I've asked 5 different Apple and AT&T stores, and I'm getting more confused...

[dranakin]

I keep getting contradictory answers. Maybe someone here can help?


I'm from Sacramento, CA. If I purchase an iPhone from a San Francisco store (or any store otherwise outside of the Sac area), will I be able to get a Sacramento area code as my number? Bear in mind, I will be a new AT&T customer and I am not porting my old cell phone number over.


Everyone I spoke to is giving me different answers. Your thoughts?

 

[komiothebeat]

i am from a 951 area code, but recently moved to a 909 area code

the area code and adress i showed on my drivers liscence was the 951... so... they gave me a 951 area code, so im assuming it is where your address is... so,....

 

[dranakin]

So, I need to be able to prove my address is in Sacramento? I just moved here, so I guess I'll bring a letter or bill or something.

 

[komiothebeat]

well im pretty sure they did it off of my drivers liscence, i dont see it being a huge problem later on because of the move, maybe see if they can do it in the store and put ur current address

 

[tjespo22]

i dont think this is true, my aunt pays for my brothers bill, lives in new jersey (732) and my brother lives with me in staten island and he has the ny (718) area code

tom

 

[afbuckeye]

Best bet is to go into an ATT store to do it. They should be able to set you up with whatever area code you need. If they say they can't, talk to someone else.

 

[deannnnn]

I think they will give you the area code of the store unless you request otherwise.
I don't know if they'll let you pick any area code you want though =/

 

[Alphakline]

I was always told that it's the location of the store. But all of the plans are national plans so does it really matter in the end... just a thought...

 

[zainjetha]

location of the store unless you request otherwise and have a valid reason to do so (ie ur address is in that state)//

 

[Dammit Cubs]

I keep getting contradictory answers. Maybe someone here can help?


I'm from Sacramento, CA. If I purchase an iPhone from a San Francisco store (or any store otherwise outside of the Sac area), will I be able to get a Sacramento area code as my number? Bear in mind, I will be a new AT&T customer and I am not porting my old cell phone number over.


Everyone I spoke to is giving me different answers. Your thoughts?

You should. Im from that area as well.

 

[tritonj]

just go and buy the phone and then call ATT after and tell them you are moving and need a local number for whatever city

there is no need for proof of residency or any of that crap, it all works the same with any phone, if you need a new number just all the customer service and ask, very simple

 

[dranakin]

just go and buy the phone and then call ATT after and tell them you are moving and need a local number for whatever city

there is no need for proof of residency or any of that crap, it all works the same with any phone, if you need a new number just all the customer service and ask, very simple

I was also given the number to call the AT&T activation number, but they said I would have to buy a new SIM card if I wanted to switch area codes after I buy the phone.

I was always told that it's the location of the store. But all of the plans are national plans so does it really matter in the end... just a thought...

Which area code I get is an issue for business incoming calls, thus necessitating the need for a certain area code.

 

[dancavallaro]

Guys, I had the same situation. I live in central NJ, with a 609 area code. I bought my iPhone at an *Apple* store in Edison, in the 732 area code. All I had to do was give them my home zip code, and they were able to give me a number in the 609 area code. No need to go to an AT&T store to do this.

 

[dranakin]

Did you have to show some type of proof of your zip? Because it won't be on my DL...

 

[rrr]

I believe new number assignment is based on your billing address and/or possibly a location you designate as your "Primary Use Area".

I accompanied someone in a Portland OR Apple Store over the weekend who purchased an iPhone as a new AT&T customer (not porting a number) and she was given a number local to that of her billing address in NY.

 

[Mikey B]

i'm pretty sure yo can pick your own area code. i know you can with sprint. my buddy manages bands and he got a new phone on sprint with a new york city area code for his band work. we live in michigan.

 

[dranakin]

Sounds good. I'll let you all know how it turns out.

 

[Loonytik]

I was always told that it's the location of the store. But all of the plans are national plans so does it really matter in the end... just a thought...

IT matters if someone calls you. Depends on where the lines run but the person calling you from a landline could be charged long distance charges.

 

[bradl]

Here is what happened to me when I was asking about getting the iPhone.

I also live in Sacramento, but on launch day and that entire weekend, I was going to be in Oklahoma City. So I stopped by my local ATT store and asked. What they told me was that if you're purchasing the iPhone and you are in the same market region as your home address, you should have no problem (e.g. Western Region is CA, WA, OR, NV, AZ, ID, UT, AK, HI; Central region is CO, NM, ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, TX, MO, LA, IA, IL, MN, WI; everything else is Eastern region). As I was going into a different region, if that particular store had a certain program on their systems (I want to say they called it GEARS), they would be able to do handle my account. Otherwise, I'd have to wait until I got back into my home region to do anything with it. the ATT store here in Sacramento couldn't guarantee that the Oklahoma City stores had it.

So depending on which region you're going into, YMMV. But if you're in the rest of the western region, you should be fine.

BL.

 

[dranakin]

As I was going into a different region, if that particular store had a certain program on their systems (I want to say they called it GEARS), they would be able to do handle my account.

Thanks for the input. I noticed that you said "your [my] account." Does this mean that you are an existing AT&T customer? I'm going to be a new customer, so I'm trying to figure out if it'll be different for me.

 

[downwardspiral]

One of the questions the Apple employee will ask you during activation is where you will be using your phone the most. At this point you can select to have a phone number from a different city.

 

[bradl]

Thanks for the input. I noticed that you said "your [my] account." Does this mean that you are an existing AT&T customer? I'm going to be a new customer, so I'm trying to figure out if it'll be different for me.

Yes, I am an existing customer. For a new customer, if you're in the same region, it should be less of a problem for new customers than it is for existing customers. They can just add you in right then and there. But if you're going out of your region, you may want to give a call to the closest ATT store to where you're going to be to see if they can handle accounts with your home area code. That should give you the tale of the tape.

BL.

 

[karmamule]

I live in Waltham, MA and bought my iPhone at the Apple store in Burlington, MA. Both of these towns are area code 781, but the odd thing is when they gave me my new iPhone I got a 617 area code (which is Boston)

They didn't ask me what area code I wanted, or where I would primarily use it, so it is rather odd that they gave me this for an area code. I don't mind, it's just surprising.

 

[bradl]

I live in Waltham, MA and bought my iPhone at the Apple store in Burlington, MA. Both of these towns are area code 781, but the odd thing is when they gave me my new iPhone I got a 617 area code (which is Boston)

They didn't ask me what area code I wanted, or where I would primarily use it, so it is rather odd that they gave me this for an area code. I don't mind, it's just surprising.

Actually, this I would find kind of odd.. Unless they have something like how Omaha, NE and Council Bluffs, IA have (cities/state separated by the Missouri River) where even though it's a different area code, it's a local call, anyone local to you that would need to get hold of you would be making a long distance phone call, no? Granted, it might be M2M, but if it were land line to your phone, that's going to be a surprise on someone's bill...

BL.

 

[question fear]

I live in Waltham, MA and bought my iPhone at the Apple store in Burlington, MA. Both of these towns are area code 781, but the odd thing is when they gave me my new iPhone I got a 617 area code (which is Boston)

They didn't ask me what area code I wanted, or where I would primarily use it, so it is rather odd that they gave me this for an area code. I don't mind, it's just surprising.

I used to live in that area, and all of my friends and I ran into this as we changed numbers after college. 617/781 numbers are a matter of supply and demand, and often it's whatever is available that day. In the eyes of ATT (and Verizon, and T-Mobile, and Sprint) the two area codes are virtually interchangeable, and unless you request one or the other it's a random draw.