AT&T/Verizon/Apple have extra nano SIM's laying around for cross upgrades?

[Agent OrangeZ]

Scenario.

I am line 1. Using Line #3's upgrade.

Order on Apple.com

Apple ships iPhone with pre-installed nano SIM.

SIM will only activate on Line#3's phone number.

Need a new nano SIM for Line #1

Will the carriers (or Apple) have spare nano SIMs lying around on Day 1?

 

[zachnelson]

Scenario.

I am line 1. Using Line #3's upgrade.

Order on Apple.com

Apple ships iPhone with pre-installed nano SIM.

SIM will only activate on Line#3's phone number.

Need a new nano SIM for Line #1

Will the carriers (or Apple) have spare nano SIMs lying around on Day 1?

Speaking in regard to LTE only, can't LTE sims be flashed on the phone?

I understand for GSM (3G) on AT&T you'd need a new sim for that, but what about on Verizon?

 

[iBreatheApple]

Hopefully as I am in the same boat as you. European companies have already begun receiving shipments of them.

Worst case scenario, you can just get a micro SIM from them and cut it down until they receive more.

 

[Agent OrangeZ]

any AT&T employees wanna chime in?

 

[tbayrgs]

Scenario.

I am line 1. Using Line #3's upgrade.

Order on Apple.com

Apple ships iPhone with pre-installed nano SIM.

SIM will only activate on Line#3's phone number.

Need a new nano SIM for Line #1

Will the carriers (or Apple) have spare nano SIMs lying around on Day 1?

Why not just contact your carrier (AT&T?) and have them make the switch for you? From what I've read the past few days, easiest method is to stop in one of their stores with both lines and they'll take care of it for you, no new sim needed. If thats not possible, likely can do it over the phone. Doesn't matter to them what line your using it on since you've committed to two more years.

 

[ahfu25]

Scenario.

I am line 1. Using Line #3's upgrade.

Order on Apple.com

Apple ships iPhone with pre-installed nano SIM.

SIM will only activate on Line#3's phone number.

Need a new nano SIM for Line #1

Will the carriers (or Apple) have spare nano SIMs lying around on Day 1?

I would say yes. They need to have sims just in case your nano sim gets fried on the first day. Only option they would have is to swap iPhones if they didn't carry extra nano sims. You should be fine...I hope so because I'm doing the same...using my moms dumb phone upgrade...lol

 

[brandct]

This has been my question for a little while. I hope that they have extras laying around so that I can transfer the phone to my number.

 

[jeffm5690]

Cross-Upgrades

I was told by ATT today to order it under my wife's upgrade, then activate through iTunes but do so as my line not hers. They said the system will recognize it and it will go through without a visit to the store or a call. I have a bad feeling that it is not that simple...

 

[brandct]

I was told by ATT today to order it under my wife's upgrade, then activate through iTunes but do so as my line not hers. They said the system will recognize it and it will go through without a visit to the store or a call. I have a bad feeling that it is not that simple...

When I ordered my iPhone 4 there were a few of us together when we got them(on Verizon so no experience with AT&T) as soon as we plugged them into the computer to activate them the numbers popped up for each phone and two of them were on the same account.

 

[jtp098]

I am in the same boat. I called this morning and they told me to just swap out the sim... but obviously now that it will be different this is not a option.

I am going to grab dinner and get on the phone again and see if they change there story. I can see it being a pain in the butt running around to stores to get a nano sim. I will also ask when they will start selling the nano sim alone...



To add they did give me my family messaging free for 6 months cause of my trouble this morning

 

[jtp098]

Ok. Just got off the phone.


The kind lady said that it is not set in stone but more general information. They the nano Sim will start coming into stores as soon as the iPhone starts shipping.


So hopefully by next wednesday they should be in stock! I will definitely be calling my local stores to get one before launch to avoid the lines.


Hope that helps. I am sure they will publish something about it soon.

 

[REDTAZ]

Ok. Just got off the phone.


The kind lady said that it is not set in stone but more general information. They the nano Sim will start coming into stores as soon as the iPhone starts shipping.


So hopefully by next wednesday they should be in stock! I will definitely be calling my local stores to get one before launch to avoid the lines.


Hope that helps. I am sure they will publish something about it soon.

Does this mean that I can go pick up a nano-sim card before the iPhone arrives so i wont run into this issue? I'll be using my mom's upgrade and having the phone delivered to me in college so need to make this is as smooth as a transition as possible without interrupting her service.

 

[jtp098]

This is what I am hoping to do next Wednesday. But I would call the store first to see if they have them in stock

 

[iBreatheApple]

They will have them. I spoke with AT&T yesterday.

 

[REDTAZ]

They will have them. I spoke with AT&T yesterday.

Any word on if Verizon will have them?

 

[swindmill]

ATT question: Does it matter if the two lines are on the same plan? My girlfriend is eligible, but has no interest in upgrading now. Can she purchase the iPhone 5 and give it to me? We are on totally unrelated accounts.

 

[iBreatheApple]

Any word on if Verizon will have them?

No but I see absolutely no reason why AT&T would receive shipments and Verizon would not. They know people will be using upgrade swaps.

 

[bitslap47]

I was told by ATT today to order it under my wife's upgrade, then activate through iTunes but do so as my line not hers. They said the system will recognize it and it will go through without a visit to the store or a call. I have a bad feeling that it is not that simple...

^
This is what I remember doing for the iPhone 4, however their official policy is to call them first.

