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

Do I need to activate my AT&T iPhone 5 before selling it ?

ansabakhan

ansabakhan

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Mar 3, 2010
1,210
0
one one my lines had an upgrade due.. i bought a iphone 5 and received it today (still sealed) , i will either give it to my family over seas or it as i don't need iphone on that line ... do i still need to activate that phone before giving/selling it ?
 
ansabakhan said:
what if i dont ? would that effect my at&t account in any way?
Click to expand...

No, it wont effect you but most likely the other person buying it wont be able to activate it and get passed this screen.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0001.jpg
    IMG_0001.jpg
    67.9 KB · Views: 297
No you don't need to activate it.. Don't listen to anyone... I bought 8 on launch day all AT&T and most went overseas and were not activated
 
At least w/ all other iPhones you needed to activate first time w/ AT&T, no matter what you where going to do w/ it. I'm assume it still applies w/ the iPhone 5, so yeah. If you don't then the phone cannot be activated period.
 
Carlanga said:
At least w/ all other iPhones you needed to activate first time w/ AT&T, no matter what you where going to do w/ it. I'm assume it still applies w/ the iPhone 5, so yeah. If you don't then the phone cannot be activated period.
Click to expand...

That's a lie, the employees were just told to tell people that to prevent people from reselling the phone for profit...
 
iPhonesandMacs said:
That's a lie, the employees were just told to tell people that to prevent people from reselling the phone for profit...
Click to expand...

I guess that screen that I saw above must have been an optical illusion then:rolleyes:
Happened with my iphone 4, 4S and now i5.
That's only for the first initial activation and you will never see it again.
The UPS guy brought it, I opened the box and plugged it in to itunes and tried to activate.
But you cannot get past that screen untill the correct info is entered. That's on an AT&T iphone that is bought with a 2 year agreement. Not full price.
 
You can get past it... Plug into iTunes put the phone in DFU mode and restore... Not to mention iPhone 5's for AT&T purchased At no commitment price $649+ don't even have that screen...
 
iPhonesandMacs said:
You can get past it... Plug into iTunes put the phone in DFU mode and restore... Not to mention iPhone 5's for AT&T purchased At no commitment price $649+ don't even have that screen...
Click to expand...

That's what I said above, full priced iphones do not have that screen. Its just the subsidized models that have that added security feature.
And no, even wth a DFU restore you will not get passed that screen.
 
Applejuiced said:
That's what I said above, full priced iphones do not have that screen. Its just the subsidized models that have that added security feature.
And no, even wth a DFU restore you will not get passed that screen.
Click to expand...

My bad I forgot one part... Since most likely it's going overseas you would buy the factory unlock for it on eBay for $5-$15 and then DFU and restore And that screen will not be there
 
Applejuiced said:
That's what I said above, full priced iphones do not have that screen. Its just the subsidized models that have that added security feature.
And no, even wth a DFU restore you will not get passed that screen.
Click to expand...
Did you buy yours from AT&T or Apple? It seems like phones purchased from AT&T do not have that. At least the ones we got from AT&T do not have it.
 
outie2k said:
Did you buy yours from AT&T or Apple? It seems like phones purchased from AT&T do not have that. At least the ones we got from AT&T do not have it.
Click to expand...

2 I preordered online from AT&T had that screen, and 1 I got from Apple's website also.
If you get it at an AT&T or Apple store they activate it or just sell it to you there so you will never see that screen/verification cause you already verified your identity to them by being there in person with your ID.:D
If you order it online from either Apple or AT&T and is shipped to your house then you will see that screen. That's to prevent people activating the phone if its not the person that ordered it. So UPS/FEDEX drivers and others stealing the box from your door will get stuck.
 
Applejuiced said:
2 I preordered online from AT&T had that screen, and 1 I got from Apple's website also.
If you get it at an AT&T or Apple store they activate it or just sell it for you there so you will never see that screen/verification cause you already verified your identity to them when you're in person.
If you order it online from either Apple or AT&T and is shipped to your house then you will see that screen.
Click to expand...

You will only see that screen if the phone was subsidized and shipped from apple and AT&T... I bought 8 from apple store and 5 from AT&T online all full price $649 and none had that screen
 
iPhonesandMacs said:
You will only see that screen if the phone was subsidized and shipped from apple and AT&T... I bought 8 from apple store and 5 from AT&T online all full price $649 and none had that screen
Click to expand...

Lol :D
Yes, we already established that 6 posts above.
That's only a security feature on iphones bought under a 2 year contract on AT&T.
You will never see that on full priced AT&T iphones and those will also be factory unlocked.
 
Applejuiced said:
2 I preordered online from AT&T had that screen, and 1 I got from Apple's website also.
If you get it at an AT&T or Apple store they activate it or just sell it to you there so you will never see that screen/verification cause you already verified your identity to them by being there in person with your ID.:D
If you order it online from either Apple or AT&T and is shipped to your house then you will see that screen. That's to prevent people activating the phone if its not the person that ordered it. So UPS/FEDEX drivers and others stealing the box from your door will get stuck.
Click to expand...

But the iPhone5 comes with a nano sim, if I steal the phone, all I need to do is turn it on and activate the phone, I don't think you have to input any info.
 
iPhonesandMacs said:
No you don't need to activate it.. Don't listen to anyone... I bought 8 on launch day all AT&T and most went overseas and were not activated
Click to expand...

You said you bought 8 on launch day, that means you did not buy them "online".

With an online order, the buyer must activate the iPhone first to prevent fraud.

Since an Apple store employee physically handed the 8 iPhone's to you in person, there can't be any fraudulence claim.

For online orders, changing a SIM can't bypass the verification process, otherwise, any lost iP5 in the mail could just be sold by the thieve by swapping the SIM card.

Also AT&T use the activation process to track which iPhone has purchased/upped the contract.


----------
ansabakhan said:
one one my lines had an upgrade due.. i bought a iphone 5 and received it today (still sealed) , i will either give it to my family over seas or it as i don't need iphone on that line ... do i still need to activate that phone before giving/selling it ?
Click to expand...

You said you received it today. So that means it is an online order.

I would activate it, tell the buyer it has been open for activation only.

Then ship the phone without the original SIM.

If you want to be a nice seller, include a brand new unactivated AT&T SIM for any US buyer, so the buyer can use it immediately.
 
Last edited:
i wanted to know if activating it 1st (before selling) would matter regarding my eligibility date in future or it doesn't matter? ..
 
Last edited:
CBR900RR said:
But the iPhone5 comes with a nano sim, if I steal the phone, all I need to do is turn it on and activate the phone, I don't think you have to input any info.
Click to expand...

It doesnt matter what nano sim you use. The one that's inside or another one.
Yes, You will still need that correct info entered.

----------
ansabakhan said:
i wanted to know if activating it 1st (below seller) would matter regarding my eligibility date in future or it doesn't matter? ..
Click to expand...

It wouldnt make any difference.
Wether you activate it or not you're still under contract if you bought it with a 2 year subsidized agreement or whoever did.
If its not bought under your account then it didnt use your subsidy and wont play a role in future eligibility.
 
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