Other than the one they sell for 9.99 what cdma sim card can I order from Amazon that will work with TextNow?
On Amazon I see cheap cdma sims but some say Sprint, some say Boost, some say Virgin etc.
Anyone have a model # of one you know works?
Thanks in advance!
Keith
All Sprint-network SIMs are interchangeable between any sprint-network provider (including Sprint MVNOs). It does not matter whether it says Sprint, Boost, or Virgin.
What does matter is having the correct SIM model # for your particular phone. (The core issue is that on Sprint's network, part of the programming is actually on the SIM card, so it needs to be matched to the phone.)
If you have a Sprint SIM for your phone that has been used previously on another Sprint-network provider, that one will work. (You can reuse Sprint SIM cards.)
A couple of good ways to check for the SIM card version you need:
Enter your IMEI/IMEID on this Sprint Bring-Your-Own-Phone page, and click through a couple of steps to see the specific SIM card model you will need:
Or, the s4GRU Sprint SIM compatibility crossreference table is considered the 'gold standard', and is compiled directly from info sourced from Sprint:
The s4GRU chart can be a little confusing to read, at least until you get used to it.
One of the odd things is understanding the difference between the 'Primary' and 'Secondary' SIM listings. 'Primary' SIM is the SIM that would be used in a Sprint-branded version of a phone. 'Secondary' SIM is the SIM card that would be used in the same model # phone, but originating as either an other-carrier version (perhaps a T-Mobile branded phone that had been unlocked from T-Mobile), or a factory-unlocked version of the phone. Note that the primary and secondary SIM cards are not always the same.
(The tertiary and quaternary columns are newer, and I haven't figured out the implications there, yet. Maybe it includes info about an earlier model SIM card that has been superseded by a later model? )
The s4GRU chart provides the SIM card # itself, the Sprint part # (which is different), and the UPC code. (Resellers may list any one of those 3 numbers), as well as the Universal SIM Card Kit that contains the SIM you need (if it's available in the Universal kits.)
As an aside-- you'll see SIM cards listed with prefixes SIMOLW and SIMGLW prefixes. (O vs G.) This letter only indicates the original factory/manufacturer of the SIM card, and whether it was intended to be utilized as a delivered-with-the-phone SIM, or an after-the-sale SIM card. The O and G models are interchangeable.
(EDIT: TO ADD A CORRECTION)
The Sprint test page linked above probably wasn't the best recommendation, since it will only work with a phone eligible for Sprint Postpaid service. (Factory Unlocked, carrier unlocked, or Sprint Postpaid branded.)
Instead, Tello's BYOD page now also identifies the needed SIM card type, and should work with all of those types, plus devices originally branded by Boost, Virgin, etc.
Please remember, though, that if you have one of those prepaid phones with the original SIM, you should just use the original SIM. If you bought the phone used from a vendor that removed the SIM card before sale, the Tello site is an easy way to ID the needed SIM type.
Hi Kent E buddy and other friends,
I am trying to activate my ringplus moto e2 in textnow but encounter an activation problem. I downloaded the app, and attempted to activate the sim as guided by the app, namely, dial ##72786#. I saw the phone restart, perform an prl and profile update, then stuck at the last step called self service (welcome to device self service). There was a spinning circle next to the word Loading... It kept spinning and spinning, eventually it returned a result of network unavailable... Did I do anything wrong ? Thanks.
Have a look:
I have one of those older Moto E2's, and it's been on several MVNOs over the years. For what it's worth, it does seem like they can be a little difficult to provision, sometimes requiring multiple attempts.
I don't have TextNow, but it sounds like you're doing the right steps--hopefully someone who has set up TextNow can comment.
But: in your case, since it went through PRL and Profile updates, it seems to be going through provisioning just fine.
Check in settings and make sure you have data enabled. Under Mobile Network Settings/Network Mode, I usually set it to Automatic-- but you could try 'CDMA/4g' or 'Sprint Only', as well. Do you normally have good Sprint coverage where you are?
I'm not sure that applies to Hungry_Hog's situation with TextNow. Venn Mobile (in the linked thread) seems to allow only phones that are eligible for Sprint Postpaid, while TextNow should accept both Postpaid and Prepaid phones (with FED and FEC clearance, of course.) The Boost Moto E2 should qualify for TextNow.
H_H-, can you tell if the 'Welcome to Device Self-Service" screen is part of the TextNow application, or the network provisioning process? (Sorry, as mentioned I don't have TextNow, and I don't specifically remember that screen appearing when activating my Moto E2 before.)
@KentE----Oops,you're correct. I confused threads and should have consumed morning coffee before posting.
Hungry-Hog:
Oh, darn-- I'm missing something important.
So your Moto E2 responded correctly to the request for hands-free provisioning, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it received the proper update from TextNow to actually enable service.
The usual way to look for this is to see if the phone number assigned to the Moto (in settings) is the new carrier supplied phone number. (On the Moto E, Settings>About Phone>Status>SIM Status>MyPhoneNumber.)
TextNow (with access to the Sprint network) assigns both a TextNow VoIP number, and a 'true' Sprint phone #. (That 'true' Sprint phone # is only used to connect the phone to the Sprint network, and can't be used for placing or receiving calls.) But it's the 'true' Sprint phone # that should appear in the path above if the process has completed correctly. Since I don't have TextNow, I don't know whether TextNow has a way to confirm what that 'true' phone # should be. In any case, if the number showing in that path is the phone # you've previously used on that phone, or one of the default 'no phone # assigned' readouts, then your problem is that TextNow hasn't pushed the new programming info to the network. Waiting a couple of hours and trying again might work.
Another thought-- did you use the current version of the TextNow app, or did you sideload an older version of the app?
I'm already on my second cup, so I caught it. 
(Thankfully, there haven't been any coffee shortages around here! I wonder why not, since it seems coffee could fall into one of those categories where people normally consume a significant amount of coffee while at work, or from restaurants & vendors, and now need to get it at the market.)
I have found that handsfree activation sometimes requires WiFi to be connected and sometimes requires WiFi to be disconnected, at various stages of the process.
You might try connecting WiFi and giving it another go.
Please don't wonder aloud about coffee shortages because.....:dry: I've heard about possible meat shortages next month, and that won't be pretty.
Well, my Moto e2 is a boost Mobile phone which has only been used on ringplus and ting. So it looks that I am out of luck again. Thanks.
Sorry, my post confused Venn Mobile and TextNow threads, which KentE posted about a few posts above on this thread. So disregard my post and there may still be hope for getting your Moto E2 working on TextNow.
Hi KentE, in my shelter the Sprint signal is usually weak but I have used ringplus and FreedomPop so that should not be a problem.
I have tried CDMA, automatic, sprint only but no luck.
I have WiFi and data both on.
Now I saw something, when the phone went through prl and profile update, it said something like the phone cannot send or receive MND without data service... But how can the phone have data service before it is accepted into the system?
[li][/li]
Network provision process
I got it from Google play so it must be the lastest version?
As to the phone number TextNow did assigned me a number but I am curious, how come I don't have to tell them my IMEI or ESN when I signed up?
Thank you beautiful. I tried but no luck. Where did you find a step by step set up guideline for this?
No step by step. I think I just sort of fumbled my way through the process!
What phone number do you see when you go to Settings>About Phone>SIM Status?
I think most of us are seeing a strange number from the 509 area code. I assume that this is some sort of data only connection.
I tried a manual prl update and got an error message :
comms_sockey_error
My number is 000-000-7442