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Thank you for being among the first to sign up for FirstNet!

Now that you have your new FirstNet SIM, you need to ACTIVATE IT and then INSTALL IT, so you can start taking advantage of ALL the benefits of FirstNet. Your experience will be more secure and you’ll get access to superior coverage, capacity and more features.

Just follow the EASY, step-by-step instructions below to ACTIVATE your SIM.

  1. Log on to FirstNet Online.
  2. Set the taskbar to I want to: Change device IMEI/SIM.
FirstNet Online
  1. Enter the wireless number. Click Go.
  2. Enter the SIM ID number from the SIM card shipped to you. Click Go.
  3. Read the warning about SIM changes. Click Continue.
  4. Select additional feature changes as desired.

NOTE: A First Priority™ Tier feature will be auto-selected for you. The existing Dynamic Traffic Management (DTM) feature will be auto-removed on the next step. Existing features that conflict with the new SIM, such as DTM or other selected features, will be detected and the user is warned that the incompatible feature(s) will be removed.

  1. Click Continue.
    2. FirstNet Online
  2. Verify your selected changes.
  3. Click Submit to save your changes.

Physical SIM Install Instructions

INSTALL SIM: Not sure how to do this? You can visit your local AT&T store or use the online resources below.

iPhone devices: Watch this 30-second video

Other devices: Visit device support

  • Samsung devices:
    • Select your brand and device model
    • In the Learn more about your device section, select Device info
    • Select Insert SIM & Memory Card
  • Sonim devices:
    • Select your brand and device model
    • In the Learn more about your device section, select Device info
    • Select Phone Assembly
  • Other devices:
    • Select your brand and device model
    • View the User Manual

eSIM Install Instructions

The following change device IMEI/SIM steps and screens apply to smartphones and tablets that support both embedded SIMs (eSIM) and physical SIMs (pSIM) and where the IMEI/EID is discoverable by AT&T via DeviceAssociationDetails API which communicates to DeviceLifeCycle (DLC) as well as Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). For wearables or devices that only support an eSIM but not a pSIM (e.g. Apple Watches), step 3 is not seen/skipped. For eSIM devices that are not yet discoverable by AT&T, the user is required to enter the 32 digit EID in the SIM input field.

In a scenario where an eSIM profile has been deleted from a device and needs to be reinstalled, the user would not enter a new IMEI (since their intent is to only change the SIM and not to change the device), they would only enter the 32 digit EID from the device into the SIM input field to generate a new eSIM ICCID to be provisioned and sent to the device.

  1. The user initiates the Change Device IMEI/SIM change order type for an existing line.
    1. The existing IMEI and SIM are displayed, and the user can choose to enter a new IMEI, new SIM, or both.
    2. Note: As soon as the user starts entering the IMEI or SIM, the applicable ‘change’ tick box automatically checks. I.e. The user doesn’t need to tick the ‘change’ boxes before entering the IMEI or SIM values.
    3. The user optionally can expand ‘Show current services’ to view existing rate/data plan, features, custom PDPs/APNs, and can optionally tick the box to ‘also update rate plan or features.’
    4. Note: Whether the user chooses to update rate plan or features or not, the system will check if the existing services are compatible with the new IMEI and/or SIM and may require the user to the rate plan/features steps to choose compatible services for the new equipment.
      5. FirstNet Online
  2. Example of a user entering an IMEI that has both eSIM and pSIM options
    1. For Apple devices and some Google/Samsung devices (and more in the future), if the user intends to use the eSIM, they only need to enter the IMEI. Optionally they can provide a new pSIM ICCID here or on the next step/screen.
    2. For eSIM capable devices not discoverable by AT&T, the user can enter the 32 digit EID from the device into the SIM field to generate an eSIM ICCID.
      3. FirstNet Online
  3. The user can choose the eSIM option or enter a new pSIM ICCID.
    1. The user still has the option to view existing/current services and also update rate plan or features.
    2. Note: In this example, keeping the existing SIM ICCID is not an option because the existing SIM was an eSIM that can’t move between devices.
      3. FirstNet Online
    3. In this example, the existing SIM ICCID is a pSIM compatible with the new IMEI so the user has the additional option to keep the existing pSIM (the user would take the pSIM out of the previous device and put it into the new device)
      4. FirstNet Online
  4. The user sees the system assigned eSIM ICCID that will be provisioned upon Submit. Clicking Submit processes the device IMEI/SIM change and displays a change orderID 10-3############# and Complete status (most common) or Submitted for Processing status (rare). When the order is complete the device will get an "AT&T Cellular Plan Ready to be installed" notification. The user with the device follows the prompts on the device to install the eSIM. If the alert is swiped away, it can be found in the device Settings > Cellular. FirstNet Online
    1. If the user chose to also change plans and features, or if the existing rate/data plan is found by the system to be incompatible with the new IMEI and/or SIM, the user is taken to the rate plan page to select a new compatible plan.
      2. FirstNet Online
    2. If the rate/data plan is compatible but the SIM is changing from AT&T to FirstNet, the user is taken to the features page to choose a compatible required feature for FirstNet priority.
      3. FirstNet Online

Now you can take advantage of the full benefits of having a FirstNet SIM, including;

  • A highly secure environment – dedicated core with available end-to-end encryption.
  • 99.99% service availability objective – a standard unmatched by any other large-scale LTE network.
  • First responders get First Priority®, which gives them priority access to the network and, when necessary, moves or drops commercial users to make room for first responders in times of network congestion.
  • No throttling of data speeds at any time in the U.S.
  • Robust identity, credentials, and access management.
  • Eligible for “uplift” to First Priority® through the Incident Management Portal.
  • Access to future enhancements; our 5-year roadmap includes Mission Critical Push-to-talk, Broadcast technology and z-Axis location-based services.
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