I need a T-mobile pre-paid activation code

[gaore]

I lost the activation paper. I only have sim card on hand.

How can I get the activation code? I need it to activate service on-line.

Thanks

[AndreBSD]

I ended up buying one off eBay for $2.99 when I lost mine. Currently new activations come with $13.34 in credit (the regular 3.34 + 10.00 for limited time), so it didn't bug me much.

Don't know what other options you have as no ones going to be giving them away.

[TXLady]

The only difference between a blank SIM and a Pre-Paid Activation Kit is the activation code. They are unique and can only be used once. You will have to buy another one unless you know someone who will give you one for free.

[Frontierjustice]

I lost the activation paper. I only have sim card on hand.

How can I get the activation code? I need it to activate service on-line.

Thanks

Depends on how much you like the $10 opening credit. My local T-Mobile will activate anything. (They offered me a free SIM with activation if I bought $50 in airtime. You're asking for less.) Go to your T-Mobile store and buy some airtime. Or, go to your local T-Mobile store and buy an activation kit for $10 and get $10 in airtime thrown in. Keep the extra SIM as a spare.
Regards

[ngerukai]

Depends on how much you like the $10 opening credit. My local T-Mobile will activate anything. (They offered me a free SIM with activation if I bought $50 in airtime. You're asking for less.) Go to your T-Mobile store and buy some airtime. Or, go to your local T-Mobile store and buy an activation kit for $10 and get $10 in airtime thrown in. Keep the extra SIM as a spare.

Agreed about keeping the SIM, though I hadn't thought of the buy airtime method (it did work with me once walking in to a Cingular store with a foreign handset; they threw in an activated SIM as I bought airtime). I've had one T-Mobile online store rep tell me over the phone when they sent me two SIMs and no activation cards that the second SIM would always be useful for doing a SIM swap on if I lose the phone. I didn't know one didn't need an activation code to do a SIM swap until then.

[TXLady]

Nope. No activation code needed if you're just trying to swap the SIM for an old SIM that isn't working or whatever.

I always try to keep 1-2 extra unused SIMs in case of emergency. When my Dad's TMO pre-paid phone was stolen, over the phone, I had his account transfered to a new blank SIM. Although the person who stole it drained the balance by the time Dad told me what had happened, we retained his gold rewards status and phone number. I popped the SIM in a spare phone, added a refill, and he was back up and running. I've also done the same thing on my post paid account when I lost a phone (which I later found).

[ngerukai]

Nope. No activation code needed if you're just trying to swap the SIM for an old SIM that isn't working or whatever.

What... even a 'pre-loved' inactive SIM might work? Never thought of that. OK, maybe not I suspect. :-P

(…) I always try to keep 1-2 extra unused SIMs in case of emergency. When my Dad's TMO pre-paid phone was stolen, over the phone, I had his account transfered to a new blank SIM. Although the person who stole it drained the balance by the time Dad told me what had happened, we retained his gold rewards status and phone number. (…)

I've even been able to transfer SIMs when I've been in my birth country where there's no coverage. The 800 staff at least are really good about it, though seem confused I'm calling from some no-name country in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean...

(Oh, the joys if they were willing/able to give you the numbers that were called...)

[TXLady]

What... even a 'pre-loved' inactive SIM might work? Never thought of that. OK, maybe not I suspect. :-P

If you mean a SIM that has been previously activated, no. Needs to be an unused one. Used to be able to get them for $1-2 off of ebay but I haven't bought any in several years because I had several from pre-paid kits that I used the phone for replacements on either post paid or pre-paid accounts. I have several because I furnish phones for several family members.

[Wireless]

Nope. No activation code needed if you're just trying to swap the SIM for an old SIM that isn't working or whatever.

I always try to keep 1-2 extra unused SIMs in case of emergency. When my Dad's TMO pre-paid phone was stolen, over the phone, I had his account transfered to a new blank SIM. Although the person who stole it drained the balance by the time Dad told me what had happened, we retained his gold rewards status and phone number. I popped the SIM in a spare phone, added a refill, and he was back up and running. I've also done the same thing on my post paid account when I lost a phone (which I later found).

Excellent advise which I support wholeheartedly. Any GSM phone user should always have a Spare SIM at the ready. Phone stolen, phone destroyed or phone misplaced, just do a SIM card swap and you are in total control of your acct. and safe from acct abuse. Prepaid or Postpaid, you can't go wrong. Phone shows back up, pop the SIM in and on with your wireless life. I do recommend obtaining an inexpensive or Free SIM for this purpose, the $21 from Tmobile Store SIM could get expensive shpuld you do this for a lost phone and it shows up 20 minutes later!

About SIM card swapping.
As most know once a SIM is activated the show is pretty much over.The SIM is done, EXCEPT, if you activate a SIM card and then the other card/ phone appears, if you contact TMOBILE immediately and explain the situation, a knowledgeable CSR can put the newly activated SIM card back into the system as unused and it will be OK to use again on any acct. I have don this twice. But it must be done in a very short period of time, both times I did this it was less then 24 hrs activated. Hopefully a knowledgeable Tmo employee canb shed some more light on policy and SIM cards. But besides this exception, (possibly others, always like to hear more!) once a SIM card has been assigned to a Mobile Number, thats it. It is no good.

[ngerukai]

If you mean a SIM that has been previously activated, no. Needs to be an unused one. Used to be able to get them for $1-2 off of ebay but I haven't bought any in several years because I had several from pre-paid kits that I used the phone for replacements on either post paid or pre-paid accounts. I have several because I furnish phones for several family members.

Thanks! I thought that would be the case. And another excellent point on having several, too -- given I now have a spare account I furnish in case family members visit from overseas.

(…)I do recommend obtaining an inexpensive or Free SIM for this purpose, the $21 from Tmobile Store SIM could get expensive shpuld you do this for a lost phone and it shows up 20 minutes later!(…)

True, but if you're wanting relatively cheap peace of mind because you get nervous about missing calls, having a SIM card in reserve is always nice! Besides, Wireless, on that note are they not only about $7 from the T-Mobile prepaid online store…, not $21…? (Of course that would take some planning ahead.)

ngeru