Easy as switching SIM??

[Tofray]

I just ordered a 5s, from AT&T, to replace my 5. I used my wife's upgrade, because mine wasn't available for another year. Once the phone arrives, I want to put my line on the 5s, and put my wife's line on the 5 (which I'm giving to her to replace her 4s).

Can I just switch the SIM from my 5 onto the 5s, and switch my wife's 4s SIM to the 5? Or do I need to go into AT&T and ask them to do something more than just SIM-switching?

Thank you for the help.

 

[markyr17]

Yes

 

[Fdfan100]

Yeah, you can take your SIM and stick into the 5S. For your wife's SIM, she need to change it since the 4S is micro and 5/5S is nano. Since you used her upgrade, might as well activate the SIM in the 5S over the automated phone system and then take her SIM out the 5S and stick in the 5. I think it a lot easier to that instead of going into AT&T since they make you wait in line with everyone else even if you're just getting a SIM card.

 

[lenard]

I just ordered a 5s, from AT&T, to replace my 5. I used my wife's upgrade, because mine wasn't available for another year. Once the phone arrives, I want to put my line on the 5s, and put my wife's line on the 5 (which I'm giving to her to replace her 4s).

Can I just switch the SIM from my 5 onto the 5s, and switch my wife's 4s SIM to the 5? Or do I need to go into AT&T and ask them to do something more than just SIM-switching?

Thank you for the help.

I did this last week.
First back up both to iTunes and to icloud, very important
Second you MUST activate the new phone FIRST.
When you turn the new phone on it will have your wife's number on it.
After activation, the sim in the new phone goes to the iPhone 5 and you move the the sim in the iPhone 5 to the iPhone 5s.
Restore both phones to the proper data.

The sim in the 4s can be thrown out.
The important thing here is to do this in the right order.
I have done this twice before and just did it last week. Sold my wife's 4s for
$205.00, so my upgrade cost was $94.00($299 - 205). Purchased the 32gb iPhone 5s.

 

[Col Ronson]

you dont really need to backup/restore anything. I switch sim cards in my phone all the time when i travel and the phone number and stuff automatically changes in the phone.

Then again backing up is never a bad idea, but you dont need to restore.

 

[Applejuiced]

Yes, the beauty of GSM networks.
Pop out the sim, stick it in another cell and you're good.

 

[Velin]

Yep, be thankful you are on GSM, which is the worldwide standard. All you need to do is swap the SIMs. You can do this in the U.S., overseas, wherever.

No need to visit any store. Also, if you are inserting new nanoSIMS, you can simply visit AT&T website (or T-Mobile or any other GSM carrier), put in the SIM number for your account and your wife's account to link your nanoSIM to your AT&T account and phone number, and you are good to go.

Long live the flexibility and superior sound quality of GSM.

 

[C0SM0]

Will this also work using two different AT&T accounts (not a family plan)?

 

[Velin]

Will this also work using two different AT&T accounts (not a family plan)?

Yes. Same or different plan, doesn't matter. Can even be entirely different carriers, like AT&T and T-Mobile (so long as phone is unlocked). Just need the SIM to be associated with the user's account. That's it.

 

[C0SM0]

Yes. Same or different plan, doesn't matter. Can even be entirely different carriers, like AT&T and T-Mobile (so long as phone is unlocked). Just need the SIM to be associated with the user's account. That's it.

Thanks

 

[CBR900RR]

Same situation here about using wife's upgrade, I did try put my old sim to her news 5s and the phone won't activate, even after I punch in the SSN and zip code, you need to activate the new phone on the new included sim, once that is done, just swap out the sim and you will be good to go, you don't have to call or go to AY&T store.

 

[Velin]

Thanks

One caveat is Sprint. They are CMDA and UMTS, plus they were only selling locked iPhone 5, and apparently if you buy a Sprint iPhone 5s, it can be a PITA to unlock it.

So get a Verizon iPhone 5s, AT&T 5s, T-Mobile 5s, all will work interchangeably once you swap the SIM.

iPhone 5s, purchased off-contract from Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile is truly an international/global phone. Just swap yer SIM.

I love it, these iPhone 5s are great with the radios. Verizon iPhone 5s off-contract gives you access to:

Model A1533 (CDMA)*: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25)

This will get you nearly all of the carriers you will ever need, including LTE. It may even work with Sprint due to UMTS, but I have no experience with UMTS so look to others who know more.

 

[thatoneguy82]

I just ordered a 5s, from AT&T, to replace my 5. I used my wife's upgrade, because mine wasn't available for another year. Once the phone arrives, I want to put my line on the 5s, and put my wife's line on the 5 (which I'm giving to her to replace her 4s).

Can I just switch the SIM from my 5 onto the 5s, and switch my wife's 4s SIM to the 5? Or do I need to go into AT&T and ask them to do something more than just SIM-switching?

Thank you for the help.

You won't be able to put the 4S SIM into the 5 since 4S has a micro-SIM and 5 uses the smaller, nano-SIM. You can, however, always cut the SIM to fit but it's easier to go to the AT&T store and get a nano-SIM.

 

[CBR900RR]

Once the new 5s phone activated on the new sim, the old sim in the 4s will be de-activated.

 

[Tofray]

Thanks for all the help, peeps! And thank you Lenard, for the detailed instructions...It all makes sense now, laying it out in that order!

Now I just twiddle my thumbs until the phone ships...sometime between Oct 8-17