Straight Talk and NET10, which are both
part of Tracfone, are mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs ), that offer
prepaid unlimited talk, text and data plans for $45 (Straight Talk) or $50
(NET10). Both MVNOs sell "BYOP" (Bring Your Own Phone) SIMs that let
use your own GSM phone with the service. The service is very popular because
of the price but there are some hurtles in getting data and MMS working with
Straight Talk and NET10 if you are using your own phone. Here are answers to
common questions about using the GSM BYOP program with your own AT&T,
T-Mobile or unlocked GSM phone.
What Networks do Straight Talk and NET10 use?
Until January
2013 both Straight Talk and NET10 sold both AT&T based SIMs
and T-Mobile based SIMs. Currently Straight Talk only offers T-Mobile SIMs.
NET10 still sells AT&T SIMs but only in areas where AT&T offers
service, and T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint do not. However, NET10 AT&T
SIMs are widely available from other sources including amazon.com
.
What phones work?
Any AT&T or T-Mobile phone except for Blackberrys will work for at
least voice and text. AT&T and T-Mobile phones do not need to be
unlocked as long as you use a NET10 AT&T SIM with AT&T phones
and a Straight Talk or NET10 T-Mobile SIM with T-Mobile phones.
You can also use an unlocked GSM phone provided it supports the proper radio
bands:
850 Mhz and 1900 Mhz for voice, SMS and low speed (2G: GPRS and Edge)
data with any Straight Talk or NET10 SIM.
UTMS band V (850 Mhz) and band II (1900 Mhz) for high speed (3G and
HSPA+ 4G) data with an AT&T SIM.
UTMS band IV (1700 Mhz) for the best high speed (3G and HSPA+
4G) data coverage with a T-Mobile SIM. Phones that support band II (1900
Mhz) will get high speed data in some places with a T-Mobile SIM.
To use Straight Talk with your own compatible phone you need to
buy a Straight Talk SIM card which is available from straighttalksim.com for $15 plus tax. Shipping is
free. Straight Talk SIMs are also available for the same price at
walmart.com and some Walmart stores.
NET10 SIMs are available from www.net10sim.com for $14.99 and for under $5 from Amazon and eBay and from independent mobile phone
shops.
Are there any disadvantages to using Straight Talk or NET10 with my own
phone?
Definitely, there are three that I'm aware of.
1) Very limited customer support.
There is no hand holding and you are on your own when it comes to setting up
your phone. You will need to change settings on your phone to get data
and picture messaging to work.
2) Manual setup is required: Configuring data and MMS
picture messaging on Android phones involves changing a
few settings but isn't hard and this post will show you how to do it.
MMS settings are locked on phones running Windows Phone versions older
WP8. Both data and MMS settings are hidden on iPhones using AT&T
based SIMs. There are ways to get around Apple and
Microsoft's stupidity in blocking users
from critical settings, but it takes more work than with Android.
There's currently no way to get MMS working on some Windows Phones running
WP 7.8 and earlier.
3) "Unlimited" data isn't really
unlimited. Although data is advertised as unlimited, Straight Talk
and NET10 prohibit video streaming and tethering (using your phone as a
modem to provide data to a laptop, tablet or other device). NET10 and
Straight Talk AT&T SIMs have a 1.5
GB/month hard cap. After 1.5 GB in a month data is shut off until the
beginning of the next plan month.
Both MVNO's T-Mobile SIMs have an undocumented data cap that's enforced
inconsistently. Some users report using as much as 8 GB of data per month
without problems but others have seen their data cut off or throttled to
about 128 Kbps after using as little as 2 GB. On the other hand voice and
messaging does seem to be truly unlimited, at least I've never heard of
NET10 or Straight Talk terminating or restricting anyone's service for
talking or texting too much.
How to setup Straight Talk data and picture messaging on
Android
Follow the instructions that came with the SIM to activate it online
at straighttalksim.com
or www.net10sim.com or by calling 1-855-222-2355. Insert the SIM in the phone
and turn it on. Make a test call to be sure your SIM really is active.
