iPhone: different user (child) from the person being billed?

[klrobinson999]

My niece wants an iPhone and my sister is willing to buy her one, but a question came up in the discussion that I couldn't answer:

if my sister buys the phone in her name, under a contract in her name, then is the iPhone automatically registered in her name (the person who receives the bill), or will my niece be able to have the actual device in her name? My niece obviously wants calls to be seen as coming from her on caller ID and to be able to use her own iTunes account.

Basically, can you split the bill (which will go to my sister) and the device (which my niece wants registered in her name, of course). We're just trying to gauge if iTunes will block the registration/activation if my nieces' account and her mother's name aren't the same.

 

[TruckdriverSean]

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In my area, caller I.D. shows only the phone number and city called from.

Only if the number calling is ALREADY in the recieving phone's contacts will a name show up in caller ID.

Maybe different where you live though.

Also, iTunes doesn't check the phone bill for I.D.

You just plug your iTunes ID in download apps.

 

[aliebel]

Yes,

On your AT&T account page you can specify what the name you want to show up on Caller ID to be for each line. There is a field for user's name for you to keep track which will also populate the Caller ID, I believe it will state that when entering as well.

She will also be able to have her own iTunes account loaded on the phone.

 

[klrobinson999]

Thanks. I guess her concern is that she doesn't want her mother's name anywhere on her phone...although she's quite ok with the bill in her mother's name (LOL).
We're trying to figure out if the iPhone registers under the iTunes account or the AT&T bill.

 

[klrobinson999]

Yes,

On your AT&T account page you can specify what the name you want to show up on Caller ID to be for each line. There is a field for user's name for you to keep track which will also populate the Caller ID, I believe it will state that when entering as well.

She will also be able to have her own iTunes account loaded on the phone.

Hmmm...What if there's only ONE phone on the account? I think my sister will maintain her Verizon account (paid for by her work). I wonder if they will allow you to register a different name even if there's only one phone?

Thanks to everyone for the info!

 

[aliebel]

Your sister can buy her the phone and add the line to her account, then go in and change the Caller ID and even make her an auhorized user if she wishes (to make changes) on the AT&T account.

When it says plug into iTunes to activate it just wants to talk to Apple (Unless no wireless account is setup yet) and activate the phone. Once that's done it treats it like the user whos computer it's connected to is the user and your daughter can load her iTunes account with her own stuff.

Probably the easier way to do it for less confusion on their part would be to go into an AT&T store or Apple store and pick it up. They will "Activate" it there and your daughter can just take it home plug it in and sync with her iTunes account like normal.

Since your sister is the one with the AT&T account, as far as AT&T is concerned she's the owner but which won't matter if you set the Caller ID for that line to your daughters name. (I believe a AT&T CSR will do it for them too)

 

[aliebel]

Hmmm...What if there's only ONE phone on the account? I think my sister will maintain her Verizon account (paid for by her work). I wonder if they will allow you to register a different name even if there's only one phone?

Thanks to everyone for the info!

Ahh, I see...

Yes, you can still set the primary line name to whatever you want. When you log into the AT&T account for billing it will say your sisters name as the "account owner" but you can go into user information and change the name of the primary user of the line to your daughters name which will also change the Caller ID.

Obviously she can't actually be put as the account owner but only an authorized user to make changes.