Question 1

How can I buy a phone from Tello?

Accepted Answer

All phones available on our website are Tello-compatible, unlocked, and ready to activate and use.
Take a look at our phone selection.

To order a Phone + New line

If you are ordering a phone and a new line, go to our phone section and select the device of your preference.
Once you land on the checkout section, check the "My Number " field is selected for a New Tello Line
The "SIM Card" option will be selected by default. All our phones include a free SIM card.
* Note: If you want to use an eSIM, you will have the option to activate one when the phone is delivered.
Fill in all the sections for the checkout and Finalize the order.

To order a Phone for an existing line
In case you already have an active Tello SIM/eSIM:

To purchase the phone, log in to your Tello account, and select the device from the phone section.
Once you are in the checkout section, make sure the correct phone number is selected in the "My Number" field.
Fill in all required information for checkout and finalize the order
*Note: The checkout section will also allow you to choose the "Buy SIM" option in case you need a replacement SIM for the existing line.

If you only need a replacement SIM card please see the section: How to order a replacement SIM.

Delivery

Your phone will arrive in either the original brand box or a generic packaging box containing the device, battery & charging cable.
Manuals, guides, earbuds, and other accessories are not included.
You can find the user guide on our website under the Phones page, click "View Details" and scroll down to the Tech Specs section where you will see "User Manual".

Once you have received and successfully activated the Phone/SIM in your online account, you can then port in your number to us by submitting a port-in request.
The port-in form will only become available & visible after a successful SIM activation and it can only be done from your online account.

Question 2

What can I expect from a phone purchased from Tello?

Accepted Answer

All Tello phones are unlocked, Tello-compatible, and come with a 30-day warranty. Each phone includes a free Tello SIM card.

Delivery

Your phone will arrive in either the original brand box or a generic packaging box containing the device, battery & charging cable.
Manuals, guides, earbuds, and other accessories are not included.
You can find the user guide on our website under the phone’s "Tech Specs" section, in the "User Manual" field.

Phone conditions

New Devices
Tello offers two types of new devices:

Original Brand Box: These devices come in the original packaging with all the accessories included by the manufacturer.
Repackaged Devices: These devices are delivered in a plain generic packaging box.

Open-Box Devices
An open-box phone is a mobile phone that has been returned to Tello after the packaging was opened, but with little to no use. These phones are often in the same condition as when they left the factory. They can be returned for various reasons, such as a customer changing their mind or not liking the color.

Refurbished Grade A Devices
Refurbished Grade A devices represent the highest quality available for refurbished phones.

All our refurbished devices are completely reconditioned, rigorously tested and certified to look like new.
Parts used during the reconditioning process (such as display, case, jack, etc.) are new but not original.
Refurbished phones are typically those returned shortly after purchase and have been completely reconditioned.
They are shipped with a charging cable and battery (minimum 80% of the original capacity).
Manuals, guides, earbuds, and other accessories are not included.

Pre-Owned Devices
Pre-owned devices are inspected, cleaned, repaired if necessary, and certified to excellent functional standards.

Their functionality is 100% tested.
They are shipped with a charging cable and battery (minimum 80% of the original capacity).
Manuals, guides, earbuds, and other accessories are not included.

Buying a device from our website guarantees that the device is ready to be used with Tello.
Phones purchased through Tello are specifically optimized for Tello service and are fully unlocked for the network. However, we cannot guarantee that the phones we sell will work on other networks.

Question 3

Where can I find the user manual for my Tello phone?

Accepted Answer

The user manual of a device purchased from Tello will be available under the device description. To find it:

Go to the Phones page at https://tello.com/phones.
Click "View Details" of the device you purchased.
Scroll down to the "Tech Specs" section.
Find the "User Manual" field on the bottom right-hand-side.
Click on "View & Download".
This will OPEN the User Manual only.
You can now just view the manual or download it if you wish.

Question 4

How do I transfer my contacts from my old phone to my new phone?

Accepted Answer

Transferring your contacts is always one of the most important tasks when setting up your new phone.
Luckily, there are several quick ways to transfer your contacts from your old phone to your new phone.

Please note that most smartphones will save the contacts in the device memory storage, and moving the Tello SIM card will not automatically transfer them.

When setting up a new device, smartphones might offer you the option to transfer all your data depending on the brand's options.

iPhone: For iPhones ,we kindly advise checking the procedures available to transfer data it the Apple support website: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201269

Android: For Android devices you can check the Google Sync information.
If both your old phone and new phone are Android phones, you can most likely use Google Sync settings You will need to create a Gmail account to use sync functions.
Now, make sure you have your old phone set up and sync it to your Gmail.
Your new Android should download it automatically and appear in your contacts or people listings after you finish your initial setup.
You will find lots of information on the Google mobile website to help you get started.
Some Android brands will offer applications that will allow you to transfer all data including contacts, like Samsung Smart Switch or similar.