Sometimes it takes a little while for the activation to process. If you
still can't make voice calls after an hour, call Straight
Talk's dedicated BYOP SIM support number at 855-222-2355.
There's no point in trying to set up data until the SIM is active. Once you
can make calls:
1. On the Android Home Screen, press the Menu key, then tap
Settings > Wireless & Networks > Mobile
Networks > Access Point Names.
2. You should now be on the APNs screen (image below, left), press
the Menu key and tap "New APN"
3. Enter the values listed below in each field. There are additional fields
on the screen that aren't listed below, leave them blank.
In June, 2013 Straight Talk and NET10 changed the settings for AT&T
based SIMs. But many accounts are still using the old values. Try the "New"
settings first, if they don't work try the "Old" settings.
Straight Talk Android Setup
AT&T SIM "New" Settings
AT&T SIM "OLD" Settings
T-Mobile SIM
Name
Straight Talk or NET10
Straight Talk or NET10
Straight Talk or NET10
APN
tfdata 1
att.mvno
wap.tracfone
Proxy
Leave blank 2
Leave blank 5
Port
80
8080
MMSC
http://mms-tf.net
http://mmsc.cingular.com
http://mms.tracfone.com
MMS Proxy
66.209.11.33 3
66.209.11.33 3
Leave blank 5
MMS Port
80
80
Leave blank
MCC
310
310
310
MNC
410
410
260
Authentication Type
PAP
PAP
Leave blank
APN Type
default,supl,mms 4
default,supl,mms 4
default,supl,mms 4
2 Straight
Talk recommends using proxy.mvno.tracfone.com but doing so
causes speedtest.net and some other sites to be blocked. There are no
known problems with leaving the proxy field blank.
3 Straight
Talk recommends using mms3.tracfone.com which resolves
to 66.209.11.33. Some users have reported that picture messaging is
more reliable with 66.209.11.33.
4 If the APN Type field is a dropdown, choose
"internet+mms".
5 If data or MMS don't work try using 216.155.165.40 in
the proxy and MMS proxy fields.
4. Press the Menu key and tap Save.
5. Set the Straight Talk APN as the active APN by tapping the radio button
to its right until it turns green as shown in the image below right.
6. Delete any other APNs if possible. To delete, tap the APN name to open
it, then press the Menu key and tap delete. Some phones won't let you delete
the Operator (AT&T or T-Mobile) APNs. If that's the case just be sure
the Straight Talk APN is selected as indicated by the green dot next to it
(image below, right.
7. Turn the phone off and back on and try to open a web page. If it doesn't
work see the troubleshooting section below.
Android specific troubleshooting:
If you have followed the above steps and data does not work, go back to the
Access Point Names screen and be sure that the Straight Talk APN is still
selected. If it's not, reselect it and try opening a page in the browser.
Double check all the entries on the APN setup screen. A missing or extra
space, period or other character will keep data and/or picture messaging
from working.
Some phones tend to switch back to the AT&T or T-Mobile APN. If this is
happening try to delete the other APNs. If the APNs are locked and the
delete button is disabled go to the Play Store on the phone and install the
APN Backup and Restore App by Ritesh Sahu. Use the app to backup your
APNs and then delete the APNs. It will delete all of them, so you will have
to re-add the Straight Talk one. APN Backup and restore doesn't wth with
phones running Android 4.0 or latter but a similar app called Tweakker
does.
If data still isn't working see the General Troubleshooting section at the
bottom of this post. The Howard
Forums Straight Talk Android Wiki is also an excellent
resource.
How to setup Straight Talk data and picture messaging on
the iPhone:
Follow the instructions that came with the SIM to activate it online
at straighttalksim.com or
www.net10sim.com or by calling 1-855-222-2355. Insert the SIM in the phone
and turn it on. Make a test call to be sure your SIM really is active.
Sometimes it takes a little while for the activation to process. If you
still can't make voice calls after an hour, call Straight
Talk's dedicated BYOP SIM support number at 855-222-2355.
