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Carrier If buying unlocked iPhone 6 at Apple store can we activate over phone with att?

B

bobright

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jun 29, 2010
4,817
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I got a question. I am planning to get my iPhone 6 at the Apple store and want to use it on AT&T. Can I buy at the apple store then activate over the phone with AT&T?

I hope I don't have to go into AT&T too as I'll be fighting lines twice. Would I need a sim or would the phone come with one? I am a current AT&T customer fwiw just never bought unlocked so this is all new to me.
 
I don't know the answer to your question but want to caution you about getting an unlocked iPhone 6 on launch day. Apple did not have unlocked iPhone 5S on launch day. So I would check around before you have to stand in a long line.
 
bobright said:
I got a question. I am planning to get my iPhone 6 at the Apple store and want to use it on AT&T. Can I buy at the apple store then activate over the phone with AT&T?

I hope I don't have to go into AT&T too as I'll be fighting lines twice. Would I need a sim or would the phone come with one? I am a current AT&T customer fwiw just never bought unlocked so this is all new to me.
Click to expand...

If you buy an att iphone you can use it with att. Just put your sim inside.

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sfwalter said:
I don't know the answer to your question but want to caution you about getting an unlocked iPhone 6 on launch day. Apple did not have unlocked iPhone 5S on launch day. So I would check around before you have to stand in a long line.
Click to expand...

He does not have to buy an unlocked one.
 
In Canada the Apple Store staff can activate phones on any carrier. I imagine it is similar elsewhere.
 
bobright said:
I got a question. I am planning to get my iPhone 6 at the Apple store and want to use it on AT&T. Can I buy at the apple store then activate over the phone with AT&T?

I hope I don't have to go into AT&T too as I'll be fighting lines twice. Would I need a sim or would the phone come with one? I am a current AT&T customer fwiw just never bought unlocked so this is all new to me.
Click to expand...

If you already have a 5, 5C, or 5S then just put your sim card from that phone into the iPhone 6 when you get it. No need to contact AT&T.

Also purchasing either the Verizon or T-Mobile model full price from the Apple Store at launch will result in you having an unlocked phone that also works on AT&T.
 
If you already have AT&T, just put in your SIM (cut to size as needed) or just get a nano-SIM now and use an adapter for the time being. Then put the SIM in your new phone once you get it.

sfwalter said:
Apple did not have unlocked iPhone 5S on launch day.
Click to expand...

Of course they did. Depending on market it was either about buying it directly as unlocked or buying the phone as device only.
 
bobright said:
I got a question. I am planning to get my iPhone 6 at the Apple store and want to use it on AT&T. Can I buy at the apple store then activate over the phone with AT&T?

I hope I don't have to go into AT&T too as I'll be fighting lines twice. Would I need a sim or would the phone come with one? I am a current AT&T customer fwiw just never bought unlocked so this is all new to me.
Click to expand...

As others have said, all you have to do is take the SIM card out of your old phone and put it into your new unlocked one. No need to get it activated by AT&T. It's better to do it this way because you won't have to pay some ridiculous $45 activation fee.
 
nostresshere said:
Here we go again.

Phones under the NEXT plan cost the same as just buying it outright. Are you planning to leave ATT soon?
Click to expand...

I can't remember if your monthly installments do get taxed on your overall bill, though. You have already paid the sales tax on NEXT phones, but I never look at my bill since it is only $145 a month for two lines on family share compared to $250 that I was paying last December for 3 lines.
 
nostresshere said:
Here we go again.

Phones under the NEXT plan cost the same as just buying it outright. Are you planning to leave ATT soon?
Click to expand...

Yes here we go again stop forcing Next down people's throats. I don't want a monthly installment plan. I can afford it outright so that's what I'll do. Why make payments on it when I don't have to?

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satchow said:
As others have said, all you have to do is take the SIM card out of your old phone and put it into your new unlocked one. No need to get it activated by AT&T. It's better to do it this way because you won't have to pay some ridiculous $45 activation fee.
Click to expand...
I gave my iPhone 5 away a couple months ago and am actually using an old flip phone so would probably need a different sim. How would it work then I'd probably need to go into AT&T?
 
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