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Swap upgrade with someone else on Family Plan?

iranintoavan

iranintoavan

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 3, 2005
113
0
I have the 3G (got it on launch date) and want to upgrade to the 3GS. I have already checked all the threads and stuff and I am eligible for the "early upgrade of $399 - $499.

My question is, I am on a family plan with my mom and dad. Both of my parents have old normal phones and don't care about upgrading at all. I checked and they are both eligible to upgrade to the 3GS at $199 - $299.

Is it possible to use one of their upgrades and just swap our SIM cards after we leave the AT&T store? Obviously I want to keep my number and have everything else the same, but does anyone with experience know if I can utilize the upgrade that both of my parents have?
 
I think it's quite possible(have an iPhone activated on another line), but the issue would be your parents signed up for data(when they bought the iPhone), so the ideal goal(as I'm in a spot similar) would be can you get around that? Or at least be able to cancel the data in a month or two(once At&t sees they are on a normal phone again..still cost you 30/60 bucks, buts it's better then 399/499)

Anyone who knows for sure could answer that for you(and me)...but I'll be going to an AT&T store tomorrow to ask around
 
Alright, well hopefully we can get some solid answers soon. Eventually I will go to AT&T and ask them for sure. I just hate dealing with them and would like to get a general consensus as of whether or not it would work.
 
iranintoavan said:
Alright, well hopefully we can get some solid answers soon. Eventually I will go to AT&T and ask them for sure. I just hate dealing with them and would like to get a general consensus as of whether or not it would work.
Click to expand...

i believe this is possible for the 3G S. i purchased the 3G on launch and for the life of me i could not figure out why i am upgrade eligible for 199/299.. it states it on apple and att website. i even went to a corp store to make sure and the gentlemen stated that i maybe switched with another persons line when i bought the phone and i suddenly realized that is what i did last year! i would definitely go to your local ATT store and hammer out the details to ensure this will work, good luck!
 
I spoke with several CSR and they told me to just activate a swapped phone on my account and call in to explain what happened. They said to not activate it twice as it will be a billing nightmare.
 
It can be done, thats how there are so many brand new iPhone 3G's that are on eBay... people who have no interest in using the iPhone just get them... switch the SIM card to their old phone and then call and cancel the data plan (and sell the iPhone).

You just need to give AT&T the IMEI of the phone you switch to. iPhone data plans are only required to activate and use the iPhone, but if you're not using an iPhone they are not required.
 
Can each person on a family plan upgrade phones? So, lets say two people are on a plan, one has a 3G, the other and a 2G. They can upgrade to a 3GS since the 2G was unsubsidized.

Now, next year could they buy another iPhone because the 3G was bought two years ago?
 
Yes. It can be done. I've personally done it myself 3x. You MUST go into an AT&T store though! They basically just renew the contract on the upgrade line. You sign the agreement. Once that's done, the rep will just add the the new iPhone's IMEI and data plan to whatever line you want. They won't even touch the upgrade line so you will not have to worry about a prorated iPhone Data plan. You will still have to pay for the upgrade fee of $18 though.

I have 6 lines :D

I will probably go Sat or Sun. If there is no lines Fri afternoon, I will do it then. I really think this year won't even be that bad since its a "minor" upgrade to everyone:p
 
I think this is like the same question I have.

I'm switching to ATT (never used it before) when the new Iphone comes out. We're getting the family plan. 4 Lines. Three lines will have the Iphone and use it. But the 4th line doesn't want to use the Iphone.

My mom still wants to get an Iphone for the 4th line so she can give it to a relative who wants it. We will keep the 4th line but just use an old phone.

What would we need to do to cancel the Iphone plan on that line and be able to keep it? Does ATT not care just as long as we keep that line?
 
I went to the store today, and I talked with a sales rep,and he said it was in fact possible. I'm not sure if I made the fact I didn't want data on the line what was ready for an upgrade 100% clear, but he seemed to understand. I'll be checking with another store near my before launch day so I'm positive, but things are looking good!
 
I thought you couldn't cancel the data plan. I thought that was part of the 2 year agreement...
 
I went to my local AT&T store today and asked the question and he seemed to instantly know the "loophole" I was talking about and he assured me this would be perfectly fine. I even pre-ordered the 32gb for the $299 price. I got his card, and he said he would be there at the launch and for me to just go up to him and remind him of what I am doing.

So I'm pretty sure everything will be perfect for us.
 
Also, the way he described it to me made it sound like he wouldn't even mess with the phone on the second line you want to use the upgrade with. He made it sound like he would just use that line to renew the contract with and purchase the phone at the discounted price and then just activate it with the line you actually want it to be on. They just use the second line to buy the phone.
 
iranintoavan, my dad has the 2G iPhone and he gets the upgrade but doesnt want it so imma take it.

