Need to pause your prepaid phone service or afraid you can’t make a payment? Here are your options

While it’s something you hope never happens, there may be times when you find it impossible to make a payment for your prepaid phone service on time. On the other hand, maybe you’re going out of the country and wondering how long you can go before you risk losing your account and number or if you can somehow pause your service. So, can you safely miss a payment? The answer is often yes, but there are some things you should be aware of.

Every US-based prepaid provider will suspend your account the moment a payment is missed, meaning you’ll immediately lose the ability to call, text, or use data. The good news is that most carriers give you a grace period to renew your service before your number is permanently lost. However, the length of this grace period varies by provider, and some offer additional options to help you avoid missing a payment in the first place.