SD Card
If you have an Android phone, you can transfer your contacts using a SD memory Card.
All phones are a little different but most are similar when transferring your contacts to your memory card.
Consult your device manual for a step-by-step on how to transfer contacts.

Question 5

What is a refurbished grade A phone?

Accepted Answer

Refurbished Grade A devices represent the highest quality available for refurbished phones.

All our refurbished devices are completely reconditioned, rigorously tested and certified to look like new.
Parts used during the reconditioning process (such as display, case, jack, etc.) are new but not original.
Refurbished phones are typically those returned shortly after purchase and have been completely reconditioned.
They are shipped with a charging cable and battery (minimum 80% of the original capacity).
Manuals, guides, earbuds, and other accessories are not included.

Question 6

Are the "New" devices you sell really new?

Accepted Answer

Yes, they really are new devices. Tello offers two types of new devices:

Original Brand Box: These devices come in the original packaging with all the accessories included by the manufacturer.
Repackaged Devices: These devices are delivered in a plain generic packaging box.

Question 7

My battery does not last long, what can I do?

Accepted Answer

Please make sure that you check the standard battery life for your device in the device manual at https://tello.com/phones.
The battery life should have at least 80% of the original capacity of the battery life stated in the manual.

If you determine the battery is draining too fast, please try the following:

Select settings to save battery
Change screen display
Disable keyboard sound and vibration settings

Reduce battery discharge in the background
Limit the apps that use the most battery

Enable smart battery and battery optimization options
Disable power-hungry features
Delete unused accounts

Take care of your device's battery
Keep the battery at low temperatures
Charge your device (just enough)

If you still require assistance, email our support team with the details.

Question 8

My Tello phone is not charging. 
What can I do?

Accepted Answer

To rule out an issue with your charger cable or charging port, please try to charge the device with a different charger cable or brick, and with different outlets.
If you still require assistance, send an email to our support team with the details.

Question 9

How can I use my device overseas?

Accepted Answer

All phones purchased from Tello are already unlocked so no international unlock is required for use overseas.
If you came to Tello with a locked device then you will need to get the device unlocked with the original carrier.
Tello does not lock or unlock devices.

We offer 3 great alternatives for calling and texting when you are traveling abroad:

International Roaming
With Tello you can benefit from international roaming in 250+ countries and territories.
To enable International Roaming, log in to your Tello account. First, make sure you have Pay as You Go credit.
Go to "My Settings", and enable the "International Roaming" switch. Please make sure to check the details provided in this section to set up data roaming options.
Roaming calls, texting, and data costs are charged from your Pay As You Go balance, so you need a minimum of $5 Pay As You Go credit to activate international roaming.

Wi-Fi Calling & Text
This is a feature available on the vast majority of Tello GSM-compatible phones and you can check your phone settings to confirm.
It allows for calling & texting via the closest available Wi-Fi network which could be at a hotel, your office, at home, or even a Wi-Fi hotspot.

If you have set up Wi-Fi Calling correctly, it does not use up data from your Tello data plan, it just uses minutes from your calling plan as normal.
See more details on this blog.

"My Tello" App
You also have the option of using our free "My Tello" app to make calls through Wi-Fi.
You cannot receive calls via the App and texting is also not available via the App - it is only to make calls.

The "My Tello" app is free to download for iOS and Android users.

When calling from the Tello app in the USA using your own Data plan, the costs are higher than if you were using the regular Tello calling service because the App uses your Data allowance.
On average, the app uses 1 MB/min.
Therefore, please use the App over a Wi-Fi connection if possible.

To make a call, simply dial the destination number from the keypad (always include country code) or choose from your phone "Contacts" tab (ensure the number is in international format).

Question 10

What is an HAC-Rating when it comes to hearing aid compatible devices?

Accepted Answer

HAC-ratings refer to reduced hearing aid device interference. Some people with a hearing aid device experience a buzzing or whining noise when using a wireless phone. Phones with an M-Rating of M3 or M4 meet FCC requirements and are less likely to generate interference with hearing devices than phones that are not labeled. Based on current standards, M4 is the higher rating among the two. You can verify the hearing aid rating on each phone page.

Question 11

What is a pre-owned phone?

Accepted Answer

Pre-owned devices are inspected, cleaned, repaired if necessary, and certified to excellent functional standards.

Their functionality is 100% tested.
They are shipped with a charging cable and battery (minimum 80% of the original capacity).
Manuals, guides, earbuds, and other accessories are not included.

Question 12

What is an open-box phone?

Accepted Answer

An open-box phone is a mobile phone that has been returned to Tello after the packaging was opened, but with little to no use.
These phones are often in the same condition as when they left the factory. They can be returned for various reasons, such as a customer changing their mind or not liking the color.

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