So your saying that i can preorder the iphone using the upgrade line, then take the phone to att and they will swaps the phones?
 
iranintoavan said:
I have the 3G (got it on launch date) and want to upgrade to the 3GS. I have already checked all the threads and stuff and I am eligible for the "early upgrade of $399 - $499.

My question is, I am on a family plan with my mom and dad. Both of my parents have old normal phones and don't care about upgrading at all. I checked and they are both eligible to upgrade to the 3GS at $199 - $299.

Is it possible to use one of their upgrades and just swap our SIM cards after we leave the AT&T store? Obviously I want to keep my number and have everything else the same, but does anyone with experience know if I can utilize the upgrade that both of my parents have?
Click to expand...

omg, yes this is possible. It will take forever with ATT on the phone or in the store, so be prepared, but yes you can do this.
 
zap2 said:
I think it's quite possible(have an iPhone activated on another line), but the issue would be your parents signed up for data(when they bought the iPhone), so the ideal goal(as I'm in a spot similar) would be can you get around that? Or at least be able to cancel the data in a month or two(once At&t sees they are on a normal phone again..still cost you 30/60 bucks, buts it's better then 399/499)

Anyone who knows for sure could answer that for you(and me)...but I'll be going to an AT&T store tomorrow to ask around
Click to expand...

The data plan is not part of the contract, so all you have to do is call ATT and have them do the number switcheroo and then they will still only see you iphone
 
uanuglyfool said:
iranintoavan, my dad has the 2G iPhone and he gets the upgrade but doesnt want it so imma take it.

So your saying that i can preorder the iphone using the upgrade line, then take the phone to att and they will swaps the phones?
Click to expand...

yes. i would just recommend buying the preorder through your corp store and do it all at once so there are no complications but i doubt there will be either way. good luck!
 
I believe this can be done, but what I can't figure out, is how to get my application data to the new phone.

I want to use my son's upgrade, then give him my 3G and take the 3GS.

But I have a lot of important APP data on my current 3G that I will want on my new 3GS.

Not sure how to handle that within iTunes really.
 
iranintoavan said:
I have the 3G (got it on launch date) and want to upgrade to the 3GS. I have already checked all the threads and stuff and I am eligible for the "early upgrade of $399 - $499.

My question is, I am on a family plan with my mom and dad. Both of my parents have old normal phones and don't care about upgrading at all. I checked and they are both eligible to upgrade to the 3GS at $199 - $299.

Is it possible to use one of their upgrades and just swap our SIM cards after we leave the AT&T store? Obviously I want to keep my number and have everything else the same, but does anyone with experience know if I can utilize the upgrade that both of my parents have?
Click to expand...
You MUST have the rep switch the SIMs and fix the account back or the other line will also be charged the $30 data package. Just tell the rep you want to do an upgrade swap and they will understand what your telling them.
Rat-Boy said:
I believe this can be done, but what I can't figure out, is how to get my application data to the new phone.

I want to use my son's upgrade, then give him my 3G and take the 3GS.

But I have a lot of important APP data on my current 3G that I will want on my new 3GS.

Not sure how to handle that within iTunes really.
Click to expand...
When you connect your iPhone 3GS to iTunes it will ask you if you want to restore from a back up. Pick the most recent back up that you did. I recommend synching your 3G before you set up your 3GS.
 
So I'm planning on doing the whole "loophole" thing as well.

However, I was under the impression that if I just had my 3GS shipped to me, that I could swap out the SIM cards between my mom's non-iPhone that I'm using to get the upgrade, and my 3G SIM card.

So is that not the case? I have to actually take it into an ATT store to get activated rather than doing it via iTunes?
 
Okay so here's a twist on this same question. Let's say that you have a 3G phone and your spouse who has an old dumb phone wants it.

Can I get a 3GS on launch day for my wife (who is eligible upgrade) and simply swap the SIM cards between the two phones with NO INTERVENTION from AT&T so that I wind up with the 3GS with my old SIM card and my wife has my old 3G phone also with an iPhone plan?

I'm asking because my iPhone is a corporate line and it's going to be murder trying to get them to do anything with it.
 
Oh another thing I forgot to mention. I am authorized to make changes to the AT&T account so I can do everything all on my own. When he noticed this, he even told me that I don't need to have my parents there, or even bring their phone. So obviously they aren't even going to mess with the other line, other than purchasing the phone on it. I will make sure before anything happens that it is 100% crystal clear what I want. It should work out fine though.\


dwd3885 said:
omg, yes this is possible. It will take forever with ATT on the phone or in the store, so be prepared, but yes you can do this.
Click to expand...


Well, I was there for hours last year with the whole activation fiasco, so I'm prepared :rolleyes:
 
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