porting from T-mobile to iPhone with DF? (SUCCESS!)

[shecky]

i have pretty much given up on getting a phone by close of business friday via a walk-in to apple or AT+T. (see here for why i must get a phone friday to keep my number).

so the question i am not able to figure out is this: how can i port from T-mobile in such a way as to get my number ported to AT+T, and then order a direct fulfillment phone from them, and when it comes in, have the same phone number ported to the iphone. at this point the 2 week wait for the phone is fine if it means i do not have to worry about checking stock levels and making phone calls all day to stores.

my original thought was get a GoPhone from AT+T before friday and port my number to it. use it until i can get an iphone, and then port my number to the iphone. however, i am reading that you can not port a number from a GoPhone to an iphone, so that makes that idea useless.

is there any way to get a cheap/free contract phone from AT+T, port the number to it, DF the iphone, then port the number to the iphone when it comes in and return the free phone? i have heard of this being done "as a favor" but i am talking more like being done in writing so there are no surprises like "oh..i don't know who told you that but he was wrong...." etc...

 

[ScottFitz]

i have pretty much given up on getting a phone by close of business friday via a walk-in to apple or AT+T. (see here for why i must get a phone friday to keep my number).

so the question i am not able to figure out is this: how can i port from T-mobile in such a way as to get my number ported to AT+T, and then order a direct fulfillment phone from them, and when it comes in, have the same phone number ported to the iphone. at this point the 2 week wait for the phone is fine if it means i do not have to worry about checking stock levels and making phone calls all day to stores.

my original thought was get a GoPhone from AT+T before friday and port my number to it. use it until i can get an iphone, and then port my number to the iphone. however, i am reading that you can not port a number from a GoPhone to an iphone, so that makes that idea useless.

is there any way to get a cheap/free contract phone from AT+T, port the number to it, DF the iphone, then port the number to the iphone when it comes in and return the free phone? i have heard of this being done "as a favor" but i am talking more like being done in writing so there are no surprises like "oh..i don't know who told you that but he was wrong...." etc...

My local ATT guy offered to provide a cheap loaner phone for just that scenario.

 

[kdawg]

go to att and tell them you want an iphone and if they want your business they will set you up with a new contract and loaner phone until the iphone comes in.... They will always bend over backwards for a new customer... If they don't get intouch with another rep

 

[shecky]

well this actually worked out really well for me.

i went to AT+T and ended up getting a no-contract service only plan (with no equipment) for $39.99/month with my number ported to it from t-mobile. i have a SIM and if i find/borrow a phone that will work on the AT+T network i can use it just fine until my iPhone gets here. once the iphone shows up, we just put it on the account, put the SIM card in and add the data and i am all set.

everything is all verified and double checked so i do not have any issues when the iphone comes in - no extra fees, upgrade charges, etc...

the only mild negative is having 2-3 weeks of service i will most likely not use, but it was worth it to me to keep my phone number.

very easy, took 15 minutes. i am happy as of now