Buy now, activate later - different question

[mkstewartesq@co]

I want to get my daughter an iPhone 6 for Christmas, but I want it to be a surprise Christmas day - meaning I don’t want to buy it in a store and activate it there, as doing so will deactivate her current phone (and give away the surprise.).

It will be an upgrade to her existing line, so I won't be paying full price and I know that, if I bought in a store, the sales person would most likely require activation at that time. If I buy it through Apple.com (just like I get my own phones on launch day when I upgrade), can I just leave it in the box and not turn it on until she opens it Christmas day, and her current phone will continue to operate as normal until she opens the new phone? Or is there some sort of time limit, where AT&T will, in effect, say “look, you’ve had the new phone for a couple of weeks - activate it now.”

Given the constrained availability, I’d rather go ahead and order it sooner rather than later to make sure I have it by Christmas. If that means getting it and keeping it hidden in a closet for a few weeks, that’s what I’d prefer to do.

Thanks,
M

 

[noobinator]

Order online and activate it whenever you'd like. I'm not aware of any loss of functionality in her current phone until she activates this new one and there is no limit on how long you can let a phone sit un-activated.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Sort of on this topic...

Does your 1 year warranty on an iPhone start when it's purchased or activated?

 

[goknicks]

just don't turn it on! I've had my boss' 6 Plus since Oct. 6 (thru Apple.com)and it's still in the box. Just checked for any scratches and bends. He's still on his 5s.

however, not sure how long (if at all) AT&T will notify us that the 6Plus needs to be activated...

 

[sillywabbit]

Order through apple website for shipping to your home.

Calculate the shipment to arrive at least 1 week before Christmas.

 

[mkstewartesq@co]

Thank you all.

Sort of on this topic...

Does your 1 year warranty on an iPhone start when it's purchased or activated?

My understanding is that it starts when purchased - with my 6 Plus, Apple told me it was considered purchased the day the shipment arrived at my door (as opposed to when I opened the box, if later. I was asking in connection with warranty, time limit after "purchase" for buying Applecare, etc.)

M

 

[turbineseaplane]

Thank you all.



My understanding is that it starts when purchased - with my 6 Plus, Apple told me it was considered purchased the day the shipment arrived at my door (as opposed to when I opened the box, if later. I was asking in connection with warranty, time limit after "purchase" for buying Applecare, etc.)

M

That's frustrating.
Really should be when you activate it I think

 

[Rayy42]

Since I work for a major wireless carrier what we do in that case is sell out the new phone as an upgrade, write down their old phone's ESN number and SIM card number, then once the new phone is sold out on the account on the upgradable line, but the old device back on there. Then whenever you need the new phone put on the account, call customer service and have them do the switch or go into a retail store. Just my two cents! Good luck.

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Since I work for a major wireless carrier what we do in that case is sell out the new phone as an upgrade, write down their old phone's ESN number and SIM card number, then once the new phone is sold out on the account on the upgradable line, but the old device back on there. Then whenever you need the new phone put on the account, call customer service and have them do the switch or go into a retail store. Just my two cents! Good luck.

Put the old device back on there****