Troubleshooting your Ting activation

Updated

October 23, 2026

So you just activated a phone with Ting. Welcome! Whether you’re new to Ting, added a line, or moved your number to a new phone, your phone may show as active on your account before service starts on the phone itself. These steps will help you get connected.

⏳ Bringing your number from another carrier? Wait for the transfer first

Moving your number to Ting takes some time. Until the transfer is complete, your Ting service won't start, and that may be why you don't have service yet.

We'll send you an email once your transfer is done. If all your info is correct, this can take up to 24 hours. Wait for that email before you try the steps below.

Check your transfer status · Number transfer FAQ

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Check your account

Before you start troubleshooting, make sure your Ting account has the right info for your phone. If the IMEI or SIM card number on your account is wrong, your phone won’t be able to connect to the network.

Log in to your Ting account.
Go to Device settings and find your phone number.
Check that the IMEI matches your phone. Need help finding your IMEI?
Using a physical SIM? Check that the ICCID (your SIM card number) matches your SIM card.

Haven't set up your eSIM yet?

Start with Completing your eSIM setup. Come back here if something doesn't work.

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Troubleshooting steps

Choose your SIM type and phone, then work through these in order.

Which SIM are you using?

Show steps for:

Quick fixes

Start here. These take just a minute or two.

Turn on Airplane mode, wait 30 seconds, then turn it off. This refreshes your phone's connection to the network. Make sure Airplane mode is off when you're done.

A quick restart refreshes your connection to the network and fixes a lot of issues.

Check your SIM

These steps are different for physical SIMs and eSIMs. Make sure the right one is selected above.

Turn off your phone.
Use a SIM tool or paperclip to pop out the SIM tray.
Place your Ting SIM in the tray, lined up with the notched corner.
Push the tray all the way back in.
Turn your phone back on.

Your SIM number (also called an ICCID) should match the one on your Ting account.

Find the ICCID printed on your SIM card. Need help finding it?
Log in to your Ting account.
Go to Device settings and find your phone number.
Check that the ICCID matches your SIM card.

You'll need the SM-DP+ address and activation code from your Ting activation email.

iPhone

Go to Settings.
Tap Cellular.
Tap Add eSIM (or Add Cellular Plan).
Tap Enter Details Manually at the bottom of the screen.
Enter the details from your email.

Android

Samsung Galaxy

Go to Settings.
Tap Connections.
Select SIM manager.
Tap Add eSIM.
Choose to scan a QR code, then tap Enter activation code.
Enter the details from your email.

Google Pixel and most other Android phones

Go to Settings.
Tap Network & internet.
Select SIMs.
Tap Add SIM (or the + icon).
When asked to scan a QR code, tap Need help?, then Enter it manually.
Enter the details from your email.

Want more detail, including how to scan your QR code with Google Lens? See Completing your eSIM setup.

Your phone needs a strong internet connection to download your eSIM. Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network before you start.

An old physical SIM card in your phone can get in the way of your eSIM. Remove it from the SIM tray, then restart your phone.

VPNs and some security apps can block your eSIM from downloading. Turn them off for now, then try again. You can turn them back on once you're set up.

📌 Note: A deleted eSIM can't be restored. Only delete ones you're sure you don't need, and don't delete your Ting eSIM.

iPhone

Go to Settings.
Tap Cellular.
Tap the old eSIM you want to remove.
Tap Delete eSIM.

Android

Samsung Galaxy

Go to Settings.
Tap Connections.
Select SIM manager.
Tap the old eSIM.
Tap Remove.

Google Pixel and most other Android phones

Go to Settings.
Tap Network & internet.
Select SIMs.
Tap the old eSIM.
Tap Erase SIM.

iPhone

Go to Settings.
Tap Cellular.
Under SIMs, tap your Ting line.
Make sure Turn On This Line is on.

Android

Samsung Galaxy

Go to Settings.
Tap Connections.
Select SIM manager.
Make sure your Ting eSIM is listed and turned on.

Google Pixel and most other Android phones

Go to Settings.
Tap Network & internet.
Select SIMs.
Tap your Ting eSIM and turn on Use SIM.

