Sunday, November 30, 2014

How to Install Your SIM Card In An Amazon Fire Phone

Here's my public service announcement for 2014.

I have been looking at new smartphones the last few months, planning to upgrade. With Amazon discounting their Fire Phone to $199 (and their throwing in a one year subscription to Amazon prime on top of it), I decided to buy it.

With three days of use, I am very happy with it. As with all new smartphones, there is a learning curve and so it will probably be awhile be for I understand many of the functions incorporated.

That said, here is the one thing you need to know about the phone from the outset: How to put the damn sim card into the phone. I'm guessing that this won't be a problem for Apple phone users, since the Fire is designed along the lines of an iPhone.

But if you have been, like me, an Android phone user, the sim card installation will be a different experience and not at all intuitive,

First, unlike any cell phone I have used before, the Amazon requires a nano sim card. This is a much smaller card. So if you are planning to simply switch your sim into your new Fire, you are going to have to go to your provider's store and get it clipped to nano size. 

Alternatively, you can buy a sim card cutter to cut your card down to nano size, yourself.

Now, here is the tricky part that will save you many calls to your phone provider: How to insert the sim card into your phone. It took me three calls to T-mobile customer service before I could get someone that provided me with this basic information:

To install the sim card, you need to pull out the tray (with the small hole) that is on the side of the Fire. You can pull this out by using the tool provided with your phone or with a paper clip. In either case, slip the prong into the hole and pull the tray out.

Here's what will take you three phone calls to get an answer to:

1. The sim card should be placed on the tray with the gold part facing down

2. The indentation in the card should be placed on the tray so that it is facing away from the phone, when it is slipped back in.

Viola! You are ready to go. These two steps seem obvious, but there is nothing on the tray that will intuitively signal you about these two steps, which makes for multiple incorrect options.

One more point about the sim card itself. For those of you are going to be buying a new sim card, rather than using a current sim, I noticed that Walgreens sells ATT nano sim cards for $10.00.

You can also buy them online at Amazon, here. (I believe this is pre-pay only).

If you don't already have a contract but want one from ATT, you can get a contract phone here.

If you already have a contract and want to switch, you can buy the Fire here. Note: The phone works with  ATT, T-Mobile,Walmart Family Mobile, MetroPCS, Brightspot, Simple Mobile, Mobal, Net10, Straight Talk, h20 Wireless, and OneSimCard.

But it  is not compatible with Verizon, Sprint, and US Cellular.







__

Robert Wenzel
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9 comments:

  1. Are you able to get full 4G coverage from T-Mobile with this phone? Any idea if Wi-Fi calling works?

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    Replies
    1. we just purchased it .. Tmobile is no help! We purchased Unlock phones my understanding is it will!

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    2. Anybody knows if WiFi calling works on a Fire Phone / T-Mobile?

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  2. Jesus! Just read the directions that came in the box with your phone!
    I know because I read mine.

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  3. Thank you for posting!
    Initially I was quite frustrated thinking I was going to have to go out and pick up a new SIM card ~ figured I had nothing to lose so began the downsizing process of the SIM card I've been using. Worked like a charm - just had to be patient with the sanding process ~ I used a battery operated fingernail shaper to do the sanding and scissors to cut the card down in size. Thank you again for posting ~ I appreciate you're help!!!

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  4. My new Fire Phone just arrived! I'm switching from an ATT iPhone to Fire Phone and Cricket Wireless. I remember SIM cards from my blackberry a gazillion years ago, but I'm rusty...help! I received the little key, but there's no hole! (It's an unlocked phone, if that matters.) I thought the phone would come with a SIM card--no. Cricket's website also says I can enter a SIM card #...where would I find/get that? I was planning on doing the entire set-up online and cancel ATT when it was all set, but maybe the Cricket store in K-Mart can help or do I need to get with Amazon? Or should I try ATT even though I'm cancelling? (Apparently Mayday doesn't work without the SIM card, though maybe I can try Mayday from my Kindle?) I appreciate any help! Thanks!!

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  5. Update... I found the hole and got the tray to slide out...no SIM card... all the other questions I would appreciate help with. Does Best Buy sell the SIM cards? Thanks again.

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  6. Refurbished replacements don't come with instructions, thank you!

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