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

Can I add NEW out of the box ATT PREPAID iPhone 6 on POSTAID account ?

RetiredInFl

RetiredInFl

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 7, 2008
2,457
250
FORMERLY NJ now FL
Best Buy has a super deal on ATT 32GIG iPhone 6 PREPAID PHONE for $200. I want to get a new phone for my wife to replace her 5. Can I directly add that to our POSTPAID account or does it need to be on PREpaid first? It will be new and not yet activated. I know activated ones that have already been on PREPAID can but not sure about NIB ones.

I have been Googling this all over the place but I have yet to see a "for sure" answer. Everything I read refers to Android phones but not specifically an iPhone:D
 
With AT&T GoPhone, yeah you could just put your AT&T postpaid SIM card and it'll work. Seems like it even works with AT&T MVNOs (Cricket, H2O, etc).

Does your wife want the 4.7" iPhone 6 (A8/1GB RAM), though? Because Best Buy also the 4" iPhone SE (A9/2GB RAM - practically iPhone 6S innards in iPhone 5s chassis) for $150.
 
rui no onna said:
With AT&T GoPhone, yeah you could just put your AT&T postpaid SIM card and it'll work. Seems like it even works with AT&T MVNOs (Cricket, H2O, etc).

Does your wife want the 4.7" iPhone 6 (A8/1GB RAM), though? Because Best Buy also the 4" iPhone SE (A9/2GB RAM - practically iPhone 6S innards in iPhone 5s chassis) for $150.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that is what I thought.

Actually it's a 32gig iPhone 6 for $199 at BB not 16 so it seems like a good deal.

Yea, at our "advanced age" we need all the screen space we can get !!!
 
Well, I guess they changed their policy. The phone got shut down after about 2 hours. I have to send a receipt to some department at AT&T where they will "decide" if I can continue to use it. They "temporarily" got it working for me "pending their decision."
 
TB07-NJ said:
Well, I guess they changed their policy. The phone got shut down after about 2 hours. I have to send a receipt to some department at AT&T where they will "decide" if I can continue to use it. They "temporarily" got it working for me "pending their decision."
Click to expand...
Sometimes, Best Buy doesn't scan the prepaid phone properly.

You just email the receipt to attprepaidsupport@att.com with your name, phone number and IMEI of the prepaid iPhone. Happened to me on an iPhone SE which deactivated my SIM and I had no troubles getting it reactivated.
 
TB07-NJ said:
Well, I guess they changed their policy. The phone got shut down after about 2 hours. I have to send a receipt to some department at AT&T where they will "decide" if I can continue to use it. They "temporarily" got it working for me "pending their decision."
Click to expand...

That happened to me also, but it was approved. Great Support
 
TB07-NJ said:
Do they let you know or is "no news good news"?
Click to expand...
I got a text message saying: "Thank you for sending the valid receipt. Device restriction has been lifted."

This phone is LOCKED to AT&T.

Will work with a post-paid AT&T SIM right away- as long as Best Buy has notified AT&T of the sale. If not, please send a copy of your receipt, IMEI and your tel # to gophonesolution@att.com orattprepaidsupport@att.com. Otherwise, the phone may appear to be working but in fact doesn't display the LTE logo on top (i.e. no cellular data), and outgoing calls would be directed to AT&T device restriction department.


for anyone planning to use this on AT&T post paid make sure that you email your receipt to gophonesolution@att.com and include the IMEI and your post paid phone number. If you don't then the moment you put your post paid sim in AT&t will block the phone and you won't get service. The Problem is that Best buy is not scanning these phones when selling so in AT&T's database the phone shows as stolen. Email the receipt and they will remove the restriction within in a few hours.
Click to expand...
 
rui no onna said:
I got a text message saying: "Thank you for sending the valid receipt. Device restriction has been lifted."
Click to expand...

Thanks. They did reactivate it immediately when I called but I'm waiting for the official response to the email. We live out in the sticks and i'd hate for her to lose service if something gets screwed up.
 
frocco said:
Had no service. had to call them. They were very good about it.
Click to expand...

Thanks ... I guess they permanently fixed my on my initial call before I sent them the receipt. Never hear back from them again since that call (but I did send them the receipt as they requested a day later).
 
I have a similar question. I have an iPhone 7+ postpaid on a family plan, but am thinking of purchasing an AT&T prepaid SE from BestBuy to use with my current SIM card while running. Will I be able to just swap the SIM card from phone to phone? Will prepaid service on the SE ever need to be activated?

Thanks for the help.
 
PatrickNSF said:
I have a similar question. I have an iPhone 7+ postpaid on a family plan, but am thinking of purchasing an AT&T prepaid SE from BestBuy to use with my current SIM card while running. Will I be able to just swap the SIM card from phone to phone? Will prepaid service on the SE ever need to be activated?

Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
No need to activate prepaid service. However, putting your current SIM on the prepaid iPhone SE will temporarily suspend your service. It's kinda required for AT&T to recognize your new device, though, so I recommend doing this when you don't need to use your phone for calls, SMS or data.

I tried just emailing AT&T my receipt without putting my SIM card in the phone first and I received the following text message:
"AT&T Free Msg: Please insert simcard to the IMEI # so that the system can detect the device. Thank you!"

Steps:
  1. Insert current SIM card into prepaid iPhone SE
  2. Turn on device and go through set up
  3. Email your name, phone number and iPhone SE IMEI to attprepaidsupport@att.com or gophonesolution@att.com (preferably with name and phone # in subject line)
  4. Either wait until you get a device restriction lifted text message or when your phone gets hotlined, continue the call to customer service to get it processed quicker
  5. Enjoy! :)
 
rui no onna said:
No need to activate prepaid service. However, putting your current SIM on the prepaid iPhone SE will temporarily suspend your service. It's kinda required for AT&T to recognize your new device, though, so I recommend doing this when you don't need to use your phone for calls, SMS or data.

I tried just emailing AT&T my receipt without putting my SIM card in the phone first and I received the following text message:
"AT&T Free Msg: Please insert simcard to the IMEI # so that the system can detect the device. Thank you!"

Steps:
  1. Insert current SIM card into prepaid iPhone SE
  2. Turn on device and go through set up
  3. Email your name, phone number and iPhone SE IMEI to attprepaidsupport@att.com or gophonesolution@att.com (preferably with name and phone # in subject line)
  4. Either wait until you get a device restriction lifted text message or when your phone gets hotlined, continue the call to customer service to get it processed quicker
  5. Enjoy! :)
Click to expand...

Interesting. Since the day I got the phone when this happened to me and after I spoke with them and they turned it back on (all the same day) I haven't heard word one. I guess I can assume it's been resolved without further notification because the phone continues to work.
 
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