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Making the switch to AT&amp;T is simpler than ever. Whether you&rsquo;re switching for a better price, more reliable coverage, friendlier customer service&mdash;or just plain fed up with your current carrier, follow this step-by-step guide on how to change your cell phone carrier and make a smooth transition to AT&amp;T. In this article, we&rsquo;ll explain what you should think about before switching, how to find the right AT&amp;T wireless plan for your life, and what to do if you want to bring your own phone or even keep your number. Let&rsquo;s dive in!

How to switch your carrier to AT&amp;T

To switch to AT&amp;T, you&rsquo;ll need to pick a wireless plan, find a new device (or bring your own), gather a few pieces of information about your account, and we&rsquo;ll get you up and running on the AT&amp;T network.&nbsp;&nbsp;

1. Find the wireless plan that fits you best:&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.att.com/plans/wireless/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Use the plans calculator on this AT&amp;T plans page</a> to estimate your monthly cost and explore our wireless plans side-by-side. No matter which plan you choose, you&rsquo;ll get features like unlimited talk &amp; text in and between the U.S., Canada &amp; Mexico, AT&amp;T ActiveArmor mobile security, a free app to block spam calls &amp; more, and unlimited texting from the U.S. to 200+ countries.&sup2;&nbsp;

AT&amp;T even has fantastic discount programs, including savings for <a href="https://www.att.com/offers/discount-program/military-discount/">military and veterans</a>, <a href="http://www.att.com/offers/discount-program/teacher/">teachers</a>, <a href="http://www.att.com/verification/signaturehub/">employees of certain companies</a>, and more.

2. Love the device you already have? Keeping it is easy:

You&rsquo;ll need to decide <a href="https://www.att.com/buy/phones/">if you want to buy a new phone</a>, or if you want to keep your current device and just connect it to the AT&amp;T network. <a href="http://www.att.com/scmsassets/support/wireless/devices-working-on-att-network.pdf">See if your device is compatible with the AT&amp;T network</a>

switch-carrier-with-your-phone-number-Q3-23

3.&nbsp;Switch phone carriers and keep your number 
 
Transferring (or porting) your number from your old carrier to AT&amp;T is easy. Follow these steps to hold onto your phone number when switching to AT&amp;T:

<ol>
	<li><a href="http://www.att.com/wireless/transfer-your-number/">Check if your phone number is eligible to be transferred</a> when you change your carrier to AT&amp;T.</li>
	<li>Contact AT&amp;T to begin migrating your phone number before you cancel service with your current carrier. You&rsquo;ll need to provide your full phone number, along with other account information (see step #4). AT&amp;T will contact your previous phone company on your behalf and get your phone number properly transferred over to the AT&amp;T network.</li>
	<li>If you want to bring your own device to AT&amp;T, you&rsquo;ll need to unlock your device first. <a href="http://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1497044">Learn how to unlock your device from another carrier so that you can switch to AT&amp;T</a>.</li>
</ol>

4. Gather important account information:&nbsp;

Regardless if you&rsquo;re making the switch online, calling in to speak with an agent, or stopping by an <a href="http://www.att.com/stores/">AT&amp;T store near you</a>&mdash;you&rsquo;ll need to provide a few bits of account holder information, including:&nbsp;

<ul role="list">
	<li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-listid="8" role="listitem">
	Name and address on the account
	</li>
	<li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-listid="8" role="listitem">
	Account number and the secret PIN, or password on the account&nbsp;
	</li>
	<li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:1080,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-listid="8" role="listitem">
	If you&rsquo;re bringing your own device, you&rsquo;ll need your phone&rsquo;s ESN/IMEI number (located on the back or under the battery). Note: if you have an iPhone, you can find your IMEI number by dialing *#06#&nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

5. Back up your old phone:

Before making the switch and disconnecting your old device, remember to back up your old phone so you can easily sync up your contacts, apps, and photos when you connect to the AT&amp;T network. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Also, keep in mind that voicemails from your current phone will likely not transfer to your new device, so listen to any old messages before switching carriers.&nbsp;

6. Contact your old service provider after you switch:

Once you&rsquo;ve activated your new service with AT&amp;T, your old account and service should cancel automatically. But it never hurts to call your old wireless provider to double-check to make sure it&rsquo;s canceled.

What should I know before switching phone carriers?&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li>Before canceling your old carrier, make sure you understand if your old carrier will charge any Early Termination Fees.</li>
	<li>If you have an outstanding balance with your current carrier, you&rsquo;ll need to pay your final bill and settle your balance before you can make the switch to AT&amp;T.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>If you want to hold onto your phone number, make sure you don&rsquo;t cancel your old service until you have finalized the switch and AT&amp;T confirms that your number has transferred over successfully.</li>
	<li>Will you be bringing any other devices along? Think smartwatches, tablets. Don&rsquo;t forget to get those connected as well.</li>
	<li>And the best part? You don&rsquo;t even have to go into the store to switch carriers. In many cases, switching carriers can be done entirely online or over the phone. But if you want to swing by your local AT&amp;T store, we&rsquo;re always here&nbsp;<a href="http://www.att.com/stores/">Find your closest AT&amp;T store</a></li>
</ol>

If you have any other questions, we&rsquo;re always here to help! Visit our&nbsp;<a href="http://www.att.com/support/wireless/">wireless support page</a>&nbsp;to start a chat, give us a call, or swing by a store, and our agents will answer all your questions.&nbsp;

Max Irzhak has spent his fourteen-year career leading creative strategy and crafting stories for global brands and ambitious startups. Passionate about cutting-edge technology and cybersecurity, he simplifies complex subjects into easy-to-understand, accessible content to help shoppers make informed decisions about the products that improve their lives. Max lives in the heart of New York City.

How to switch to AT&T from another carrier