Can you not sell the device from AT&T?

[yoseph6375]

I just spoke with the agent from Customer Relations.
I initially had an upgraded order on September but couldn't wait for long wait that I purchased the full retail price from Apple. As I was enjoying using it for more than a month, just by today, the phone that I have ordered through AT&T came to my house. So I told the agent that since I was using the device that I got from Apple store for more than a month, there is no reason for me to use the phone that I have received from AT&T. I asked him to move the contract that is under the imei number on AT&T order to the one that I purchased with the full retail price's imei. However, the agent said that you cannot do it, he told me about this story that I could not even understand.

He said that by upgrading, you have extended 24 months contract. And that contract is under the IMEI number on the device that I ordered through AT&T (LOCKED). If you sell the phone, the phone still carries your contract that if they decide to cancel the service and go to different carrier, you are responsible to pay for early termination fee. And I told him, it is not like even if I sell the phone, I want to cancel the contract, I want to keep the contract to fulfill the commitment to contract for 24 months. But he kept saying that you have two options that either you pay for early termination fee or sell the one you have been using for a month.

Is this right?
Can anyone suggest better solution for this?

 

[Lefty21]

Why can't you just sell the one you bought from Apple and activate the one you bought from AT&T?

 

[yoseph6375]

Why can't you just sell the one you bought from Apple and activate the one you bought from AT&T?

Because it is easier to sell the one that is still sealed that is why.
One is new and one is used. New is always easy to sell isn't it?

 

[goknicks]

you can just return the AT&T phone back to AT&T and that will cancel your contract. or am I missing something?

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

You're within your 14-day return period with the iPhone from AT&T, right? If so, return it.

You could have cancelled your AT&T order to avoid this mess.

 

[goknicks]

You're within your 14-day return period with the iPhone from AT&T, right? If so, return it.

You could have cancelled your AT&T order to avoid this mess.

This^^^^^^^

and why would you want a contract when you paid full price for the Apple Phone

 

[yoseph6375]

you can just return the AT&T phone back to AT&T and that will cancel your contract. or am I missing something?

It is because I have just used my subsidy by extending 24 months that is why.
I am losing my money if I just return. I need to make up those full retail price that I paid to apple.

----------

You're within your 14-day return period with the iPhone from AT&T, right? If so, return it.

You could have cancelled your AT&T order to avoid this mess.

Ordered through the retention. Was only into 11 months contract.

----------

This^^^^^^^

and why would you want a contract when you paid full price for the Apple Phone

Since I do not want to move to Mobile value share and would like to stay with the family plan which I have to take advantage of the subsidy price, Might as well I have done it and couldn't wait for a long time waiting for AT&T order.

 

[deeddawg]

WHat you were told was somewhat wrong and somewhat right.

About typical for customer service.

You can sell the AT&T phone; the contract is on your phone line not on the AT&T phone. However there are some things you'll need to sort out first... Your upgrade is tied to the SIM that's sitting in that sealed iphone. Soon as that activates your number moves over to it. You'll need to either get AT&T to unwind that and keep your existing SIM in play (not sure if possible) or open and activate that phone and move the new SIM to your current phone.

In either event the AT&T phone will be locked to AT&T -- you'll either need to sell it that way (less valuable than an unlocked version) or pay for a third party unlock before selling it. You'll need to research current resale pricing against unlock pricing to determine the better choice. If someone buys the phone and uses it there is no effect on your contract, ETF, or account. You'll only face ETF if you cancel your phone number before 24 months are up.

Double check the above, I may have missed something of course.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Now I understand why you want to sell the other one.

Because it is easier to sell the one that is still sealed that is why.
One is new and one is used. New is always easy to sell isn't it?

Yes but if you paid full retail price for the your now used one, it's unlocked and it'll fetch more $$$ than the new, locked one.

 

[dopke]

WHat you were told was somewhat wrong and somewhat right.

About typical for customer service.

You can sell the AT&T phone; the contract is on your phone line not on the AT&T phone. However there are some things you'll need to sort out first... Your upgrade is tied to the SIM that's sitting in that sealed iphone. Soon as that activates your number moves over to it. You'll need to either get AT&T to unwind that and keep your existing SIM in play (not sure if possible) or open and activate that phone and move the new SIM to your current phone.

In either event the AT&T phone will be locked to AT&T -- you'll either need to sell it that way (less valuable than an unlocked version) or pay for a third party unlock before selling it. You'll need to research current resale pricing against unlock pricing to determine the better choice. If someone buys the phone and uses it there is no effect on your contract, ETF, or account. You'll only face ETF if you cancel your phone number before 24 months are up.

Double check the above, I may have missed something of course.

This is correct. You just need to make sure you get AT&T (go in-store) to switch back your line to your current phone (they will probably need to issue you a new SIM as your existing SIM gets deactivated and can't be reactivated). I'm assuming you don't have any service on your current SIM anymore?

 

[lordofthereef]

AT&T (all carriers, AFAIK) can't simply move a contract from one device to another. You are free to sell the phone, however it will not be unlocked until the 24 month contract has been fulfilled.

Honestly, you can sell the phone you have now unlocked likely for more or about the same as you could a sealed (but locked) AT&T specific device.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

AT&T (all carriers, AFAIK) can't simply move a contract from one device to another. You are free to sell the phone, however it will not be unlocked until the 24 month contract has been fulfilled.

