APN settings make all the difference when it comes to network and internet access. Without proper settings, you may not be able to send or receive an MMS message. Access Point Name (APN) settings specify your device network gateway. It differentiates the gateway internet and cellular networks. If you are a Straight Talk user, correct APN settings grant you access to free cluster usage.
Straight talk being a MVNO running on different carriers, APN settings may be a bit tricky. And the fact that you are here means, you may have faced difficulties. That’s why we have prepared this in-depth guide to help you set up these settings in your phone. So, follow the steps below and by the time you finish, your phone should have accurate Straight Talk APN settings.
1. Select Your Service Provider
Straight talk is powered by two main carriers. The T-Mobile and AT&T. Even though it runs on others, these are the main technologies you’ll encounter. Therefore, you need to choose which one your phone is using. After establishing your service provider, you can now proceed to set the preferred APN settings.
2. Navigate to Your Device APN Settings
After selecting your carrier, it’s time to enter the accurate APN details. To do this, you have to navigate to your pone’s APN settings section. Depending on which device you are using, follow these steps to arrive there;
On Android phones: If you are using an Android phone go Settings>More>Mobile networks>Access Point Names>Menu.
On iPhone and iPads: If you using any of these, Tap Setup>General> Network>Mobile data.
3. Deleting Old APN Settings
On your device’s APN settings page, you need to delete the existing settings. If your phone or iPad cannot access internet with them it means they are wrong. So, get rid of them and reboot your phone.
4. Enter The Correct Settings
Regardless of your carrier, this is the most important step. It requires utmost keenness and concentration. You should fill in every character as it appears. Below are the different carrier configurations, use them without altering even a point.
AT&T
If you are using AT&T as your service provider, you should pay attention to null fields. These are the fields that you should leave blank. They include the password, username and server. For the rest of the fields, proceed to fill in the correct settings
- APN Name: Straight Talk
- APN: tfdata
- Proxy: proxy.mobile.att.net
- Port: 80
- MMSC: http://mmsc.mobile.att.net
- MMS Proxy: proxy.mobile.att.net
- MMS Port: 80
- APN Type: default, MMS, supl, hipri
- MCC: 310
- MNC: 410
- APN: Protocol IPv4
- APN Roaming Protocol:
T-Mobile
Just like with AT&T, T-Mobile users have their unique values. The same fields left blank in AT&T configuration should be blank too. Others should be proxy and MMs port. The rest of the fields fill as follows;
- APN Name: Straight Talk
- APN: wap.tracfone
- Port: 8080
- MMSC: http://mms-tf.net
- MMS Proxy: mms3.tracfone.com
- MCC: 310
- MNC: 410
- APN Type: default, MMS, supl
- APN Protocol: IPv4
Verizon
Verizon is another popular carrier with Straight Talk customers. If this is your network, you will use the following APN values;
- APN Name: Straight Talk
- APN: TRACFONE.VZWENT
- MCC: 311
- MNC: 480
- APN Type: default,dun,supl
- Protocol APN: IPv4/IPv6
- APN Roaming Protocol: IPv4/IPv6
After you’ve entered the values, save and reboot your phone. If everything was correctly typed, your phone should be able to access the internet, send, and receive MMS via the Straight Talk network. However, it’s important to note that your phone may lose cellular connection momentarily as it transitions to the new settings.
Recommended Post: Verizon APN Settings Guideline For Android, Windows & iPhone
Straight Talk Automatic APN Configurations
Before attempting manual Straight Talk APN configuration, it’s good to try this method. Although, note that it may not work for everyone. That’s why the manual method is supreme. To trigger automatic settings, send the word APN as an SMS to 611611. Straight Talk will detect your phone modal then send internet and MMS settings immediately.
FAQs – Frequently Ask Questions
Can one carrier have more than one APN?
Yes. However, note that this might be very unlikely but not impossible. Some carriers use different gateways to separate services. For example, they can use a different APN for MMS, data etc. Carriers with more than one APN will disclose it so that you can use both on your device.
What should I do if I can’t use receive or send MMS even after Straight talk APN configuration?
If you have a problem with MMS even after properly configuring your APN all isn’t lost. There are several third-party applications you can use to access circumvent. These include Textra, Handcent, Chomp SMS and Go SMS Pro.
After downloading any of these apps, make them your default messaging apps. This way, you will be able to receive and send MMS without hiccups.
What carrier does Straight Talk use?
Straight Talk is a MVNO meaning it doesn’t have its own network. Instead, it purchases license to use established networks. So, Straight Talk uses multiple carriers that include; AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint.
Is it a must to change my APN settings?
No. Sometimes, you’ll find that your APN settings options have been grayed and you can’t change them. This is always the case if your current carrier has set them automatically.
Does Straight Talk have data throttling?
Yes, besides Straight Talk labeling their plans unlimited, they enforce a cap once your allotment depletes. From there, you can only browse at reduced 2G speeds. Therefore, in the event you experience slow speeds, it may have nothing to do with your network configurations. You just need to check whether you may have depleted your data.
What are the signs of improper APN settings?
There are several tell-tale signs of incorrect APN settings. One of the common ones is your phone not able to connect to internet even when you have active data on. This is accompanied by unavailability of MMS service. That is, you can’t receive or send mms files.
Final Recap
Have you ever bought a hundred-dollar phone with an aim to explore the internet only for the device to fail you? What was the feeling? Thankfully, internet failure isn’t always about the phone. Sometimes it’s all about carrier settings; specifically, APN. If you are a Straight Talk user and you’ve faced this dilemma, this article is meant for you. It guides you on how to establish the best gate way for your smart phone to access internet and MMS services.