Buy iPhone5 from Apple Store without Activating There?

[madman555]

Hi, so my girlfriend's phone is part of my family plan and she is eligible for an upgrade. I wanted to go to the Apple store and get the iPhone5 for her while she was at work. Will Apple let me purchase the phone and use her upgrade WITHOUT activating the new phone in the store? I want her to be able to use her current phone while she's at work.

I think I tried asking the Apple store if that was possible a couple of years ago and they said no. Just wondering if that has changed. Thanks!

 

[Lindsford]

Hi, so my girlfriend's phone is part of my family plan and she is eligible for an upgrade. I wanted to go to the Apple store and get the iPhone5 for her while she was at work. Will Apple let me purchase the phone and use her upgrade WITHOUT activating the new phone in the store? I want her to be able to use her current phone while she's at work.

I think I tried asking the Apple store if that was possible a couple of years ago and they said no. Just wondering if that has changed. Thanks!

I did this for the 4 and it had to be activated in the store, had to run and give it to her on her lunch break

 

[eastercat]

If you're getting the phone on launch day, activation may be delayed anyway. Loan her your phone for the day, if you're that concerned.

 

[Ohsnaps!itsjeff]

Ha! iPhone 4 launch I purchased 4 of them and upgraded 4 lines for my family members. The following two hours after purchase I spent delivering phones because they had to be activated in the store.

 

[GrandPhrase]

Even if you're buying it off contract at a full retail price of 650 or whatever, you still have to have it activated at the store?

 

[davariable]

Even if you're buying it off contract at a full retail price of 650 or whatever, you still have to have it activated at the store?

I didn't last year when I bought three 4ses. I was able to walk out of the store with no account attached to any of the phones.

 

[madman555]

I didn't last year when I bought three 4ses. I was able to walk out of the store with no account attached to any of the phones.

I asked them if I could do that at the Apple store this morning and they said no. So I didn't try.

 

[kimberlyd.]

Apple allowed me to purchase and unbox at home, although he said they would prefer to set up in store to ensure everything is ok with the phone. They did however, have to associate the phone with me because I was using my upgrade. So I was unable to make calls on my 4 on the way home.

 

[davariable]

I asked them if I could do that at the Apple store this morning and they said no. So I didn't try.

Perhaps, the people who did it last year got lucky with Apple Specialists or they have changed their policy. I do think it helped that I got the phones by making firm requests of things I know I was allowed to do--activate a non-contract phone at home--and when the specialist asked if for account info, I said I was buying the other two for family members whose account information I didn't have. He called a manager over, and he said they're allowed to do that for off-contract phones. He then just filled in the account information with all '9's. Since I was buying them full-price, they didn't seem to care.