Activate iPhone with a different phone number?

[Mikel30]

I wanted to get an iPhone 4, but didn't want to extend my contract another 2 years by using the subsidized price. My brother (on a different AT&T account) has no problem with AT&T and was eligible for an upgrade, so he ordered the iPhone and gave it to me. I went to AT&T and got a microSIM for my account to put into the new iPhone. But it's not working.

I called AT&T to activate the new microSIM, which immediately deactivated my current phone. The new iPhone still flashed "connect to iTunes", and when I did so, it told me there was a problem with the SIM card.

I found a guide that says I'm supposed to activate the iPhone initially using the original number (my brother's) and then swap in the new SIM card. But since my old phone deactivated when I "activated" my new SIM card, wouldn't the same thing happen to him? I'm getting desperate because I currently have no phone and don't know how to set it up.

Thanks!

 

[ToroidalZeus]

to activate the actual iphone, you need to use the sim that came with the iPhone

 

[baller1308]

You can always reactivate your other phone.

 

[Mikel30]

to activate the actual iphone, you need to use the sim that came with the iPhone

That SIM is linked to my brother's account. So if I activate it, won't his current SIM and phone then deactivate?

You can always reactivate your other phone.

Through iTunes? Does that charge another "activation fee"? Will the data on his current iPhone 3GS be erased?

Sorry for all the questions. I just don't want his phone to end up unusable as well.

 

[EnterTheSwamp]

I had the same issue and I activated through Itunes using the original micro sim eligible for the upgrade, but then I couldn't switch it to the number that I wanted. I just went to AT&T and told them what I wanted and they gave me a new sim card with my number. No charge.

Yes it will deactivate your brothers account. You will need to take both phones to ATT for new sims. At least that is what I did.

 

[Mikel30]

I had the same issue and I activated through Itunes using the original micro sim eligible for the upgrade, but then I couldn't switch it to the number that I wanted. I just went to AT&T and told them what I wanted and they gave me a new sim card with my number. No charge.

When you activated it using the original microSIM installed in the iPhone (which sounds like was linked to someone else's number), did their phone deactivate?

When you went into the AT&T store, did you have to bring both phones?

Edit: Oops, must have missed the second part. Thanks

 

[ToroidalZeus]

That SIM is linked to my brother's account. So if I activate it, won't his current SIM and phone then deactivate

After you activate the iPhone with the sim it came with, you should get a screen saying something like 'waiting for activation, this may take a while' regarding the service activation. Popout the sim as soon as the phone is activated i.e. at that screen and put your sim in.

That's what I did and it didn't port the number of the old sim over.