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Got a 5S Gold from eBAy -- Activation Issue

why not email seller and ask for the info. take a pic of the screen showing him why you need it. if he does not want to give the info, then tell him you'll request a refund.
 
drew0020 said:
Thanks for the clarification on the deactivating the old sim card and not the old phone.

This is only an issue for Apple and At&t online orders though, because when I buy a new AT&T iPhone at the physical Apple store on contract the new phone is activated and my old sim is de-activated immediately.
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Yes this is limited to online orders to counter those attempting to commit fraud on members accounts or own accounts and also to counter theft of the devices while in transit to the owner (as we do see every now and then threads on here about phone being stolen from the box/getting delivered a empty box etc)
 
For my Verizon phone upgrade it said that I needed to activate it on my number prior to doing anything. If I didn't activate it the phone would be rendered useless and I would also be charged the full price of the phone. It's simply a safety measure.
 
That was a trip how they did that, is the phone pre-programmed at the factory or something? It's different from any other time I activated an iphone. As soon as I put in the info, it activated the phone and de-activated my old one.
First I tried to turn the phone off and swap SIM cards to see if it would bypass it, but the SIM in my 4S was a different size?

So how does that all work with cross upgrading on your accounts?
 
Jman13 said:
Hmm...interesting. I didn't know that I became unmanly because my phone is gold. Tell me more!

Did it also erase my service in the Iraq war and 5 years on active duty as an Army officer? Did it nullify my marriage of 10 years to my wife, and make my kids disappear? Did it suddenly turn my wardrobe pink? Did it suddenly make me love Broadway Musicals? (Oh wait, I already love Broadway Musicals). Did my genitalia change? Who knew how quickly someone's whole personality and body could change from having a certain color phone!

Let me make a crazy internet judgement: Thinking your manliness is tied to something as trivial as the color of your phone = unmanly.
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I don't know which is worse, you getting worked up over said stupid comment from some irrelevant person on the internet. Or him making it.....:confused::confused:
 
iproductsuser said:
This cannot be true. I bought my 5s locally in a sealed box. The seller used his upgrade to buy it from att online. He never opened the box. I took the sim out that came installed in it, put mine in, restored from backup and it was up and Running on my line.
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You bought yours at the store. Maybe it's activated at the store. This is purchased online from Apple.com and I know purchases from Apple.com requires AT&T activation. Don't know if it is true for AT&T online since I never buy from AT&T direct because of the 14-day and restocking fee.

Edit: Besides OP already tried putting his SIM it and it stills shows this activation screen.
 
sucka free said:
That was a trip how they did that, is the phone pre-programmed at the factory or something? It's different from any other time I activated an iphone. As soon as I put in the info, it activated the phone and de-activated my old one.
First I tried to turn the phone off and swap SIM cards to see if it would bypass it, but the SIM in my 4S was a different size?

So how does that all work with cross upgrading on your accounts?
Click to expand...

It's doable, just some hoops to jump through. You'd activate on the original account. Give the new activate SIM to the original account holder, unless his/her phone takes a different SIM size, then you'd have to go to AT&T and get the right size. You put your SIM in unless you have micro-SIM from iPhone 4S, in which case you will have to go the the AT&T store and ask for a nano-SIM. If they want to charge you at the store, you call up AT&T customer service and they will send you one for free. Of course you'd have to wait for the new SIM to arrive in the mail.
 
iproductsuser said:
This cannot be true. I bought my 5s locally in a sealed box. The seller used his upgrade to buy it from att online. He never opened the box. I took the sim out that came installed in it, put mine in, restored from backup and it was up and Running on my line.
Click to expand...
I bought 2 phones on my brother's line through apple.com and sold them. To test out that theory I had him place his wife's i5 sim in the 5s and it basically said that the original sim had to be in the phone for activation. The only way to activate the phone was to put the sim in that came with the phone. Now it may be different in his/your case because it was bought from att and not apple.
 
Don't make it hard on yourself just go to the nearest ATT store and they can help you transfer your phone # to your new phone. Unless your phone is stolen or blacklisted. If that did not work call ATT customer relation.
 
As someone already said. Restoring it in DFU mode has worked in the past and should also apply here.
 
GeekAhead said:
Seems like the person who sold me the phone, just upgraded with Apple.Com

When I turn on the phone it asks me to verify a phone number... which isn't mine. It asks for that persons social and zip code.

How do I clear this and use my own number?
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You can't. Phones from Apple.com have to be activated on the line they were ordered on. And then you can switch lines etc.

It's part of how they screw with anyone that tries to swipe a phone like a corrupt fed ex driver.

The best you MIGHT be able to do is return the phone at an Apple store and get a gift card you can use to buy a different phone (as I recall all online phone orders are nonresellable even if sealed) so you might be out a phone for a bit if they don't have another one in stock
 
AFDoc said:
I bought 2 phones on my brother's line through apple.com and sold them. To test out that theory I had him place his wife's i5 sim in the 5s and it basically said that the original sim had to be in the phone for activation. The only way to activate the phone was to put the sim in that came with the phone. Now it may be different in his/your case because it was bought from att and not apple.
Click to expand...

Was this ATT or Verizon? Also did you try DFU, then restoring without sim?

I have a Verizon 5s that I purchased (apple.com) with an upgrade and I like to sell but trying to determine if I should open and activate first. Versus leaving it sealed.
 
mso4 said:
Was this ATT or Verizon? Also did you try DFU, then restoring without sim?

I have a Verizon 5s that I purchased (apple.com) with an upgrade and I like to sell but trying to determine if I should open and activate first. Versus leaving it sealed.
Click to expand...

ATT but don't take the chance, it's easy enough to activate then go to settings-->General-->Reset-->Erase All Content and Settings and you'll be good to go.

I did not try DFU mode but I would take care of it that way there's no issues with the buyer. Just remember as soon as you activate your 5s it will kill your current sim assuming your current vrz phone uses one too.... not sure what will happen if it's one of the vrz phones that doesn't use one.
 
I just did a cross upgrade and had no issues. New 5s came, before powering on I swapped the sim from my 5 into it. Powered it on an restored from backup. EZ PZ :).
 
veedubshafer said:
I just did a cross upgrade and had no issues. New 5s came, before powering on I swapped the sim from my 5 into it. Powered it on an restored from backup. EZ PZ :).
Click to expand...

If you did an upgrade, I assume you got the phone for an upgrade price yet you seem to have unlocked the phone. Correct? Wasn't the phone activated to a carrier before you turned it on?
 
I had this same issue last year when I bought my iphone 5. I initially called Apple, the 1st person I spoke with said I needed the sellers info. However, about two hours later a Apple rep called me back and helped me to get my phone activated. I first needed to get a clean SIM card which I went out and purchased from an ATT RETAILER. Then I came back home called her and she even went out of her way to call Att to help get me activated. What was explained to me was the phone was locked to an ATT account. Let me tell you it was a hassle for me. Never buy a phone off eBay unless you know that IMEI number is unlocked. They tell you it is unlocked but many are not. Run a few of the IMEI numbers that they show in pics and you will see. That experience with the Apple rep is one of the reasons I will never leave help, she was a huge help to me that day. I was about to send the phone back to the seller. Get a clean SIM card and call AT&T to set it up, it will not renew your contract. PM me if you want.

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I joined just so I can respond to your post.
 
Just easily to sell opening the box and activating the phone (as the seller). Than taking SIM card out.

You can still sell phone as brand new with eBay and get the same prices.

The iPhone 5S is so new that no one will doubt that an open iPhone 5s box isn't new. Just list the ad as new and that you just opened to activate the phone.
 
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