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DetTigers

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 28, 2010
130
51
I currently have an iPhone 4 with AT&T. I added a line for my wife and pre-ordered the 4S. My wife will be perfectly happy with my 4 so I can take the 4S. Question- how do I go about activating her new line on my iPhone 4 and activate the 4S for me? Do I need to first activate the 4S for her line and then switch somehow?
 
I think you just activate the 4s on her line then swap sims. They'll know what phone you're using and since they're both essentially the same, things will be fine. I used to swap between a dumb and smart phone with AT&T depending upon what I was doing that day.
 
When you get the iPhone 4S, activate it normally.

Once activated, back-up your iPhone 4, then restore your iPhone 4S from that iPhone 4 back-up.

then just swap SIM cards and give your wife the iPhone 4.
 
When you get the iPhone 4S, activate it normally.

Once activated, back-up your iPhone 4, then restore your iPhone 4S from that iPhone 4 back-up.

then just swap SIM cards and give your wife the iPhone 4.

Ok thanks. So I'll plug the 4S in under my iTunes after activating it under my wife's itunes and it'll prompt me to restore? Or do I need to do it manually?
 
When you get the iPhone 4S, activate it normally.

Once activated, back-up your iPhone 4, then restore your iPhone 4S from that iPhone 4 back-up.

then just swap SIM cards and give your wife the iPhone 4.

Are you positively sure about this? I've seen conflicting reports that you have to call ATT and have them reassign the IMEI numbers...

I personally don't want to be on the phone with ATT on launch day, so it would be nice to know if I definitely can just swap sims.

Thanks!
 
What if you're swapping sim cards from a non-iphone and an iPhone 4S? I had to upgrade via another line, and my current Motorola Atrix takes regular sized SIM cards...do I just have to call AT&T or what?
 
Ok thanks. So I'll plug the 4S in under my iTunes after activating it under my wife's itunes and it'll prompt me to restore? Or do I need to do it manually?

You don't need iTunes anymore.

If you create an iCloud back-up of your iPhone 4 when iOS 5 is released on wednesday, then when you get the iPhone 4S, follow the on screen instructions, the phone will be activated during this process and then you will be prompted to sign in with your Apple ID, then just press restore from a back-up.

iOS5-screenshot003.jpg



Are you positively sure about this? I've seen conflicting reports that you have to call ATT and have them reassign the IMEI numbers...

If you check your profile on wireless.att.com, AT&T always knows what phone you are using (usually within 5 minutes of swapping SIM cards), their is no need to call AT&T to swap IMEI numbers, they already know you swapped phones.


What if you're swapping sim cards from a non-iphone and an iPhone 4S? I had to upgrade via another line, and my current Motorola Atrix takes regular sized SIM cards...do I just have to call AT&T or what?

You will need to go into an AT&T store and ask for a Micro SIM card, they usually don't ask why and its free.
 
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Does anyone mind if I slightly hijack this thread? no? ok.

I have a similar question. My mother is using her upgrade to get the iphone 4s, but having it delivered to me. When I get it, can I just put my iphone 4 sim into the 4s (before turning it on) then in a couple days, give my mother my iphone 4 and have her put the sim that came with the 4s in and activate it that way?

Thanks in advance!
 
You don't need iTunes anymore.

If you create an iCloud back-up of your iPhone 4 when iOS 5 is released on wednesday, then when you get the iPhone 4S, follow the on screen instructions, the phone will be activated during this process and then you will be prompted to sign in with your Apple ID, then just press restore from a back-up.

Image




If you check your profile on wireless.att.com, AT&T always knows what phone you are using (usually within 5 minutes of swapping SIM cards), their is no need to call AT&T to swap IMEI numbers, they already know you swapped phones.




You will need to go into an AT&T store and ask for a Micro SIM card, they usually don't ask why and its free.

Thank you! I didn't realize I could do that with iCloud...
 
You don't need iTunes anymore.

If you create an iCloud back-up of your iPhone 4 when iOS 5 is released on wednesday, then when you get the iPhone 4S, follow the on screen instructions, the phone will be activated during this process and then you will be prompted to sign in with your Apple ID, then just press restore from a back-up.

Image




If you check your profile on wireless.att.com, AT&T always knows what phone you are using (usually within 5 minutes of swapping SIM cards), their is no need to call AT&T to swap IMEI numbers, they already know you swapped phones.




