Though there are many service providers out there at the moment, and that number is growing when you consider the number of MVNOs starting up, few are quite as reliable as T-Mobile. They offer a decent amount of bang for your buck too, which keeps them steady as one of the true giants in the trade.
However, this does not mean that their customer base won’t occasionally stray in the hopes of finding something a little extra that others may not have even been aware of.
In recent times, it seems that a lot of people on the boards and forums have been expressing that they want to try using a MetroPCS SIM along with their T-Mobile phones.
Given that there’s also quite a bit of confusion as to whether that is even possible, with a lot of misinformation out there too, we decided to set the record straight. With that, here is everything you need to know on the topic.
Will a Metropcs Sim Card Work In a T-Mobile Phone?
It is relatively rare that we get to kick off these articles with a positive piece of news. But today is one of those rare occasions. The simple answer to this is YES! However, as with anything else related to mobile phone tech, there are always a few caveats and conditions that you will need to be aware of before you can make it work for you. Let us explain…
Getting a MetroPCS SIM to work in a T-Mobile Phone
First up, the major condition that you will have to ensure is that the SIM card actually fits into the phone you are trying to use. Not all SIM cards are the same size, and they have changed quite dramatically over the years too. Once that checks out, the rest should be really simple.
The reason that this is so straightforward when compared to trying to make any two other brands function together is that the MetroPCS company actually falls under the umbrella of T-Mobile. As such, it benefits the goliath company that their subsidiaries’ equipment would work well with their own.
There is one thing you will need to watch out for though. As is normal when trying to put a new SIM into any phone, there is always the chance that you will be asked for a prompt to ‘unlock’ the phone.
Phone on the T-Mobile network are GSM, so there is no other way around it – you will have to have the phone unlocked before you can use it with MetroPCS. As part of this process, you will be asked to confirm that you have read and agree with their contract and warranty.
Be aware of the possible limitations
In addition to that, you may also notice that there may be some limitations to your service that may result from the switchover. Of these, the most commonly reported is that the phone will seem to get a bit less coverage and that it may actually slow down its operational rate.
That is, it may take a little longer to load pages and stuff like that. To make sure that you don’t end up getting caught out by this, we would first recommend that you ensure that you’re using a 4G LTE-enabled T-Mobile phone before commencing the changeover.
The reason for this is that MetroPCS service isn’t as far reaching as T-Mobiles – so there will be areas where you cannot get any coverage at all. To make sure that this won’t impact you too greatly, it is always a good idea to have a look at the coverage map for your location before you sign up with them.
Will there be hidden charges?
Basically, all of this is very possible but there are a few risks involved too. It isn’t exactly a like for like trade. When deciding to use a MetroPCS SIM in your T-Mobile phone, you might also need to buy some extra airtime to activate the service too. But that’s only a minor financial outlay. The trickier part is that the speed and connectivity will vary depending on the T-Mobile phone you have – even though you are using the same exact MetroPCS SIM.
Continuing on with the financial element of this changeover, you will also have to fork out for the monthly application download and service fees. There may also be some other minor charges in there too. Worse yet, these costs are non-refundable.
On top of that, you’ll also need to make sure to use the Metro by T-Mobile phone in order to ensure that the SIM works properly. Simply being able to unlock the phone doesn’t exactly guarantee that it is going to all work out perfectly.
Anything else I should know?
There is also a bit of commitment thrown into the mix too, but you are probably already aware of this. Just in case, you are not, the prerequisite is that you will be with the company for a minimum of 180 days once the phone has been activated on the new service.
On a more basic note, a decent data connection is absolutely necessary while you are unlocking the T-Mobile phone. It will not be possible otherwise. After you have wrapped everything up, a simple restart will be all that is needed in order for the MetroPCS SIM to take over the helm.
Should you decide that the unlocking process is a bit complex, you can always choose to hand it over to the pros by getting in touch with customer service and giving them your account name, the billing PIN, and the phone number of your new MetroPCS SIM. Once you have done that, they should be able to take care of things for you.