Have more than one SIM in your phone? Make sure Ting is the one your phone uses for calls, texts, and data.

iPhone

Go to Settings.
Tap Cellular.
Tap Cellular Data and choose Ting.
Go back and tap Default Voice Line, then choose Ting.

Android

Samsung Galaxy

Go to Settings.
Tap Connections.
Select SIM manager.
Under Primary SIM, choose Ting for calls, messages, and mobile data.

Google Pixel and most other Android phones

Go to Settings.
Tap Network & internet.
Select SIMs.
Tap Calls & SMS and Mobile data, and choose Ting for each.

Check your settings

Still no service? Check these next.

Your phone needs to be unlocked from your old carrier to work with Ting. Not sure? Contact your old carrier to check. Learn about unlocking your phone

Your iPhone needs Ting's carrier settings to connect to our network.

Check your carrier settings

Go to Settings.
Tap General.
Select About.
Find Carrier. It should say Ting with a version number next to it.

Not seeing Ting? Update your carrier settings

Connect to Wi-Fi.
Go to Settings.
Tap General.
Select About.
Stay on this screen for a minute. If an update is available, a pop-up will ask you to update.
Tap Update.

Your phone should find the right network on its own.

Android

Samsung Galaxy

Go to Settings.
Tap Connections.
Select Mobile networks.
Tap Network operators.
Tap Select automatically.

Google Pixel and most other Android phones

Go to Settings.
Tap Network & internet.
Select SIMs.
Turn on Automatically select network.

Make sure your phone is set to use 5G or LTE.

Android

Samsung Galaxy

Go to Settings.
Tap Connections.
Select Mobile networks.
Tap Network mode.
Choose an option with 5G or LTE.

Google Pixel and most other Android phones

Go to Settings.
Tap Network & internet.
Select SIMs.
Tap Preferred network type.
Choose 5G or LTE.

Make sure your phone is set up to use Ting's network. See our data setup guide

Bigger fixes

These take a little longer, but they often fix stubborn issues.

iPhone

Go to Settings.
Tap General.
Select Software Update.
Tap Update Now if an update is available.

Android

Samsung Galaxy

Go to Settings.
Tap Software update.
Tap Download and install.

Google Pixel and most other Android phones

Go to Settings.
Tap System.
Select Software updates.
Tap System update.

📌 Note: This will erase your saved Wi-Fi networks, passwords, and Bluetooth connections.

iPhone

Go to Settings.
Tap General.
Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Reset.
Choose Reset Network Settings.

Android

Samsung Galaxy

Go to Settings.
Tap General management.
Select Reset.
Tap Reset network settings.
Tap Reset settings to confirm.

Google Pixel and most other Android phones

Go to Settings.
Tap System.
Select Reset options.
Tap Reset Mobile Network Settings and confirm.
Go back and tap Reset Bluetooth & Wi-Fi and confirm.

⚠️ A factory reset erases everything on your phone

That includes your photos, contacts, texts, voicemails, apps, and settings. Once it's done, it can't be undone. Only try this if nothing else has worked.

Before you reset, save what matters

Back up your phone. This saves most of your photos, contacts, apps, and settings. See the backup guides below.
Save your voicemails. Using visual voicemail? Your voicemails are stored on your phone and will be erased. Open each one you want to keep and use Share to save or send the audio file.
Save your texts. Make sure your messages are included in your backup, or saved to iCloud or Google.
Back up chat apps. Apps like WhatsApp have their own backup setting. Turn it on and run a backup first.
Move your sign-in codes. Use an authenticator app for two-step sign-in? Move your accounts to another device first, or you could get locked out of them.
Know your passwords. After a reset, you'll need your Apple ID or Google account password to set up your phone again. It's also a good idea to write down your Wi-Fi password.
Using eSIM? Keep it during the reset. On iPhone, choose Keep eSIM and Erase Data when asked. On Android, look for an option to keep or erase eSIMs and make sure it's set to keep. If your eSIM does get erased, you may need to set up your eSIM again after the reset.