No, but they can move a device from one contract to another. It's called "device swap" or "upgrade swap," which they perform all the time.

The OP needs to ask the correct question, although it sounds like from the OP that he has two different lines so it's a mess.

 

[lordofthereef]

No, but they can move a device from one contract to another. It's called "device swap" or "upgrade swap," which they perform all the time.

The OP needs to ask the correct question, although it sounds like from the OP that he has two different lines so it's a mess.

He wants a full price phone to be "contracted" and the contracted device to be removed. Unless I am misunderstanding him.

If I understand correctly, and what I stated above is what theOP is wanting to do, it can't be done.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

He wants a full price phone to be "contracted" and the contracted device to be removed. Unless I am misunderstanding him.

If I understand correctly, and what I stated above is what theOP is wanting to do, it can't be done.

If it's just one line, it can be done. If the OP activates the new, locked iPhone, it'll deactivate his full price phone. He can then go to an at&t store and ask them to "device swap" the full price phone to the contract. This will kick the new, locked device off, which he can sell.

However, like you said and I've also suggested this, the full price phone is likely unlocked and will fetch more $$$ so he should forget about device swapping and just activate the new, locked iPhone and use that and sell the old one.

 

[yoseph6375]

WHat you were told was somewhat wrong and somewhat right.

About typical for customer service.

You can sell the AT&T phone; the contract is on your phone line not on the AT&T phone. However there are some things you'll need to sort out first... Your upgrade is tied to the SIM that's sitting in that sealed iphone. Soon as that activates your number moves over to it. You'll need to either get AT&T to unwind that and keep your existing SIM in play (not sure if possible) or open and activate that phone and move the new SIM to your current phone.

In either event the AT&T phone will be locked to AT&T -- you'll either need to sell it that way (less valuable than an unlocked version) or pay for a third party unlock before selling it. You'll need to research current resale pricing against unlock pricing to determine the better choice. If someone buys the phone and uses it there is no effect on your contract, ETF, or account. You'll only face ETF if you cancel your phone number before 24 months are up.

Double check the above, I may have missed something of course.

I think you are correct.
Here is what I did.
On October I went to the AT&T corp store and found a lady who was helping me out when I wanted to use the phone I purchased from Apple store to work even though the order has not come yet. She did call bunch of places to find out how to do it and finally found out that she only needed to swap out the sim card that was in 5s to 6 plus. And she told me to come back when I receive the shipment from AT&T as she said she will cross that one off so that I can sell it to whomever out there.
When I went to the corp store in the afternoon, it was different guy that did not know what he was talking about.
I went there again and found a lady that helped me out on October and she remembered what we did in the past. She said I don't have to open up the box, she only needs to activate the phone using the IMEI number on the box and deactivate that one by activating the new sim card to be inserted into the current phone that I have been using (I don't know if this make sense to you guys, but she said, if you activate on the current phone, then it will deactivate on the New in box one by 'killing' the sim card.) So she did give me the new sim card to be inserted in the phone that I have been using and it worked out really well after all. Now I need to sell this unopened box that is for AT&T only.
Thanks for your info. It was very helpful.

----------

This is correct. You just need to make sure you get AT&T (go in-store) to switch back your line to your current phone (they will probably need to issue you a new SIM as your existing SIM gets deactivated and can't be reactivated). I'm assuming you don't have any service on your current SIM anymore?

This is what the rep in the store did for me.

----------

No, but they can move a device from one contract to another. It's called "device swap" or "upgrade swap," which they perform all the time.

The OP needs to ask the correct question, although it sounds like from the OP that he has two different lines so it's a mess.

You are partially correct that I have three lines and for this case, I was only dealing with just one line. I kept my number as it was and never changed anything but to swap the sim card.

----------

He wants a full price phone to be "contracted" and the contracted device to be removed. Unless I am misunderstanding him.

If I understand correctly, and what I stated above is what theOP is wanting to do, it can't be done.

Yeah. That was what I wanted when the rep told me that I have to open up the box to activate it. But luckily, I did not have to open it up and it worked as I wanted.

----------

If it's just one line, it can be done. If the OP activates the new, locked iPhone, it'll deactivate his full price phone. He can then go to an at&t store and ask them to "device swap" the full price phone to the contract. This will kick the new, locked device off, which he can sell.

However, like you said and I've also suggested this, the full price phone is likely unlocked and will fetch more $$$ so he should forget about device swapping and just activate the new, locked iPhone and use that and sell the old one.

Exactly what we have done. I am trying to sell it in craigslist and sadly not seeing that much of the difference in price and looks like new in box is selling better than the unlocked one if I am not mistaken.
And one more question, so if you buy the full retail price phone, I thought t mobile was the only carrier that is unlocked and I did not know that at&t was also unlocked is it?

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

And one more question, so if you buy the full retail price phone, I thought t mobile was the only carrier that is unlocked and I did not know that at&t was also unlocked is it?

If you paid full retail price the Apple Store is supposed to unlock it. When you connected in iTunes (before setting up and syncing the iPhone), did you see a "Congrats, your iPhone has been unlocked" message? You can see this message again by restoring your iPhone in iTunes.