Things to Consider Before Starting the Assurance Wireless SIM Card Activation
Assurance Wireless is a phone and wireless service provider subsidized by the federal Lifeline Assistance program and Affordable Connectivity Program and supported by the federal Universal Service Fund. Only Lifeline and ACP-eligible households can apply and if approved, they can receive a free monthly service with unlimited talk, text, and data, up to 10 GB of free mobile hotspot data, and a free smartphone.
In order to use the company’s free services, you must receive an Assurance Wireless SIM card and activate it. For this reason, we have decided to break down the Assurance Wireless SIM card activation process for you.
However, before we dive into it, let’s take a look at the things you should consider before starting the application process.
- First of all, make sure that you qualify for the Lifeline and ACP government assistance programs, as this is the only way to be able to use Assurance’s services. To qualify, you must meet the FCC eligibility criteria (low income or participation in another government assistance program, such as Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, etc.), be at least 18 years old or an emancipated minor, and be a resident of one of the states where Assurance offers its services.
- Secondly, make sure that the benefits that Assurance Wireless offers fit your needs. Also, check out the company’s coverage map at coverage.assurancewireless.com/t-mobile.html.
- Check out the company’s terms and conditions. If everything fits, you can proceed to apply and activate your Assurance Wireless SIM card.
What Do I Need Before Starting the Assurance Wireless SIM Card Activation Process
Before you can start the actual Assurance Wireless SIM card activation process, you must do and have the following:
- Apply for Assurance Wireless’s free government phone program. Do so at assurancewireless.com. Enter your ZIP code in the provided search box and press enter. You will be redirected to your state’s offer. Press ‘Apply Now’ and fill out the online application form.
- If approved, you will receive an Assurance Wireless service account, a SIM card, and an Assurance Wireless phone. The SIM card kit and the device will arrive via mail in a matter of days.
- Once you have all of the above, you can commence your Assurance Wireless SIM card activation process.
Assurance Wireless SIM Card Activation Process
Now, let’s take a look at how to activate your Assurance Wireless SIM card. There are two ways to activate an Assurance Wireless SIM card – you can do so by phone or online.
But before we begin, we must prepare our Assurance Wireless SIM card kit and phone. The phone must be fully charged and turned off. Then, follow these simple steps:
- Locate and open the phone’s SIM card slot.
- Depending on the size of the slot, pop out the right SIM card size from the SIM card kit.
- Carefully and gently place the SIM card into the SIM card slot and make sure it fits perfectly (the gold contact must face the right way).
- Close the phone’s SIM card slot and turn the phone on.
- Then, proceed to activate the SIM card by phone or online.
By Phone Activation
Once you did the steps described above, you can dial 611 from your Assurance Wireless phone or call 1-888-321-5880 from any other phone. Follow the prompts to activate your Assurance Wireless SIM card. Once your SIM card has been activated, you will receive a text message welcoming you to Assurance’s network.
Online Activation
If you have ordered your SIM card through My Account at myaccount.assurancewireless.com/my-account/login, you can also activate your SIM card there. To do so:
- Sign in to your Assurance account and press ‘Activate SIM Card’.
- Find the 20-digit ICC ID number below the barcode on the back of the card that contained your SIM card before you popped it out.
- Enter this ICC ID number in the provided boxes two times, and press ‘Next’.
- Review the service plan and if everything seems to be in order, press ‘Next’.
- Once your Assurance SIM card gets activated, expect to receive a success message.
How to Check Whether or Not the SIM Card Was Successfully Activated?
After finishing the Assurance Wireless SIM card activation process described above, make sure to check if your SIM card has been successfully activated.
To do so, you can simply take your Assurance phone and try to place a call or use your monthly data. If the phone call goes through or if you are able to access the internet through the data, it means that your SIM card was successfully activated. Receiving a text message welcoming you to Assurance’s services is also a good sign that your SIM card and service are not activated.
What if My Assurance Wireless SIM Card Did Not Get Activated After Following the Instructions Above?
In the unlikely event that you have followed the Assurance Wireless SIM card activation process exactly as it is described above and you did not receive a success message or are unable to use your services, make sure to try the following:
- Restart your phone, as the device may only get activated after you restart it.
- Make sure the SIM card is correctly positioned and that no dirt or dust interferes with the connection.
- If that doesn’t help, contact the company’s customer support service at 1-888-321-5880. The representative will be able to detect the issue and fix it.
What are the Benefits of Activating the Assurance Wireless SIM Card?
Only by activating your Assurance Wireless SIM card will you be able to use your Assurance Wireless services. If you have applied for the company’s free services and your application got approved, you must activate the SIM card with your Assurance phone in order to access and use the benefits that you have received.
Once your Assurance SIM card gets activated, you will be able to use your:
- Free monthly unlimited texts
- Free monthly unlimited talk
- Free monthly unlimited data
- Up to 10 GB of free monthly hotspot data
- Access to T-Mobile’s nationwide network
- Other service benefits, such as emergency calls, international calls, voicemail, call waiting, etc.
Moreover, you will be able to use all of these benefits on your Assurance Wireless free smartphone.
Note: The exact amount of monthly talk and data, as well as other benefits, depends on your plan and your state of residence.
Can I Use My Assurance Wireless SIM Card in Another Carrier’s Device?
Officially, Assurance Wireless does not offer a ‘Bring Your Own Phone’ or BYOP program, which tends to be the precondition of using your Assurance SIM card in another carrier’s phone. As such, it also does not offer a phone compatibility checker. However, some customers have reported using another phone with Assurance’s SIM card. If the SIM card should work, the phone must be carrier-unlocked and compatible with Assurance’s T-Mobile network.