There's no point in trying to set up data until the SIM is active. Once you
can make calls:
For T-Mobile based SIMs only:
Go to Settings > General > Cellular
Verify that Cellular Data Network
is set to On.
Select Cellular Data Network.
In the Cellular Data Section
enter the following values:
APN: wap.tracfone
Leave the Username and Password fields blank.
In the MMS section enter the
following values:
APN: epc.tmobile.com
Leave the Username and Password fields blank.
MMSC: http://mms.tracfone.com
MMS Proxy: leave blank
MMS Max Message Size: 1048576
MMS UA Prof URL: http://www.apple.com/mms/uaprof.rdf
Press the Home button to save the APNs and exit to the main screen.
Go to Settings > Messages
Set MMS Messaging to On
Press the Home button to save and exit to the main screen.
Turn the device off and on
Turn WiFi off (Settings > WiFi) and test connectivity and
picture messaging
AT&T based SIMs: iPhones will recognize a Straight Talk or
NET10 AT&T SIM as an AT&T one and configure themselves for AT&T
postpaid and then lock the settings so they can't be changed.
To override the AT&T settings, you need to use a Straight Talk webapp to
push the Straight Talk/NET10 data settings to the phone using WiFi. This
will configure data (browsing, email, etc.), but not picture messaging,
on any iPhone, whether jailbroken or not:
Connect to WiFi and go to http://iapnupdatetfdata.straighttalk.com/
with Safari on the iPhone.
Tap "Install".
Turn the phone off and on and test that the web works.
If data doesn't work it may be because your NET10 or Straight Talk account
is configured to use the "old" settings. To setup your iphone with the old
settings:
Connect to WiFi and go to http://unlockit.co.nz/
with Safari on the iPhone.
On the Unlockit site, tap "Create APN".
Choose County: United States, Carrier: Straight Talk and tap the "Create
APN" button.
Tap "Install".
Turn the phone off and on and test that the web works.
There are several ways to setup MMS picture messaging on the iPhone that's
using an AT&T based NET10 or Straight Talk SIM. The methods and steps
vary depending the model of the iPhone and whether or not the phone is
jail-broken and/or unlocked. Here are instructions that work for phones
whether they are jail-broken or not. This method requires a non-AT&T,
non-AT&T MVNO SIM card. A T-Mobile SIM or a non US SIM will work. The SIM
can be active, inactive or expired :
Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network
Settings to clear out any old settings
Turn off WiFi
Go to Settings > General > Cellular and set Cellular
Data "ON"
Insert the non-AT&T compatible SIM card
When "Cellular Data Network" appears tap it.
Quickly remove the non-AT&T SIM card and replace it with
the Straight Talk or NET10 SIM
The Cellular Data Network menu may disappear, that's OK.
Wait a minute or two for the phone to read the SIM.
When the the signal bars reappear at the top left of the screen
enter the following settings. Use the "New" settings, if they don't work
try the old settings (NET10/Straight Talk is in the procees of changing
every AT&T users settings)
In the Cellular Data section, enter:
APN: tfdata (or att.mvno for older accounts)
Leave the Username and Password fields blank.
In the MMS section enter the
following values:
APN: tfdata (or att.mvno for older accounts)
Leave the Username and Password fields blank.
MMSC: http://mms-tf.net (or http://mmsc.cingular.com:80 for older accounts)
MMS Proxy: 66.209.11.33:80
MMS Max Message Size: 1048576
MMS UA Prof URL: http://www.apple.com/mms/uaprof.rdf
Press the Home button to save the APNs and exit to the main screen.
Go to Settings > Messages
Set MMS Messaging to On
Press the Home button to save and exit to the main screen.
Turn the device off and on
Refer to the Howard
forums Straight Talk iPhone WiKi for ways to set up a jail-broken
iPhone that don't require a non-AT&T SIM.
Apple or AT&T occasionally sends "Carrier updates" over the air to
iPhones using AT&T based SIMs. These updates reset the iPhone's data
settings to the default AT&T ones which do not work with NET10 or
Straight Talk. If your data stops working after a carrier update you need
redo the settins.