You will need to go into an AT&T store and ask for a Micro SIM card, they usually don't ask why and its free.

So it's free then? Cool.
 
Does anyone mind if I slightly hijack this thread? no? ok.

I have a similar question. My mother is using her upgrade to get the iphone 4s, but having it delivered to me. When I get it, can I just put my iphone 4 sim into the 4s (before turning it on) then in a couple days, give my mother my iphone 4 and have her put the sim that came with the 4s in and activate it that way?

Thanks in advance!


I'm pretty sure that is the way to do it.

I have a current iphone4 and will give that to my wife(she has a 3gs) (we are on a family plan). I was going to take out my current sim and put that into my new iphone4s and restore it from backup to get my apps/date back. Then take the new blank sim from the 4s and put that into the iphone4 and activate that by restoring it from her 3gs backup.

Will that work?.
 
If you check your profile on wireless.att.com, AT&T always knows what phone you are using (usually within 5 minutes of swapping SIM cards), their is no need to call AT&T to swap IMEI numbers, they already know you swapped phones.




You will need to go into an AT&T store and ask for a Micro SIM card, they usually don't ask why and its free.[/QUOTE]





Not so sure about the AT&T site. I am currently not using my iPhone since I sold it a few days ago. I called AT&T to take off my iPhone data plan (I'm not giving them a penny these days 6, 7 days I'm not using data), and they made me give them the new IMEI. The website still says that i'm using an iPhone. My sim has been in this dumb phone for 3 days now. BUt regardless, not sure if that matters either way.
 
I'm pretty sure that is the way to do it.

I have a current iphone4 and will give that to my wife(she has a 3gs) (we are on a family plan). I was going to take out my current sim and put that into my new iphone4s and restore it from backup to get my apps/date back. Then take the new blank sim from the 4s and put that into the iphone4 and activate that by restoring it from her 3gs backup.

Will that work?.

I think you might have to activate the 4s with the new sim on your wife's number, THEN switch. But I'm not absolutely sure.

My plan is to call ATT when I get the phone, and if I can't get through in 5-10 minutes, go ahead and try it that way (activate new phone as it comes on my wife's line, then swap that sim with my sim in the iphone 4)
 
I think you might have to activate the 4s with the new sim on your wife's number, THEN switch. But I'm not absolutely sure.

My plan is to call ATT when I get the phone, and if I can't get through in 5-10 minutes, go ahead and try it that way (activate new phone as it comes on my wife's line, then swap that sim with my sim in the iphone 4)

This is what I was thinking that's why I asked. I just don't wanna have to call AT&T on launch day.
 
I wasn't eligible for an upgrade until December, so they (AT&T) told me I could order it on the wife's phone which was eligible for an upgrade and pick the $15.00 plan, I have the unlimited plan. When I get the 4S they said to call them (AT&T), and they would transfer it to mine with no change in existing plans, other than she now has to wait 2 Years to upgrade, but I could again in December. I'll save that for the i5.
 
I wasn't eligible for an upgrade until December, so they (AT&T) told me I could order it on the wife's phone which was eligible for an upgrade and pick the $15.00 plan, I have the unlimited plan. When I get the 4S they said to call them (AT&T), and they would transfer it to mine with no change in existing plans, other than she now has to wait 2 Years to upgrade, but I could again in December. I'll save that for the i5.

They definitely told me to call too. I'm just wondering if we HAVE to call, as it could be a huge pain on launch day!
 
They definitely told me to call too. I'm just wondering if we HAVE to call, as it could be a huge pain on launch day!

I really don't see why we would would have to call... All you should have to do is stick the old sim in the new phone before the new sim is activated.... at least that's how it SHOULD work...
 
I think you might have to activate the 4s with the new sim on your wife's number, THEN switch. But I'm not absolutely sure.

My plan is to call ATT when I get the phone, and if I can't get through in 5-10 minutes, go ahead and try it that way (activate new phone as it comes on my wife's line, then swap that sim with my sim in the iphone 4)

I wouldn't activate the 4s on her line as it's ordered for me using my phone number.
 
Just wondering if anyone had a similar situation and how the upgrade/number swap went. I won't get mine till I get home from work. I'm still wondering if I need to activate the 4S on her line first and then pop in my iPhone 4 SIM or just pop in my sim right away and do a restore. Then take the SIM that came with the 4S and put it into my 4 and activate her new line.
 
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