How to Flash a Cricket Cell Phone

Cricket is a wireless service provider which provides multiple access to its 3G cell phone subscribers through CDMA or code division multiple access digital technology. A cell phone can be converted from Cricket to another provider or from another carrier to Cricket through changes known as flashing. To flash means to overwrite or supersede the settings of one carrier and reprogram it to the features of another. Flashing your cell phone would be cheaper and smarter than buying and availing of a new cell phone tied to another one- to two-year plan with your provider.

Download on your computer a reliable flash software which can be found online for free or for a fee. It should be compatible with your Windows version. This software will contain PRL files to overwrite a cell phone’s data, PST tools to reprogram the phone, and Monster files to flash a phone. It will also contain specific six-digit codes for accessing the programming features on your cell phone which were set by your service provider. Go to the site under references for the software.

Double-click and unzip the downloaded flash software.

Connect your Cricket cell phone through a USB cable to a USB port in your personal computer or laptop in preparation for transferring the new files.

Follow the step-by-step instructions which are easy to follow but vary per source. Instructions usually come as a Read Me document. The entire process would disable your Cricket settings and reprogram it into your new carrier’s network or vice-versa.

Double-check by clicking the button “Start” and going to “My Computer.” Under the window “Systems Task” on the left, click on “View Systems Information."

Click the tab “Hardware” and then click on the button “Device Manager.”

Select USB controllers and ports to check for your newly-installed carrier which has already been flashed to your cell phone.