AT&T has a support page dedicated to this specific issue: http://www.att.com/esupport/iphoneupgradesupport.jsp?source=ECSAFBFAC00D1000S

 

[GraphicsGeek]

Unfortunately, every one of you are wrong. Normally, you could just swap the SIM cards and be done with it. But since the new iPhone 5 has a nano SIM, you will need to take both phones into ATT and have them do the swap in their computers. OR call ATT from a line thats not involved in the swap and they can do it over the phone. But whatever you do, DO NOT ACTIVATE IT THROUGH ITUNES OR ON THE IPHONE FIRST! When talking to an ATT rep, mention "cross activation" and they should know what to do. This is a pretty common practice and there are many threads on this already.

 

[bitslap47]

Unfortunately, every one of you are wrong. Normally, you could just swap the SIM cards and be done with it. But since the new iPhone 5 has a nano SIM, you will need to take both phones into ATT and have them do the swap in their computers. OR call ATT from a line thats not involved in the swap and they can do it over the phone. But whatever you do, DO NOT ACTIVATE IT THROUGH ITUNES OR ON THE IPHONE FIRST! When talking to an ATT rep, mention "cross activation" and they should know what to do. This is a pretty common practice and there are many threads on this already.

I'm pretty sure the official policy I pointed to is correct... considering it is AT&T who made the policy.

 

[bitslap47]

I just called my local AT&T store and they said they should have the nano sims by Wednesday.

I'm going to pick a few up because I know two things:

1) No way the stores will want to deal with your cross upgrade on launch day.

2) No way will you get through to CS on launch day without being on hold for a really long time and disconnected several times

So I will just pop in a fresh sim, connect to itunes,and pick the number I want to activate against.

I'll grab a few extra in case something horks. If I don't need them I'll hand them out on a street corner or something :-D

 

[dontwalkhand]

Speaking in regard to LTE only, can't LTE sims be flashed on the phone?

I understand for GSM (3G) on AT&T you'd need a new sim for that, but what about on Verizon?

I've answered this question hundreds if not thousands of times. LTE SIMs behave like GSM ones do, they also play a role in activating CDMA. So no

 

[WesCole]

I just called my local AT&T store and they said they should have the nano sims by Wednesday.

I'm going to pick a few up because I know two things:

1) No way the stores will want to deal with your cross upgrade on launch day.

2) No way will you get through to CS on launch day without being on hold for a really long time and disconnected several times

So I will just pop in a fresh sim, connect to itunes,and pick the number I want to activate against.

I'll grab a few extra in case something horks. If I don't need them I'll hand them out on a street corner or something :-D

Does this work? I have never done a "cross upgrade" before, but am this time. I was told to just call in before I turn the phone on and they can do it over the phone pretty quickly. But, if this works, it might be easier than calling AT&T.

 

[GraphicsGeek]

I just called my local AT&T store and they said they should have the nano sims by Wednesday.

I'm going to pick a few up because I know two things:

1) No way the stores will want to deal with your cross upgrade on launch day.

2) No way will you get through to CS on launch day without being on hold for a really long time and disconnected several times

So I will just pop in a fresh sim, connect to itunes,and pick the number I want to activate against.

I'll grab a few extra in case something horks. If I don't need them I'll hand them out on a street corner or something :-D

I dont see how you think this is going to work. The SIM cards need to be assigned a number. Only ATT customer service can do this. If you had them do it on the day you buy them then you wouldnt have service until the iP5 comes in because it uses a nano SIM and your current phone does not. So you would need an adapter if you wanted service for those couple of days. Once a SIM gets assigned a number, it deactivates the other SIM. Calling into ATT or going into the store will not be a hassle because 1) most people who preordered it, just upgraded an eligible line which can be activated without calling or seeing an ATT rep. 2) it doesnt matter if the ATT rep wants to do it or not. Its their job. So they will do it.

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I'm pretty sure the official policy I pointed to is correct... considering it is AT&T who made the policy.

I dont care what their official policy is. Im just saying what ATT reps tell me is the easiest thing to do. Its easier for them to switch over an unactivated phone than an activated one. The rep I spoke to last week called it a cross activation and specifically told me not to activate it first.

 

[bitslap47]

I dont see how you think this is going to work. The SIM cards need to be assigned a number. Only ATT customer service can do this. If you had them do it on the day you buy them then you wouldnt have service until the iP5 comes in because it uses a nano SIM and your current phone does not. So you would need an adapter if you wanted service for those couple of days. Once a SIM gets assigned a number, it deactivates the other SIM. Calling into ATT or going into the store will not be a hassle because 1) most people who preordered it, just upgraded an eligible line which can be activated without calling or seeing an ATT rep. 2) it doesnt matter if the ATT rep wants to do it or not. Its their job. So they will do it.

I've done this before. When the SIM isn't associated with a number, i.e. a virgin sim, and you plug the phone into itunes with a virgin sim installed, it allows you to type in the number to activate to. iTunes/Apple contacts the ATT servers and does the same thing CS will do but via the back end web services and systems.

If the SIM is already associated, you have to call CS to get it swapped, hence the need for a phone call. I confirmed with a local store that a virigin SIM should still work this way. We will know come Friday... but this is why I think it will work. It has before. It could have changed so YMMV.

As a side note it may not work for carriers other than ATT as well.

Also, I have tried calling into ATT on launch day before which is why I used this method for iPhone 4... it is near impossible.

In the past, i.e. iPhone 3G, I was asked to come back the following day because it was launch day. It is at the store staff's discretion. You can't force them to do it that day... they will just kick you out of the store if you cause a scene or get adamant they assist you.