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Carrier How to activate Verizon iPhone 7 on AT&T?

D

dachshundx

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 13, 2016
42
4
A friend of mine who has a Verizon account preordered an iPhone 7 for me at full price from the Apple store, and today I received the device. The issue is that I currently have AT&T wireless service with an iPhone 6. How do I activate the new iPhone 7 on my AT&T account without messing up my friend's Verizon account? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

(Background note: iPhone 7 models from AT&T do not support CDMA networks, and I wanted an iPhone that I can take with me to Verizon in case I want to switch carriers later.)
 
Last edited:
If it was ordered from Apple, you must remove the Verizon SIM before powering on the device...otherwise it will activate on your friends account. You will also have to DFU restore the phone to remove the pending VZW activation, because it will not read your AT&T SIM until that activation has completed otherwise.

If it came from Verizon, just remove the SIM and insert yours before powering up the first time.

Source: ordered VZW phones from Apple the past 2 years to use with AT&T
 
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solodogg said:
If it was ordered from Apple, you must remove the Verizon SIM before powering on the device...otherwise it will activate on your friends account. You will also have to DFU restore the phone to remove the pending VZW activation, because it will not read your AT&T SIM until that activation has completed otherwise.

If it came from Verizon, just remove the SIM and insert yours before powering up the first time.

Source: ordered VZW phones from Apple the past 2 years to use with AT&T
Click to expand...

Thanks solodogg. It was ordered from Apple. At which point do I insert the AT&T SIM card?
 
So, assuming my local Apple Store has stock tomorrow (not unreasonable since I'm just looking for a regular 7), can I go in, pay full price for a Verizon model (to make sure I get an unlocked model with all the radios) and then pop in my current AT&T sim to activate it? Or do I have to be a current Verizon customer to buy that model?
 
dachshundx said:
So then the correct chronology would be:
  1. Remove Verizon SIM card without powering on the device.
  2. Insert the AT&T SIM card.
  3. DFU restore the phone to remove the pending VZW activation (i.e. following the steps found at https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/reset-dfu-mode-iphone-7/)
Correct? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Well, in previous years this would be correct. I just got done reading another thread where someone said the number activation is actually taking place on the back end on some Apple server, and an engineering ticket had to be created to remove that number association from the device.

Let me see if I can find that thread again...

*edit* https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-do-not-support-cdma-networks.1992985/page-16
[doublepost=1474066494][/doublepost]
T5BRICK said:
Just swap out the SIM card and set it up. You don't need to do a DFU restore as far as I know.
Click to expand...

All Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint devices shipped from Apple come ready to activate, this the SIM swap doesn't work. If the device is purchased in the store, a simple SIM swap will work fine.
 
I bought a Verizon 7 Plus.

I popped in my AT&T SIM (replacing the Verizon one) and turned it on and everything just worked.
 
dachshundx said:
A friend of mine who has a Verizon account preordered an iPhone 7 for me at full price from the Apple store, and today I received the device. The issue is that I currently have AT&T wireless service with an iPhone 6. How do I activate the new iPhone 7 on my AT&T account without messing up my friend's Verizon account? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

(Background note: iPhone 7 models from AT&T do not support CDMA networks, and I wanted an iPhone that I can take with me to Verizon in case I want to switch carriers later.)
Click to expand...


Did you ever get this resolved? I gave the my verizon iphone 7 to my niece and she's on ATT.. it seems she cant get it swapped over to ATT. Even after DFU reset...
 
I just did this today. Purchased full price iphone plus Verizon version at an Apple store.
Got home, removed Verizon Sim, put in my ATT sim and activated as a new phone. Never saw anything in reference
to activate the Verizon number prompt. Phone works perfectly.

CC
 
cc999 said:
I just did this today. Purchased full price iphone plus Verizon version at an Apple store.
Got home, removed Verizon Sim, put in my ATT sim and activated as a new phone. Never saw anything in reference
to activate the Verizon number prompt. Phone works perfectly.

CC
Click to expand...
Yeah, my phone was pre-activated via .com purchase. Its a little different then buying in store.
 
cdejesus1119 said:
Did you ever get this resolved? I gave the my verizon iphone 7 to my niece and she's on ATT.. it seems she cant get it swapped over to ATT. Even after DFU reset...
Click to expand...
What issue is she having? It should activate just fine with an AT&T SIM.
 
cdejesus1119 said:
Did you ever get this resolved? I gave the my verizon iphone 7 to my niece and she's on ATT.. it seems she cant get it swapped over to ATT. Even after DFU reset...
Click to expand...
All she should need to to is reset and erase all settings. Then while off, pop the ATT SIM card in and it should activate fine. If there are any prompts to activate with Verizon or call Verizon, just click through them without doing anything. I had the same issue.
 
along the same lines. I have just setup new service with Verizon and purchased an iPHone 7 on the device payment plan. The phone came earlier than estimated, so I have a couple more weeks till I can port my number over from AT&T(contract ends in a couple weeks). Can I just put my AT&T sim in my new iPhone 7 till the time where I can port my number into Verizon? I know the iPhone is compatible, but I don't know if it causes a problem since the iPhone 7 is under verizons DPP.
 
nottooshabby said:
along the same lines. I have just setup new service with Verizon and purchased an iPHone 7 on the device payment plan. The phone came earlier than estimated, so I have a couple more weeks till I can port my number over from AT&T(contract ends in a couple weeks). Can I just put my AT&T sim in my new iPhone 7 till the time where I can port my number into Verizon? I know the iPhone is compatible, but I don't know if it causes a problem since the iPhone 7 is under verizons DPP.
Click to expand...
It will work.
 
I have lots of questions because I don't really understand so please don't get mad at me. I am ATT. I will stay with ATT until the end of time because I am grandfathered in for the unlimited data plan. I am waiting on an ATT 7+ through the upgrade program which I have never had before. I have always just upgraded after my 2 years.
Would I want a Verizon phone because it has CDMA and GSM? I travel overseas often but have had to wait for my contract to be up to get my phone unlocked which is why I am trying to buy an unlocked phone this time.
 
ravenfan said:
I have lots of questions because I don't really understand so please don't get mad at me. I am ATT. I will stay with ATT until the end of time because I am grandfathered in for the unlimited data plan. I am waiting on an ATT 7+ through the upgrade program which I have never had before. I have always just upgraded after my 2 years.
Would I want a Verizon phone because it has CDMA and GSM? I travel overseas often but have had to wait for my contract to be up to get my phone unlocked which is why I am trying to buy an unlocked phone this time.
Click to expand...
All Verizon iPhones that are LTE capable (everything since the 5) are unlocked out of the gate (per the FCC). So a Verizon phone will be unlocked and you'll be able to use it internationally and domestically on ATT. But even if you buy an ATT version at full price, it will be unlocked. If you have no intent of ever using Verizon domestically, then it doesn't really matter which model you choose.
 
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