Is it this easy? (Using mom's upgrade)

[Melodeath]

I have a 5s, and thus am not eligible to upgrade to the iPhone 6 at the full discount until September next year. However, in my family plan, my mom's line is upgrade eligible (and has been probably for 6 years haha). She has a really old flip phone that she just loves and still works.

I contacted AT&T Chat support, and they told me I can pre-order the iPhone 6 for my mom's line to get the upgrade pricing. Then when the phone arrives, before I even open it, I need to call AT&T and they do something in their system to swap the number on the new iPhone 6 to my number, and then I activate it. All the while my mom's flip phone knows nothing happened.

Is it really that simple? I keep my Unlimited data, my 2-year contract stays the same, and my mom has a new 2-year contract?

 

[NewBench]

Photo of your mom and I'll tell you my opinion on this idea

 

[gabo864]

I have a 5s, and thus am not eligible to upgrade to the iPhone 6 at the full discount until September next year. However, in my family plan, my mom's line is upgrade eligible (and has been probably for 6 years haha). She has a really old flip phone that she just loves and still works.

I contacted AT&T Chat support, and they told me I can pre-order the iPhone 6 for my mom's line to get the upgrade pricing. Then when the phone arrives, before I even open it, I need to call AT&T and they do something in their system to swap the number on the new iPhone 6 to my number, and then I activate it. All the while my mom's flip phone knows nothing happened.

Is it really that simple? I keep my Unlimited data, my 2-year contract stays the same, and my mom has a new 2-year contract?

Yep! Just that easy' it could be even easier if your mom had an iphone, too.

 

[powerbook911]

I have a 5s, and thus am not eligible to upgrade to the iPhone 6 at the full discount until September next year. However, in my family plan, my mom's line is upgrade eligible (and has been probably for 6 years haha). She has a really old flip phone that she just loves and still works.

I contacted AT&T Chat support, and they told me I can pre-order the iPhone 6 for my mom's line to get the upgrade pricing. Then when the phone arrives, before I even open it, I need to call AT&T and they do something in their system to swap the number on the new iPhone 6 to my number, and then I activate it. All the while my mom's flip phone knows nothing happened.

Is it really that simple? I keep my Unlimited data, my 2-year contract stays the same, and my mom has a new 2-year contract?

Sure, you can do that.

It will make you select a data plan when you order the phone, but ATT will probably remove it.

Also, if you use Apple.com (I like buying there), you will definitely need to call AT&T once phone arrives.

However, if you do the upgrade at ATT online, it *MIGHT* let you use your mother's upgrade on your phone. You could check tonight. Go to upgrade, select your phone, and then it will give you options, it might give you the option "Use Mom's phone for upgrade." Then everything would be done automatically.

If you instead have to order it on your mom's line, then just call like they said to do once it arrives.

Also, I recommend you give your mother the iPhone 5S for letting you use her upgrade. She can give it back to you next year, and then you can give her the iPhone 6 when you get 6S!

 

[james92se]

I have a 5s, and thus am not eligible to upgrade to the iPhone 6 at the full discount until September next year. However, in my family plan, my mom's line is upgrade eligible (and has been probably for 6 years haha). She has a really old flip phone that she just loves and still works.

I contacted AT&T Chat support, and they told me I can pre-order the iPhone 6 for my mom's line to get the upgrade pricing. Then when the phone arrives, before I even open it, I need to call AT&T and they do something in their system to swap the number on the new iPhone 6 to my number, and then I activate it. All the while my mom's flip phone knows nothing happened.

Is it really that simple? I keep my Unlimited data, my 2-year contract stays the same, and my mom has a new 2-year contract?

It's actually easier than that. Don't even bother calling AT&T. I don't know why they'd tell you that - there is nothing for them to do to "swap the number". When the phone arrives just put your SIM in it and that's it.

*edit* forgot about the fact that it would likely force his mom onto a data plan IF she doesn't already have one. That would be the only reason I see that you would need to call AT&T.

 

[Melodeath]

Photo of your mom and I'll tell you my opinion on this idea

I should have known this would happen

Yep! Just that easy' it could be even easier if your mom had an iphone, too.

I'm surprised it's not way more convoluted! Yeah, she actually likes not having a smartphone, though. The only problem is if her flip phone finally breaks, I'll be responsible for buying her a new non-smart phone unsubsidized since I stole her upgrade haha. Probably about $200? Or I guess we could put her sim card in one of my old deactivated iPhones? I guess then she would have to get a data plan, and she wouldn't like that.

 

[joeblow7777]

I have a 5s, and thus am not eligible to upgrade to the iPhone 6 at the full discount until September next year. However, in my family plan, my mom's line is upgrade eligible (and has been probably for 6 years haha). She has a really old flip phone that she just loves and still works.

I contacted AT&T Chat support, and they told me I can pre-order the iPhone 6 for my mom's line to get the upgrade pricing. Then when the phone arrives, before I even open it, I need to call AT&T and they do something in their system to swap the number on the new iPhone 6 to my number, and then I activate it. All the while my mom's flip phone knows nothing happened.

Is it really that simple? I keep my Unlimited data, my 2-year contract stays the same, and my mom has a new 2-year contract?

I'm in pretty much the same situation doing pretty much the same thing. It's great having family members who don't care to use their upgrades!

 

[james92se]

I should have known this would happen


I'm surprised it's not way more convoluted! Yeah, she actually likes not having a smartphone, though. The only problem is if her flip phone finally breaks, I'll be responsible for buying her a new non-smart phone unsubsidized since I stole her upgrade haha. Probably about $200? Or I guess we could put her sim card in one of my old deactivated iPhones? I guess then she would have to get a data plan, and she wouldn't like that.

$200? Just buy her a candy bar AT&T Go Phone and swap her SIM into it. That's what I do for my mom. They sell the Go Phones in Walmart, Target, Best Buy etc for as little as $25-30

 

[nostresshere]

People do this every year. Simple, easy stuff.

Not sure how many phones on your plan, but doing it this way vs. next might not be the best way.

See NEXT pricing

 

[Melodeath]

Wow thanks for all the replies everybody! So AT&T will (without hassle) remove the data plan I'm forced to select on my mom's line when I pre-order?

Also, yes, I do have one of those AT&T Go Phones already. So I could just put her SIM in that phone, and it would become a normal flip phone, not a "pay as you go"?

People do this every year. Simple, easy stuff.

Not sure how many phones on your plan, but doing it this way vs. next might not be the best way.

See NEXT pricing

I was researching Next tonight actually. It looks pretty interesting, but unfortunately it would result in the whole family plan costing more overall.