How to port your number to Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile is a prepaid carrier (soon to be) owned by T-Mobile, that uses that carrier's massive network to deliver outstanding 5G coverage at a lower cost. With Mint, you can buy three, six, or 12 months at a time, and plans come in 5GB, 15GB, 20GB, and even Unlimited capped at 40GB before data speeds start to slow.

If you decide to try out Mint Mobile, porting your number from another carrier is relatively simple and painless. Many of us have had our numbers for years so it's great that if we want to save some money with a new carrier, we don't need to give them up.

• MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost | Tello | Cricket

How to port your number to Mint

Before starting the porting process, it's important to note that your phone number must remain active on your previous carrier throughout the process. If you cancel your old service before moving to Mint, you likely won't be able to recover your phone number — at least, not without going through a much more tedious process.

You will need a Mint Mobile SIM card and a compatible phone to get started. Mint Mobile will work with any of the best Android phones thanks to the T-Mobile network's great compatibility.

If you have a Google Pixel phone or newer iPhone, you can also activate it with an eSIM. During checkout, select eSIM as your delivery option, and you will receive activation information after you complete your purchase.

1. Order your Mint Mobile SIM card by choosing your plan.

2. Gather some information from your current carrier, including your account number, PIN or password, and the ZIP code or billing address associated with the account. You'll find your account number at the top of most paperwork, including phone bills and receipts. Still, if you're unsure about any information, you can call your existing carrier's customer service line.

3. Navigate to Mint's activation web page and Enter your activation code. This is an 11-digit ACT code that you'll find on the back of your SIM card, above the "active by" date.

You can also activate your service through the Mint Mobile app.

4. Click Get Started.

5. During activation, select Port My Number when prompted.

6. Enter the account number, PIN or password, and ZIP code or billing address associated with your previous carrier.

That's it! Once you're done, you can create a Mint Mobile account to keep track of your plan, but the porting process should be out of your hands, and your number will change over automatically. Depending on various factors like your previous carrier, the transfer could be instant or take up to 48 hours — just be patient. Transfers from a landline service could take longer.

Most of the time, you won't need to wait more than a few minutes to get your number. Luckily, you can use data in the meantime to talk to people in alternative messaging apps like Telegram or WhatsApp.

If you have any questions along the way, you can always call Mint Mobile's customer service at 800-683-7392 or chat with an agent online. But once the number transfer is complete, you'll receive a welcome text from Mint confirming your Mint Mobile port number, and in most cases, your existing service will cancel automatically. From here, all that's left is to enjoy your new service.

Save on mobile data when you switch to Mint

Mint Mobile has some of the best cell phone plans around with great savings for data-hungry users when they buy up to a year at once. With Mint, you can get up to 40GB of high-speed data per month with the unlimited plan and save even more if you find you actually don't need that much data. Our Mint Mobile review found the T-Mobile-based coverage to offer plenty of speed on 5G with solid coverage.

Mint Mobile also has a seven-day money-back guarantee, so if you end up not liking the service, you're not stuck with it. That being said, with the T-Mobile 5G network backing it up, most people will find Mint's service to be more than adequate.

• MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost | Tello | Cricket