A:Answer You can keep your old number if you have an account with your previous provider, but not if you have a pay as you go plan. I found activation to be difficult. The store said they activated it, but the instructions with the phone said to call or go online to activate. I went online and spent a bit of time trying to activate it, but at the last screen it wouldn't complete the process, and I had to call and give all the info to a representative.