Successful SIM Activation Story

[ThrillGates]

Not much concrete information about activating SIM cards. This is how I got lucky and got things to work without too much trouble. I can make and receive calls, send and receive texts, and have 4G data with PMOS. Hope this helps.

1. Bought a Tracfone SIM and plan kit from eBay. I chose the T-Mobile network because Pinephone supports 3 of its LTE bands (2, 4, 12).
   
2. Installed SIM on Pinephone and tried to activate on Tracfone website, but got an error at the IMEI information step.
   
3. Installed SIM on Moto G5S+ and tried to activate, but got the same error.
   
4. Reinstalled SIM on Pinephone and booted.
   
5. Called customer support and successfully activated the SIM through their automated system. It never asked for IMEI information. I never even spoke to an actual human being.
   
6. Rebooted phone.
   
7. Profit.
   

[bcnaz]

First:  Thank you for the nice tutorial,  sounds simple.

Second:  The TracFone sim kit is a bargain,  3 sim cards for $1 USD,   I plan on using one of the 2 GSM carriers,   AT&T or T-Mobile.
                     However,   I may activate the Verizon sim card when traveling in Northern Arizona,   Verizon is the only cellular carrier
                            on the Navajo Indian Reservation,  which is huge and desolate desert.

Thanks for sharing !

[ThrillGates]

The TracFone sim kit is a bargain,  3 sim cards for $1 USD,

^This is the way to do it. You can get an annual plan with a bank of minutes, text, and data for $50. I ended up paying $60 for a kit that includes this plan and a T-Mobile compatible SIM card, but checking each of the networks before attaching a plan seems like a wise thing to do.

A few other things if you go with Tracfone:

1. I wouldn't bother with trying to activate online or using the old Android phone method. The specific customer service number I dialed is 800-378-9575 and was done in less than 5 minutes.
   
2. I was unable to pick my phone number and didn't know what it was until Tracfone texted it to me after activation. The ZIP code you enter determines your area code, but that's about it.
   
3. I activated wifi calling on Tracfone's website, but have not used it. You should get a text telling you how to do this once service is activated.
   

[bcnaz]

I tried calling the phone number that was listed on the website (not the same as you posted) and got no answer, so I activated online using the sim card number.
I had bought $25 'Smartphone card' at the Dollar store along with the $1 'sim' kit.
That is for unlimited talk & text and 2gb of data, plenty for testing purposes.
The only real 'slow down' was finding the APN online, Name: TRACFONE APN: RESELLER
So the whole transaction was kind of anonymous
I did not have any preference for the phone number.
I had already text my other phone to see the number before they sent me a text with my number.
I do not know if my plan includes wifi calling...

---

Just testing now, This is from my new PMOS Pine phones "Hotspot" So that works.

[ThrillGates]

The only real 'slow down' was finding the APN online,    Name: TRACFONE    APN:  RESELLER
I do not know if my plan includes wifi calling...

---

Just testing now,  This is from my new PMOS Pine phones "Hotspot"  So that works.

Which network are you using? Mine got the the T-Mobile APNs automatically.
The website I used to register for wifi calling is e911-reg.tracfone.com

Glad to hear you got things working.

[bcnaz]

I went with AT&T,    that is for my PMOS Convergent Pkg phone that is running Post Market with factory installation.

Since this is in the name of "Testing"  I purchased a similar pkg from 'Simple Mobile' this evening same price as I paid for the Tracfone sim $1 and
 $25 for the unlimited talk & text with 3gb of data, except with simple Mobile they slow you down instead of cutting you off when you hit your Max  data.

This sim is going into the other PMOS Convergent Pkg phone that is running Mobian September 04 Nightly release.
 
Just getting ready to activate it,  Hope it goes as well as the Tracfone activation went.

---

So the Simple Mobile activation went ok, but not able to do anonymous like Tracfone, I had to give an email and my birthday.
but I am using the Simple Mobile data to hot spot for this post.
It did not require a reply from my email so I guess I could have faked it.?

Test point being  -  both Simple Mobile (T-Mobile) and Tracfone (AT&T) can be used from the new Pine phones, calls and sms/text are working also.
  AND  Mobian OS  and Post Market can both utilize the internet for wifi hot spots  !
------------------------------------
My Brave Heart is still running on a Prepaid AT&T account.
Eventually I will have to close some of these accounts,  but a month or 2 or 3 will not cost that much on 'PrePaid accounts.


Strange Note :
Simple Mobile is actually owned indirectly by AT&T, yet they sell T-Mobile service.

[RodMyers]

The TracFone sim kit is a bargain,  3 sim cards for $1 USD,

^This is the way to do it. You can get an annual plan with a bank of minutes, text, and data for $50. I ended up paying $60 for a kit that includes this plan and a T-Mobile compatible SIM card, but checking each of the networks before attaching a plan seems like a wise thing to do.

A few other things if you go with Tracfone:

1. I wouldn't bother with trying to activate online or using the old Android phone method. The specific customer service number I dialed is 800-378-9575 and was done in less than 5 minutes.
   
2. I was unable to pick my phone number and didn't know what it was until Tracfone texted it to me after activation. The ZIP code you enter determines your area code, but that's about it.
   
3. I activated wifi calling on Tracfone's website, but have not used it. You should get a text telling you how to do this once service is activated.
   

do you remember the link & procedure to enable wifi calling?

the link i found say that pinephone  <https://e911-reg.tracfone.com/wps/portal/home/> says my tracphone does not s upport it.

[ThrillGates]

do you remember the link & procedure to enable wifi calling?
the link i found say that pinephone  <https://e911-reg.tracfone.com/wps/portal/home/> says my tracphone does not s upport it.

The link Tracfone texted me is e911-reg.tracfone.com. I put in the requested info and it said my device does support wifi calling. This is on the T-Mobile network. Which network are you on? I'm also in the Phoenix metro area if location has anything to do with this. I only signed up for wifi calling. I haven't actually used/tested it yet.

[RodMyers]

do you remember the link & procedure to enable wifi calling?
the link i found say that pinephone  <https://e911-reg.tracfone.com/wps/portal/home/> says my tracphone does not s upport it.

The link Tracfone texted me is e911-reg.tracfone.com. I put in the requested info and it said my device does support wifi calling. This is on the T-Mobile network. Which network are you on? I'm also in the Phoenix metro area if location has anything to do with this. I only signed up for wifi calling. I haven't actually used/tested it yet.

I chose the AT*T network.  

[RodMyers]

do you remember the link & procedure to enable wifi calling?
the link i found say that pinephone  <https://e911-reg.tracfone.com/wps/portal/home/> says my tracphone does not s upport it.

The link Tracfone texted me is e911-reg.tracfone.com. I put in the requested info and it said my device does support wifi calling. This is on the T-Mobile network. Which network are you on? I'm also in the Phoenix metro area if location has anything to do with this. I only signed up for wifi calling. I haven't actually used/tested it yet.

I chose the AT*T network.  

Got switched over to T-Mobile and it did ask during the setup to enable Wi-Fi calling.  Now to figure out how to use it

Thanks.