Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

AT&T won't let me share upgrade

wickedwahine11

wickedwahine11

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 2, 2013
292
69
About a couple of months ago my mom needed a new phone. We currently have a four line plan with AT&T and so since she was not upgrade eligible until this month, I gave her my line upgrade and she got an iPhone 5C.

Her line is now eligible for the upgrade and so I was planning on getting a 6 for myself using her upgrade. ATT is now claiming that her line is not share upgrade eligible (what the hell?) and saying that only she can buy the phone and use it for her line.

I have been on hold forever waiting to speak with a supervisor. But if all else fails and they will not let my line buy the phone, and hers has to, can someone please tell me what we do?

Are the SIM cards the same on the 6, 5C and 5? So we could buy the phone under her plan and then just swap the sim cards to give me the 6 (using my line's SIM from the 5 and she just keeps her current 5C)?

Also, if we order the phone under her eligibility as a preorder, will that screw with her current phone's service?

Sorry for the stupid questions but I've never had a problem upgrading a line before, whether it was mine or one shared from another account. :(
 
If I'm not mistaken you can order under her line, and when you receive the phone just swap the sim before turning it on.
 
Cpnyc88 said:
If I'm not mistaken you can order under her line, and when you receive the phone just swap the sim before turning it on.
Click to expand...
This. They both use Nano-SIMs so just buy using your mom's line and replace the included SIM with yours.
 
When I go to the upgrade page on AT&T I can actually do a cross-upgrade right there. It gives me the option to pick another line that is upgrade eligible and use that upgrade. I have non iPhone and iPhone lines and all appear to be able to be swapped in.
 
I've done cross upgrades all the time. Every year, in fact. Usually directly in the Apple Store when I get my device, but a couple of times in an AT&T store as well.

(edit: all the lines are on the same account, if that matters)
 
Brandon083 said:
When I go to the upgrade page on AT&T I can actually do a cross-upgrade right there. It gives me the option to pick another line that is upgrade eligible and use that upgrade. I have non iPhone and iPhone lines and all appear to be able to be swapped in.
Click to expand...

Sigh, you are lucky. I've been on hold forever with this guy trying to do that and it is not appearing apparently because her is not "share upgrade eligible" whatever the heck that means.

Thanks folks who said I can just order it under her line. Looks like I may have to do so and then have them trade the SIMS.

So if I get it at the Apple store (hoping to do preorder tonight and pick it up in store since I am going out of town for two weeks and can't be home for a shipment delivery) do I want to do that before I turn it on?

Sorry for the newbie questions but I actually have never even swapped a SIM before.

----------
eoblaed said:
I've done cross upgrades all the time. Every year, in fact. Usually directly in the Apple Store when I get my device, but a couple of times in an AT&T store as well.

(edit: all the lines are on the same account, if that matters)
Click to expand...

So are mine...that is why I don't understand why they are claiming now that I can't do that. Still waiting on hold for a supervisor, and hoping they can straighten it out.
 
$%^&&%! Now they are saying I can't upgrade at all until 9/21, even though the *639# says I am eligible on my mom's line, the AT&T website says I am, and Apple says so as well on their check eligibility page.
 
Well after 40 minutes on hold, I got disconnected before the supervisor came on. Sigh. The second person I spoke with said yes, the one line is eligible today and yes, my line can share it. Good news (though where that other guy was getting his info I have no idea).

Bad news is that I can't preorder from ATT and pick it up in store according to this guy. I don't' think I can preorder from Apple doing a line swap (though I will probably try). So since I'm out of town on the 19th and can't get delivery, looks like I'm looking for a local ATT or Apple store to wait in line at -- if Apple can handle my line swap I'm opting for them.

I swear, I know these people have tremendous call volume right now, but how I can get two totally different answers from people at the same company makes no sense to me.
 
I've done an upgrade swap every other year. My parents don't care about the latest and greatest tech, so I use one of their upgrades, and they get my old phone. :D I've never had an issue, so this AT&T rep sounds ridiculous. Every time I've done this, I just had to get a new SIM for the other line and put my SIM in the new iPhone. I also went into the store to ask if this is still okay considering I haven't done it since the Next plan was introduced (my line was eligible last year). They said it's perfectly fine. Good luck!

----------
wickedwahine11 said:
Bad news is that I can't preorder from ATT and pick it up in store according to this guy. I don't' think I can preorder from Apple doing a line swap (though I will probably try). So since I'm out of town on the 19th and can't get delivery, looks like I'm looking for a local ATT or Apple store to wait in line at -- if Apple can handle my line swap I'm opting for them.
Click to expand...

I've preordered through Apple doing an upgrade swap for both in-store pick up and delivery. AT&T reps were at the store to help me when I got it there. Just had to run to the AT&T after delivery to get it fixed there. I just pre-ordered on the upgrade eligible line.

Some people are saying you can just switch the SIM before you turn the phone on and activate it. It's been long enough that I can't remember if that will work. Either way, you can definitely preorder.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back