How to setup Straight Talk data and picture messaging on Windows
Phone
Follow the instructions that came with the SIM to activate it online
at straighttalksim.com or
www.net10sim.com or by calling 1-855-222-2355. Insert the SIM in the phone
and turn it on. Make a test call to be sure your SIM really is active.
Sometimes it takes a little while for the activation to process. If you
still can't make voice calls after an hour, call Straight
Talk's dedicated BYOP SIM support number at 855-222-2355.
There's no point in trying to set up data until the SIM is active. Once you
can make calls:
Data Only Setup:
To set up data on any Windows Phone:
1. Tap the arrow icon in the top right corner of the home screen to go to
the main menu.
2. Tap Settings > Cellular and set Data connection
to On.
3. Tap Add apn (WP7) or Add internet apn (WP8).
4. On the APN Settings screen enter tfdata (or att.mvno for older
customers) in the APN field if you are using an
AT&T SIM.
If you are using a T-Mobile SIM, enter wap.tracfone. Leave
the other fields blank. Tap the disk icon to save the settings
5. Be sure WiFi is off. Open the browser and test your connection by trying
to load a website.
MMS and Data Setup:
Windows Phone 7
Windows Phone 7 doesn't allow users to change MMS settings directly (Windows
Phone 8 does). However Nokia and Samsung have both created apps that give
full access to MMS and Data settings. The Nokia app works with all Nokia
Windows Phone 7.n models but the Samsung app only works with
the Samsung Focus Flash, Samsung Focus 2 and Samsung Focus S. It
doesn't work with the original Samsung Focus.
There's no way to configure Windows 7 phones from HTC, Dell or LG to work
with Straight Talk MMS.
The process of setting up MMS varies from one Windows Phone 7 model to
another. There are too many variations to describe here. Fortunately there's
a great site called StraightTalkWindows.com
that is dedicated to helping users setup Straight Talk data and
MMS on Windows phones. The MMS
setup instructions include screenshots and are very detailed
and easy to follow.
Windows Phone 8
With Windows Phone 8 MMS settings are fully accessible. To configure MMS on
all Windows Phone 8 devices:
1. Tap the arrow icon in the top right corner of the home screen to go to
the main menu.
2. Tap Settings > Cellular.
3. Tap Add mms apn.
4. On the APN Settings screen enter the following values:
For an AT&T SIM:
APN: tfdata (or att.mvno for older customers)
WAP Gateway: 66.209.11.33
WAP Gateway Port: 80
MMSC : http://mms-tf.net (or http://mmsc.cingular.com for older customers)
For a T-Mobile SIM:
APN:wap.tracfone
WAP Gateway Port :leave blank
MMSC: http://mms.tracfone.com
MMSC Port: 80
5. Leave the other fields blank. Tap the disk icon to save the settings
Troubleshooting - All Phones
If you've followed the instructions and your data or picture messaging do
not work:
1) Double check your typing. Everything has to match exactly to work. A
missing or extra space, period or other character will keep data and/or
picture messaging from working.
2) Turn your phone off and back on and try to connect.
3) Even though the SIM is active for voice calls it can take up to an hour
before the account is fully configured and data and MMS work. If your are
still having problems after an hour, call Straight talk's BYOP department
at 855-222-2355 and ask them to check that data is enabled on your
account.
4) If you are using an AT&T SIM and the "old" settings and data sudenly
stops working after your plan monthe renews, NET10/Straight Talk probably
switched you to the "new" settings, refer to the instructions for your phone
type above to change to the new settings.
5) If problems persist, submit a support ticket on Straight
Talk's Facebook page or contact Straight Talk's "Executive Resolutions
Dept." number at 1-305-715-6500, Monday – Friday from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Eastern time.
Updated: 6-July-2013: Added "new" AT&T settings, iPhone "SIM swap"
method for setting up MMS, information about Apple carrier updates wiping
out settings.
PrepaidPhoneNews.com
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