Short answer: Make a successful payment within 60 days of your AT&T Prepaid account-balance expiration date. If you do not, AT&T says it cancels the account and you lose the phone number.
Open the SIM expiry calculator for a sourced deadline
AT&T runs two separate clocks
| Stage | What it means |
|---|---|
| Balance expiration | The date shown for the prepaid balance in your AT&T account |
| 60 days after that date | Final deadline for a successful payment before cancellation |
| After cancellation | AT&T says you need a new SIM and plan; the old number is lost |
The first clock depends on the balance already attached to your account. AT&T's current cancellation article does not publish the old dollar-by-dollar validity table that appeared in the previous version of this guide, so that table has been removed. Check the balance-expiration date in your own prepaid account instead of estimating it from a payment amount.
What actually prevents cancellation?
AT&T's instruction is specific: make a payment before the 60-day window ends. A call, text, WhatsApp message, incoming call, or a phone that still displays signal is not a substitute for the required payment.
After paying, sign back in and confirm that the account is active and the relevant expiration date has moved. A bank authorization or pending card charge is not enough evidence that AT&T accepted the payment.
Can the number be recovered?
The official support page describes re-establishing service after cancellation by buying a new SIM card and plan. It also says the old phone number is lost. Do not plan around a customer-service exception if the number controls banking, two-factor authentication, or an account-recovery flow.
For the wider distinction between an active SIM, an account and an assigned number, read what happens when you stop using a prepaid SIM. You can also compare verified prepaid expiration policies or return to the US carrier section.
Track the balance-expiration date, then the 60-day deadline
KeepSim can remind you before both dates. It cannot make the AT&T payment or confirm that AT&T accepted it.
Get KeepSim on the App StoreOfficial source and change log
- AT&T: Re-establish AT&T Prepaid service, reviewed 2026-08-01.
- 2026-08-01: removed the unsupported recharge-amount tiers; corrected “A AT&T”; separated balance expiry from account cancellation.
KeepSim is not affiliated with AT&T. Carrier terms can change, so confirm the displayed date in your AT&T account before relying on a reminder.