You can do this OP, just take the phone, ask AT&T to remove the data plan from her line and put it on yours.
This process is called an upgrade swap.
This process is called an upgrade swap.
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If my mom is eligible for upgrade, can she buy an iPhone 4 and hand it over to me?
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They aren't giving it for no reason. They are giving it for the 2 year extension of the contract on that line.
AT&T even has a term for it.
A line which is not paying the data fee. I dunno, it just seems weird to me. I mean, obviously it's real, it's just odd.
First you have to keep the equipment discussion distinct from the line of service. You can use any equipment on any line of service with so restrictions on required data plans. Also, the phone number follows the SIM or in this case the Microsim.
What you want to do is called an Upgrade Swap by AT&T and yes it is very easy to do and your phone numbers will stay on the proper lines of service. As long as you keep the current Unlimited data plan on the current line you will be able to add a new data plan (capped plan) to the line that will use the iPhone 3G.
Dave
Think about it this way: If you originally had some POS phone with no data, or a cheap data plan, and you upgrade to an iPhone. What happens if you drop you're iPhone into a pool and cannot afford a new one, considering you can't get it at the $199/$299 price anymore? You would probably go back to your old phone. ATT doesn't make you continue paying for an iPhone data plan if you don't have an iPhone on that line anymore. They do, however, force you to have an iPhone data plan if you are using an iPhone on that line.
Sorry, I'm slightly confused. For clarification, is this scenario possible:
Line A currently has the iPhone 3G and unlimited data.
Line B currently has no iPhone or data plan.
Using an upgrade swap, we can or can not end up with:
Line A with the 3G and capped data
Line B with the iPhone 4 and unlimited data
But the line is paying the data fee. Whatever line an iPhone is activate on must have a data plan.
No, as far as I know, the unlimited data must stay with line A. You would end up with:
Line A with 3G and unlimited data
Line B with iPhone 4 and capped data
According to the information that has been given out so far. Who knows, you might get a sympathetic AT&T rep on the phone who does it for you, or they might decide to make something like this possible in the future.
Or, you could upgrade Line A to the iPhone 4, and use the 3G on line B. The iPhone 4 would have unlimited data, but the numbers would be switched from what you want.
Okay - I'm in the exact same boat as the OP I believe.
I have a 3GS, not eligible to upgrade. My mother has a RAZR that she loves and doesn't want to get rid of, who is eligible for an upgrade. I can pre-order hers and have it mailed to me, activate VIA iTunes with my phone number? Last year it had me put in my phone number manually [I never removed the SIM, I tossed the old one after]. This should result in her upgrade used, iPhone 4 with the new SIM with my phone number, correct?
I have a 3GS, not eligible to upgrade. My mother has a RAZR that she loves and doesn't want to get rid of, who is eligible for an upgrade. I can pre-order hers and have it mailed to me, activate VIA iTunes with my phone number? Last year it had me put in my phone number manually [I never removed the SIM, I tossed the old one after]. This should result in her upgrade used, iPhone 4 with the new SIM with my phone number, correct?
If I upgrade my moms account to an iPhone and then when I get it in the mail put my SIM card in it and then activate it would it carry over my number and unlimited data? Then I would have to call att and tell them my mom still has her flip phone and no data plan is needed. This can be done right
Probably not since she is buying a new iphone under contract, and that contract would include the data plan. Are you on a family plan because then you can share her upgrade.
I am on a family share plan in the sense of I had a plan with two added lines. Only thing we share is minutes and that's it. I have my own data and texts.
I don't see how I can share it if I am preordering tonight. This doesn't make sense. If she were to break her iPhone why would att make her pay monthly data if she had a flip phone. Everyone here says different things.
Because if she buys an iphone with her upgrade discount she is entering into a two year contract that includes the monthly data plan. It doesn't matter if she uses the data or not, she is agreeing to this contract. This is what I was told when I helped my mom and dad upgrade on VZW. He just wanted a flip phone and I asked if we could get the iphone without the data plan and was told no. I can't imagine it being different for AT&T but I could be wrong. As far as the share thing, it's simple. I'm doing it tonight too but keep in mind we might be on different plans so it might be different for you. Anyway, you can try it now, just google att sign in. Go to the page and sign in with your number/password. Go to the my devices page and click on upgrade under your line. When I do that, it gives me the option of taking my wife's upgrade.
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I get what you are saying but I'm not saying to get iPhone without data. I know I'll add data but then i was going to call and say she doesn't use an iPhone only flip. Att knows what phone the sim car is in
Also how does taking someone's upgrade work when you are preordering. Don't you use a different site to preorder and that site only access the upgrade line eligibility.
Also she would be locked into a two year contract but not a data plan. I can change my data plan whenever I want. If my iPhone broke and I got a flip phone I would remove the data.
Right but I think they will still charge her for the data plan and I thought you wouldn't want to pay for something that wasn't being used.
When I went to it today to double check, it was instant. I don't think you can do this on apple.com. It instantly transferred her upgrade to mine but of course I didn't keep going because they didn't have the 6S option yet.
I'll check att when I get home but I should be able to take off her data if she isn't even with a smart phone. I'll check. I was just going to put my sim in the phone and then turn it on and activate it like usual with my sim since it all goes by SIM card anyway.
i am trying to transfer the upgrade, but idk how to. im so confused. anyway you can do screenshots and blur your stuff out.
Hey. When clicking upgrade your phone. Will the the new iPhone show in the list of all of the iPhone's? Or do you have to go through a different link. When I transfer my upgrade I want to make sure I can then hit a preorder link.