Apple Store or AT&T Store?

[randomusername]

At the moment, all of the AT&T stores around me are sold out of iPhone 3Gs. But soon, I will be traveling to an Apple Store, which is in stock. But there are some questions I need answered about using an Apple Store that is, while in the same state, far from my home.

1. Being that store is out of area, will I be able to set up the phone using my current number?

2. I am not upgrade eligible and I am using an upgrade from someone else on my family plan. Will they have the information to set up the phone without doing anything my line or the other person's line?

 

[Nde]

I have similar question (but not exacly), I end up calling the ATT store and they explain everything to me. It would be best if you call an ATT person vs waiting here for a reply that may or may not even work.

But from what I know, the Apple store bascially take your information and sell you the phone. Whereas the ATT store, they will answer and/or resolve any question you might have with your account (new or existing.)

For me, the ATT person ask me to get the iphone from Apple and take it to their store to have it activated. Kinda cool, if you ask me. My local ATT sold out of iphones.

Good luck.

 

[TEG]

Regardless of where you buy the phone, if it is to be replaced, it will be replaced with a "replacement phone" as the retail phones have all the extra accessories that you already have. The replacement phones don't need to be activated, you just slide your SIM in and it will work. Replacement phones are a random mix of refurbished phones (either from returns or new ones that did not pass inspections) and new phones.

TEG