To activate your AT&T SIM card, all you need is the SIM card and a couple of minutes. You do not have to be an expert in telecommunication or don’t even need to own a SIM card in the past. Over the years, the companies made it extremely easy to activate SIM cards. If you want to know more about how other companies allow their customers to activate them, you can read our articles on activating a Verizon SIM card or Etisalat SIM. So, without further chattering, here are the steps you have to follow to get your AT&T SIM card activated.
1. Insert SIM card
Obviously, the first thing you have to do is inserting your SIM card into your smartphone. It is recommended to use the same SIM card you got with the device (if you got one.) If not, you can use the SIM card compatible with the device. If you need instructions, you can follow our guide on how to insert a SIM card. As soon as you successfully insert the SIM card, you are ready to proceed to the next step.
2. Check the Status of the SIM
Before we dive into the steps to actually activate the SIM, you should make sure that the SIM is not already activated. If you purchase the AT&T SIM card from a retailer, most probably they will do the activation for you (or you can ask for it.) So it is always a good idea to check the status of your SIM card before attempting the activation process.
To check the status of a SIM card, all you have to do is placing a call to your friends or family. If it rings, your SIM card is already activated. If it is telling you to activate the SIM card, that obviously means you have to activate it before placing the calls. You can also test it by trying to browse the internet.
3. Steps to Activate AT&T SIM Card Online
Once you figure out the status of your sim card and confirmed that the SIM card is not already activated, you can continue to activate it following these steps.
- Go to AT&T Get Started section.
- Select Activate your device.
- It will ask you for some information. Provide them and select Continue.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the activation process.
Activate AT&T eSIM on a Dual SIM Setup
If you are trying to activate an eSIM card, you might have already got a QR code from the retailer. Once you have a QR code, follow these steps to activate it on your device.
- Go to the Settings of your smartphone.
- Then to the Cellular option.
- Then select the Add Cellular Plan option.
- Simply scan your QR code and it will activate the AT&T eSIM on your device.
Activate AT&T eSIM on Samsung Galaxy Watch
If you want to activate the AT&T SIM card on your Samsung Galaxy Watch, follow these steps instead.
- Pair your Smartwatch with the smartphone.
- Open the Galaxy wearable app.
- Now follow the prompts on the app to set up the smartwatch and activate the SIM card on it.
- Complete the NumberSync sign-in process.
Unable to activate AT&T SIM card?
In some situations, you may not be able to activate your SIM card. In this scenario, you have a couple of options.
Try after some time
The first thing you have to try is just waiting. Just wait a couple of hours before attempting to activate the SIM card again. In peak hours, or if there are any temporary issues with the SIM card activation, you may face issues while trying to activate your AT&T SIM. So give it some time and try activating again.
Contact AT&T Support
Even after trying several times to activate the SIM card, if you are still unable to do so, the next method you can follow is trying to contact their support. Whatever the issue is, they will check the problem and let you know further proceedings.
Visit the nearest AT&T retailer
If the customer support is not able to resolve your issue, the next best thing you can do is revisiting the retailer where you got the SIM from. The issue can be as simple as sending a message, or as serious as replacing the SIM card. In very rare cases, the SIM card chip may get damaged. In that case, they will have to replace the SIM card with a new one. That will resolve the issue.