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- Hi, my name is Justin and I'm a Best Buy Home Expert.
Today we're going to talk about pre-paid wireless services.
Unlike traditional services,
where you pay after you've used them,
pre-paid allows you to pay before.
That way you know the cost upfront so there aren't
any surprises later, like overages, activation,
or cancellation fees.
Also pre-paid options typically don't require contracts,
credit checks, or deposits.
That way, if your needs or budget change,
so can your cell service.
Pre-paid allows more freedom to change.
For example, if you move to a new area
and don't get great reception from a certain provider,
you can easily switch to another and you can adjust
based on your wireless usage.
So if you plan on using less data one month,
because you'll mostly be home using wifi,
then you might want to get a less expensive data plan
for that period of time.
On the other hand,
if you plan on traveling a lot in the next month,
you might want to prepay for more data.
The best part is that pre-paid service offers
the same 4G LTE and 5G signals as other carriers.
And that's because they use the very same cell towers
only without the overhead costs.
And those savings get passed down to you.
Pretty great, right?
We'll walk through a few terms that I'll explain as we go,
but for now, just know this,
In order to use pre-paid service,
you need a pre-paid service plan,
a compatible phone, and a SIM card.
Now let's get into it, starting with pre-paid services.
Physical cards like this can be purchased
in store or online, or you can purchase
a digital download of the codes online.
There's a huge variety of pre-paid plans
based on service days, data needs, and single or multi-line
options in case you're sharing with others.
Here are some examples from Total Wireless.
They come with varying high-speed data limits
and unlimited talk and text.
And if you need to adjust on the fly,
you can buy data add-on cards to get more during your
current cycle, or if you don't need it right away,
you can change to a completely different plan
at the end of your cycle.
It's that simple.
Next, let's talk about phones.
You need a compatible one.
One option is to simply buy a branded pre-paid phone
from the carrier of your choice,
like this one from Total Wireless.
Pre-paid carriers have many options from top manufacturers.
And to make things easy, these phones come with the SIM card
you need pre-installed so you can get started right away.
Another option is to use a device you already have,
as long as it's compatible with the provider.
Check directly with them to find out.
For example, with Total Wireless, you can text BYOP
to 611611 on your current phone,
and they'll let you know if it's compatible.
Other pre-paid carriers allow you to do the same through
their apps or websites.
Next, our SIM cards.
Like this.
These are the heart of any cell service.
There like a small network controller inside your phone
that allows your device to talk to cell towers.
Again, pre-paid services use the same cell towers
as other carriers.
So make sure you're okay with the provider.
For example, Total Wireless uses Verizon towers.
Again, if you get a phone made for a pre-paid plan,
the SIM card will likely be included and ready to activate.
However, if you're using your phone and have confirmed,
it is compatible, you'll also have to get a compatible SIM
kit like this one.
Inserting or replacing the SIM card is simple.
We actually have a tech tips video that shows you how.
Check it out using the link below.
So to recap, in order to use pre-paid service,
you need a pre-paid service plan, a compatible phone,
and a SIM card, and you should be set to go.
If you're ready to get started,
visit a blue shirt in one of our stores,
check out the options on bestbuy.com or use the link below
to set up time with a Best Buy Home Expert like me.
We'll be happy to help.
Thanks for watching.
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