your Assurance Wireless account PIN can be found at the top of your Assurance approval letter.
Are Assurance Wireless Phones Unlocked?
Assurance Wireless phones are locked, which means that the devices can only be used with Assurance Wireless on the Sprint or T-Mobile networks and can’t be activated on a competing carrier’s network. On the other hand, an ‘unlocked’ device is no longer locked to Assurance Wireless services and the customer is free to try and activate it on another carrier’s network.
Even though Assurance Wireless phones are locked by default, they can be unlocked by the provider if eligible.
How to Unlock an Assurance Wireless SIM Card?
Your Assurance Wireless device can be SIM unlocked when eligible for unlocking.
Unlock eligibility requirements:
- The device must be provided by Assurance Wireless
- The device hasn’t been reported as lost or stolen or otherwise flagged as ineligible to be unlocked
- The device has been active for at least 12 months
As soon as a device meets these unlock eligibility requirements, the provider will automatically and remotely unlock the device within two business days – that is if the device supports remote unlock.
However, some devices can’t be remotely unlocked. If that’s the case, Assurance Wireless will send a notification to the device within two business days of it becoming eligible, including the following steps to complete the unlock process.
Certain older devices with a Master Subsidy Lock (MSL) are not capable of being SIM unlocked.
How to Contact Assurance Wireless Customer Service Center?
In case you have any questions or experience any difficulties during the Assurance Wireless activation process or service use, it’s best for you to contact the provider’s customer service center.
Assurance Wireless is known to have a reliable and responsive customer support center, as such, all of your questions and issues should be resolved in a matter of minutes. There are two ways to contact the Assurance Wireless customer service center – by mail and by phone.
If the matter isn’t urgent, you can send the provider a letter. The company’s address is Assurance Wireless, P.O. Box 5040, Charleston, IL 61920-9907.
On the other hand, to get the answers as soon as possible, contact Assurance Wireless by phone at its toll-free number 1-888-321-5880. This way, you will get to speak directly with the representative. Depending on the question or the issue, the representative may ask you to provide certain information. As such, it may be best for you to prepare the information in advance.
Does Assurance Wireless Offer Free Phone and Tablet?
Assurance Wireless is one of the best Lifeline providers in the country. It offers free phones in numerous U.S. states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
At Assurance Wireless, Lifeline-eligible customers can get a free phone. Lifeline-eligible clients can expect to receive a mid-range Android smartphone, however, the exact model depends on availability. In addition, Lifeline-eligible Assurance Wireless customers can get free monthly service with free data, unlimited minutes, and unlimited text messages, as well as free 10 GB of mobile hotspot data up to 4G LTE speed. The exact amount of data and minutes they may get depends on the state.
Currently, Assurance Wireless does not offer free tablets, but free smartphones instead. Keep in mind that their offer may change in the future. Read one of our past articles Does Assurance Wireless Offer Free Tablets?
Find out more about Assurance Wireless at assurancewireless.com.