How to Activate a Used Cricket USB Broadband Modem
By Audrey Lynn
Cricket is a pre-paid cellular and mobile broadband Internet provider with retail stores in most areas of the United States. Mobile broadband modems connect to the Internet wirelessly, and do not require a landline or cable to work. While the company offers new mobile broadband modems models regularly, you can purchase a used modem elsewhere and still sign up for monthly Internet access. Activating service on a used Cricket mobile broadband modem takes only a few minutes, but cannot be done online. You can activate your modem at any Cricket retail store or by telephone.
Telephone Activation
Step 1
Call (800) 274-2538. Have the modem, your debit or credit card number, security code and expiration date ready. For instructions in English, simply stay on the line. Press "2" for Cricket broadband. When the recorded voice asks how it can help you, clearly say "Activate." The recorded voice will tell you that it is transferring your call to a representative.
Step 2
Tell the representative who answers that you have a used Cricket modem you wish to activate. If the modem is not an old one of your own, tell the representative that you acquired the modem and do not have a Cricket account. Give the representative the MEID number on the modem. This number is on the back of the modem, just above the bar code and should be labeled MEID DEC. Give the representative your city and state information. The representative will confirm that the modem is capable of being activated and service is available in your area.
Step 3
Tell the representative which broadband plan you want to purchase. At the time of publication, Cricket offered a 2.5 GB per month plan for $40, a 5 GB per month plan for $50 and a 7.5 GB per month plan for $60. All plans are for a full month's worth of service, but if your usage exceeds the allotted gigabyte level, Cricket may reduce your connection and download speeds, limiting the type of activities you can engage in on the Internet.
Step 4
Provide your debit or credit card information to the representative to prepay for the first month of broadband Internet service.
Step 5
Plug the modem into your computer. Stay on the telephone and follow the instructions provided by the representative to complete the activation and setup process. This process may differ from one operating system to another.
In-Store Activation
Step 1
Take your computer, the used Cricket broadband modem and your credit or debit card to any Cricket retail store. Tell the representative that you wish to activate a used modem. Remember to tell the representative whether it is an old modem of yours and you have an inactive Cricket account, or bought the modem used and have no account.
Step 2
Hand the modem to the representative. The representative will input the modem information, check on service availability and make sure the modem works before asking which plan you want to purchase.
Step 3
Choose the plan you want and, providing all pertinent personal information the representative asks for, present your debit or credit card to pay for the service. The representative will then perform the setup process and make sure the modem connects to the Internet properly.
References
Tips
- Unless you use the Internet for watching movies or to play powerful games, the less expensive plans may work as well as the premium plan. The premium plan, however, makes a home network run more efficiently than the smaller usage plans. Cricket also offers a "hot spot" connection device for home networks as well as a router.
Warnings
- Clicking on the "Need to Activate Now" button on the Cricket broadband page does not save any time. This process merely takes you through the steps to determine if your area has Cricket service and that the modem you have is capable of being activated. The next instruction is to call Cricket to activate the modem.
Writer Bio
Audrey Lynn has been a journalist and writer since 1974. She edited a weekly home-and-garden tabloid for her hometown newspaper and has regularly contributed to weekly and daily newspapers, as well as "Law and Order" magazine. A Hambidge Fellow, Lynn studied English at Columbus State University.