Buying ATT iPhone at apple store without activating

[MacDadd3]

Morning guys, quick question,

I'm with T-mobile and my brother is with ATT, he has an upgrade available, I dont.

If we go to an apple store and purchase an iPhone 5s under his account but we dont open it/activate it with his account, will I be able to put in my T-mobile sim and lock it to T-Mobile?

With my old iPhone 5 I noticed that when I got it from the apple store and put in my sim it asked me whether I wanted to lock it to the particular carrier.

Thanks I tried searching and didnt come up with a good conclusion.

 

[lloose]

They are required to activate it in the store. If you use his upgrade, it will be on his account to the AT&T store. The only way around it is when (if) an unlock method comes around.

 

[MacDadd3]

Thanks Lloose, I appreciate your help. I would not want to risk paying one of those unlock methods online.

 

[Idefix]

Your brother is already with ATT--is he going to stay with ATT?

When you buy a subsidized phone, the new phone is activated and the old phone is deactivated. The new phone is then locked to ATT.

 

[Applejuiced]

Morning guys, quick question,

I'm with T-mobile and my brother is with ATT, he has an upgrade available, I dont.

If we go to an apple store and purchase an iPhone 5s under his account but we dont open it/activate it with his account, will I be able to put in my T-mobile sim and lock it to T-Mobile?

With my old iPhone 5 I noticed that when I got it from the apple store and put in my sim it asked me whether I wanted to lock it to the particular carrier.

Thanks I tried searching and didnt come up with a good conclusion.

No. If you get it as an AT&T upgrade then it won't work with Tmobile.
It will qualify for an unlock after the 2 year contract has expired or if you pay around $100 for a 3rd party unlock.