Activating Microsim in Another Person's Order?

[mitchellh]

While I've sat out for the iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS, I was unable to get my hands on a launch-day iPhone 4 this year due to work scheduling. I was able to sell my own iPhone 3GS and purchase an iPhone 4 on eBay (yeah yeah). Well, its coming tomorrow morning and it just hit me that I have a SIM card and it has a (blank, I know, I did some searching) Micro-SIM card.

Will I be able to just plug it into iTunes and activate on my account? Or will I have to actually call or go to AT&T to discuss this with them?

I don't want to accidentally activate the eBay purchaser's account, since the box is still sealed.

Sorry if this has been answered before. I've found questions regarding iPhone purchases based on other lines but not one like this. Thanks!

 

[aneftp]

While I've sat out for the iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS, I was unable to get my hands on a launch-day iPhone 4 this year due to work scheduling. I was able to sell my own iPhone 3GS and purchase an iPhone 4 on eBay (yeah yeah). Well, its coming tomorrow morning and it just hit me that I have a SIM card and it has a (blank, I know, I did some searching) Micro-SIM card.

Will I be able to just plug it into iTunes and activate on my account? Or will I have to actually call or go to AT&T to discuss this with them?

I don't want to accidentally activate the eBay purchaser's account, since the box is still sealed.

Sorry if this has been answered before. I've found questions regarding iPhone purchases based on other lines but not one like this. Thanks!

If the iPhone 4 is sealed, the microSIM included in the iPhone 4 is "unactivated" Simply pop out the microSIM, copy down the SIM numbers. Call your local cell phone carrier (ATT in the USA) and they will "activate" the microSIM for you. Don't use iTunes to activate. Call ATT first with microSIM number.

I just did this myself. I ordered on my sister's upgrade. She lives in Maryland. I live in Florida. iPhone 4 box shipped to my house in Florida (sealed). I popped the microSIM out, read the SIM number to ATT rep and they activated it on my line.

So don't activate via iTunes. Call ATT (or your local carrier first).

 

[mitchellh]

I just did this myself. I ordered on my sister's upgrade. She lives in Maryland. I live in Florida. iPhone 4 box shipped to my house in Florida (sealed). I popped the microSIM out, read the SIM number to ATT rep and they activated it on my line.

So don't activate via iTunes. Call ATT (or your local carrier first).

Thank you! I knew I'd get a straight answer. I think I'll call AT&T first, and if I'm having trouble getting through I'll just head to the local store which is down the street.

 

[hexproject]

How about the 2 year contract?

So U used your sister's upgrade on your line. But what about her line? Wouldn't she have to pay for 2 year for data and your line as well?..

So if my sister has an old 1st gen iPhone which she has an upgrade. I can use her upgrade on the iphone and activate using my line?
Then her iphone plan would just still be the old price?

 

[mitchellh]

So U used your sister's upgrade on your line. But what about her line? Wouldn't she have to pay for 2 year for data and your line as well?..

So if my sister has an old 1st gen iPhone which she has an upgrade. I can use her upgrade on the iphone and activate using my line?
Then her iphone plan would just still be the old price?

No, if you read my post, I say that I did not use my own family's line, though I knew I could.

But, to answer your question, you can use her upgrade and activate it on your line. The general way it works is you buy it using her upgrade, then take it in to AT&T (or if you're already in AT&T just do it there) and they'll do some swaps to get you the phone.

Read the iPhone upgrade guide that MacRumors did for a way better explanation (just search for it, I don't have the link handy).

 

[aneftp]

So U used your sister's upgrade on your line. But what about her line? Wouldn't she have to pay for 2 year for data and your line as well?..

So if my sister has an old 1st gen iPhone which she has an upgrade. I can use her upgrade on the iphone and activate using my line?
Then her iphone plan would just still be the old price?

I am the main account holder. I pay for my sister's line as an add on (since she's not into cell phones and doesn't care about phones). I just gave her my 32GB iPhone 3GS that's practically in mint condition and she loves it. I had previously given her my iPhone 3G so she's always a generation behind. But she doesn't mind.

Yes, call ATT up with the MicroSIM. I had actually shipped my sister anothe unactivated ATT miniSIM since I thought if I had activated the microSIM with her upgrade it would deactivate her current mini SIM. But she didn't need to do anything (she lives in a different state than me) and this didn't affect her data plan with me using her upgrade (she's already on the $30 unlimited iphone data plan so that's a mute point).

Simply call ATT up once you receive the iPhone. Give them the MicroSIM number to add to the line you want to use the iphone 4.

The reason I say this is to save yourself $15 for the microSIM. Once a microSIM has been activated, ATT will probably charge you $15 for another mciroSIM. They still give out miniSIM's for free but the ATT Rep told me I would have to pay $15 for the microSIM if it had been activated via iTunes under my sister's number first (it wasn't, it was unactivated).

To answer the other question. Data is only required as long as you are using the iPhone (or any other smartphone). ATT doesn't force a 2 year data plan (like Tmobile USA does when buying a subsidized phone). If you are not using the iPhone or any other smartphone, you can always cancel the data plan. And yes, it does add 2 years to my sister's line. It doesn't affect my line with using the "upgrade swap" method.