Comcast is now letting customers – with select unlocked iPhones – bring their own device (BYOD) to the Xfinity Mobile network, making it a little bit easier to sign up for the wireless service.
Customers with iPhone’s no older than the iPhone 5 model are eligible, but Comcast said it plans to add other devices from different manufacturers later this year.
Even with a newer iPhone model, there are limitations depending which network the device was built to run on, according to a compatibility checker on Xfinity Mobile’s website. Since the wireless service, which launched last May, relies partly on Verizon’s network, phones meant to connect to other networks might not be compatible. Unlocked Verizon iPhone’s work, as do newer iPhone models bought through Sprint. However, only the iPhone SE and iPhone 6 and 6s bought through T-Mobile or AT&T will work.
Customers can opt for a “By the Gig” plan for $12 per GB of shared data across all lines on their account, or pay $45 per month per line for unlimited data.
“With the introduction of BYOD, we now have a convenient way for iPhone users to switch to Xfinity Mobile and get access to the best 4G LTE network plus 18 million WiFi hotspots without having to purchase a new phone,” Rui Costa, VP of product management and customer experience for Xfinity Mobile, said in a statement. “We are committed to simplifying the mobile experience from the moment a customer signs up, through activation and account management.”
Comcast said it’s offering trade-ins for certain devices that don’t qualify for BYOD, in order to bring down the cost of upgrading to a new device.