What information do I need to activate my Ultra Mobile SIM card?

Regardless of your choice of activation method, you'll need to know which plan you want, and you'll need a debit or credit card. If you're keeping your existing phone number, you'll also need your account information and transfer or port PIN from your current carrier.

How does the Ultra Mobile orange SIM card work?

Ultra Mobile's orange SIM cards are the type you can purchase in stores like Best Buy or Target. The only difference between the purple SIM card and the orange SIM card is that the orange version has an Ultra Mobile prepaid plan already loaded.

How long do I have to activate my Ultra Mobile SIM card?

You have 45 days from the date of purchase to activate your Ultra Mobile plan. If you need more time, say, if you're waiting for your current contract to end, you can contact customer service to let them know.

How to Activate Ultra Mobile SIM Card

3 min read

Updated October 20, 2023

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So, you've taken the leap to cut costs with an MVNO, and after checking coverage in your area, activating your Ultra Mobile SIM card is the next step.

In this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to activate your Ultra Mobile SIM.

How do I activate my Ultra Mobile SIM?

If you've chosen an Ultra Mobile eSIM plan and you have an unlocked, eSIM-compatible device, you can activate your eSIM by visiting an Ultra Mobile Authorized Retailer.

There are four ways to activate a physical SIM card: online through Ultra Mobile's website, in an Ultra Mobile store in your area, by chat support, or by phone.

Activating Ultra Mobile purple SIM online

Wait to insert your SIM card into your phone, as you'll need some information on it. Then follow these steps to start the activation process:

Go to www.ultramobile.com/activate.
Click the purple SIM card.
Enter the 11-digit activation code located on the back of your SIM card.
Choose your Ultra Mobile plan.
Enter your billing information and payment method.

Activating Ultra Mobile orange SIM online

Go to www.ultramobile.com/activate.
Click the orange SIM card.
Input the activation number on the back of your SIM.
Enter the required billing payment information.

Activating Ultra Mobile orange SIM by text

Insert the orange SIM card into your phone.
Text GOGO & your 5-digit ZIP code to 6700.

It's essential to note that you cannot transfer your phone number if you activate your SIM via text message. If you use text activation, you will be assigned a new Ultra Mobile phone number.

Activating Ultra Mobile SIM via chat or phone

You can activate your SIM by contacting Ultra Mobile customer service for both purple and orange SIMs:

Visit http://www.ultramobile.com/chat to start a customer support chat.
Call 888-777-0446 or dial 611 from your Ultra Mobile phone.
Customer service hours are daily from 6 am - 6 pm PST.

Activating Ultra Mobile on an Android phone

Bringing your own phone to Ultra Mobile? Make sure to adjust your APN settings to optimize your service:

Go into your device's Settings.
Tap Connections or Search Access Point Names.
Select Mobile Networks (may be called Wireless & Networks or similar).
Tap Access Point Names (APN).
Tap the 3-dot menu in the top right and choose Reset to default.
Select Add.

Type in the required data from our Ultra Mobile APN settings table. Be exact - inputs are case-sensitive.

Save, then confirm that the new APN is selected. Restart your phone, then disconnect from Wi-Fi. Test your phone service by making a call or sending a text message.

Activating Ultra Mobile on an Apple iPhone

For iOS 13 and newer, your phone will be ready to go. But if it's on iOS 12 or lower, see the steps below:

iOS 12:

You may receive an Apple notification to update your settings.
If you don't receive a notification, trigger it anytime by going to Settings > General > About and tapping Update when prompted.
Make sure Cellular Data and Enable LTE are enabled in your settings.

Lower than iOS 12:

Go into Settings.
Choose the Cellular menu option in the first section of the menu.
Confirm that Cellular Data and Enable LTE are both enabled in your settings.
Choose the Cellular Data option.

Now go to our handy Ultra Mobile APN settings table and plug the information into your Cellular Data settings.

Activating your Ultra Mobile SIM card FAQs

Recap

You have multiple options to activate your Ultra Mobile SIM card: online through the website, by phone, or at an Ultra Mobile Authorized Retailer.

This low-cost carrier makes it easy for you to access 4G LTE and 5G wireless coverage on the T-Mobile network. So, if this MVNO fits your cell phone needs, you can get your Ultra Mobile plan started and start saving now!

Compare cheap cell phone plans to find the best prepaid SIM card.