Dropped my phone and broke the glass, 4.5 yr old Samsung so I thought maybe I might just as well look into buying a new rather then trying to get the glass replaced.
My question is:If I buy an unlocked Samsung online what do I have to do to activate it? Just swap the sim card from the old phone into the new phone or do I need to take it to the T-mobile store?

For your cellular connection, yes. That is all you should have to do.

You may also be able to convert over to eSIM if that is something you wish to do. But I do notd converting with a new phone. Set up the new phone with your physical SIM and then convert it to eSIM if you want to.

In your case it is unlikely you will see any benefit in using eSIM.

Samsung has an app you can use to transfer your data from your old phone to your new phone.

Thank you.
Let me ask another question. New vs renewed when buying online? Any dangers in the renewed?
Seems like an awful lot of renewed being offered.

I’d just buy a phone from the T-mobile store. Well worth the cost to have them set it up and transfer the contents of the old phone to the new. And you’d have a shiny new warranty. Especially with the new-every-two deal.

Perhaps T-mobile offers renewed phones too.

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or do I need to take it to the T-mobile store?

When I did this the guy at the T-Mobile changed out everything between my old and new phones. Didn't charge me a cent.

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New vs renewed

My last two Galaxy phones have come from "Amazon Renewed", have been very pleased. They were in perfect shape and cheaper than buying from Samsung

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Originally posted by gjgalligan:
Dropped my phone and broke the glass, 4.5 yr old Samsung so I thought maybe I might just as well look into buying a new rather then trying to get the glass replaced.
My question is:If I buy an unlocked Samsung online. what do I have to do to activate it? Just swap the sim card from the old phone into the new phone or do I need to take it to the T-mobile store?

Get an i-Phone. They are MUCH tougher.