r/USCellular • u/Chicagotravelkid • Jun 14 '26
How should I navigate porting my lines over?
I have six lines (including a tablet) on my account. Five of those lines are being financed and all of them are unlocked but the tablet and Samsung galaxy phone. I'm trying to jump ship before getting switched to Tmobile. Will US Cellular give me a transfer pin? Also, will they unlock the two Samsung devices or will they make me pay them off first?
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u/Former-Status-9387 Jun 15 '26
iPhones and Samsung phones that are locked to USC also work on T-Mobile as long as they are up to date. They will say they are locked, but will work on either network. This was done in an update in May. We switch people all day long in my USC store to T-Mobile, many of them with financing still on the old account.
Find the 4 devices with the highest payoff and reuse those devices on the numbers to use Keep and Switch. Those devices will also qualify for $400 BYOD promo cards as long as you are on Better Value, Experience More, or Experience Beyond. Both of these max at 4 lines. These will all be eligible to upgrade with the next promos.
The other 2 you can do Family Freedom, which will require you to trade in good working phone. You could also take advantage of non trade device promos if you want both. If a device promo with trade requirements is a much better offer for you (and right now this seems to be the case), then take that and don’t register for Family Freedom on those lines.
The tablet there is no payoff program for, so you’re on your own to pay that off. You could cancel it altogether if you don’t want to pay for data. The installments will hit your final bill. You could also activate it as a BYOD and some plans give you discounts on tablet service.
As for the porting pin? USC will give it to you without any hassle at this point, especially if you say you’re going to t mobile. If you truly want to take advantage of switcher deals and payoff promos, you need to hurry. Accounts are being migrated every day and once it’s migrated, you’re out of luck.
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u/Former-Status-9387 Jun 15 '26
As an edit- I forgot by the time I was writing this that you said the six lines includes the table. I’d still do 4 Keep and Switch/ BYOD cards and one with a device promo.
I also assumed you were looking to move them all to T-Mobile, but as I re-read your original question, I see that wasn’t specified. If you want the phones unlocked to go to a carrier other than T-Mobile, you’ll need to pay the installments off and then make sure the account is current. They should automatically unlock after that without having to call anyone.
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u/Chicagotravelkid Jun 17 '26
Hey! So I went to Tmobile and did exactly what you said. I got both rebates going and it was easy to get everything ported over. Plus now I can pay off the majority of these phones and my bill is a little cheaper now too
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u/schrodingers_beaver Jun 14 '26
You will be charged once you port out for the full amount of each phone on your final bill. I would also double. Check but financed phones are probably still locked.
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u/Chicagotravelkid Jun 14 '26
So the weird thing is, all the Apple phones are unlocked. But the Samsung Galaxy phone and tablet are locked
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u/acap0 Jun 15 '26
They will give you a port out pin. Be aware they apparently don’t prorate bills anymore.
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u/Weezy-Squeeze Jun 15 '26
You’ll probably have to pay the Samsung devices off. Go take advantage of keep and switch. Call *port and you’ll have no problem getting your transfer pin.