[Resolved] Upgrade swap problem - find IMEI number

[medgirl2001]

I received my iPhone 5 today. We want to do an upgrade swap and activate it on another line. I'm following the instructions here (http://www.att.com/esupport/iphoneupgradesupport.jsp?source=ECSAFBFAC00D1000S), called AT&T, everything's going fine - but they need the SIM number and IMEI number.

The SIM number is no problem, but I can't get the IMEI number without turning the phone on and activating it to the line we don't want, which will zap the SIM, so we'll have to go to the store to get a new one. The AT&T rep said the IMEI number should be on the box, but there is nothing there that looks like an IMEI number. My phone shipped from Apple, not AT&T, so it may have different information on the box.

Is there any way around this besides activating on the wrong line and then going to the store to get the SIMs switched?

 

[billinaz]

Look on the bottom of the box its there by the serial number, or on the back of the phone

 

[medgirl2001]

Look on the bottom of the box its there by the serial number, or on the back of the phone

You rock! It is definitely not on the box, but I see it on the back of the phone, in microscopic numbers that are tricky to read on the slate. Thank you so much!

 

[OneMike]

You rock! It is definitely not on the box, but I see it on the back of the phone, in microscopic numbers that are tricky to read on the slate. Thank you so much!

Interesting. Every box I've seen has imei

 

[digitalfx]

unless your box fell off a truck, its printed on the box.

 

[RocketMan76]

You rock! It is definitely not on the box, but I see it on the back of the phone, in microscopic numbers that are tricky to read on the slate. Thank you so much!

It's on the box. That's how I swapped my upgrade yesterday.

 

[medgirl2001]

Interesting. Every box I've seen has imei

It's so strange. I just had someone else check for me, because I thought maybe I was losing my mind. The number is not there, not even labeled as something else. This shipped from Apple, not AT&T. Maybe that makes a difference?

 

[medgirl2001]

It's on the box. That's how I swapped my upgrade yesterday.

Was yours shipped UPS from Apple?

There are a lot of numbers on my box: UPS tracking, PO# (the phone number), line item, part number, SSCC, phone serial number, model number, web number, sales number, delivery number, a number next to a bar code. But none of them is labeled IMEI, and none of them is the same number as the IMEI number on the back of the phone.

I don't know what to say. I'd post a picture, but some of that is personally identifiable information, and some I'm not sure (I don't know what the SSCC number is, for example).

 

[DavidFongs]

Was yours shipped UPS from Apple?

There are a lot of numbers on my box: UPS tracking, PO# (the phone number), line item, part number, SSCC, phone serial number, model number, web number, sales number, delivery number, a number next to a bar code. But none of them is labeled IMEI, and none of them is the same number as the IMEI number on the back of the phone.

I don't know what to say. I'd post a picture, but some of that is personally identifiable information, and some I'm not sure (I don't know what the SSCC number is, for example).

Are you looking at the UPS box, or the box the phone came in that was inside the UPS box

 

[aristobrat]

Yeah, it's on the back of the iPhone box. Bottom right, where the bar codes are. Should have serial number, etc. That's what gets scanned when you buy these from any brick and mortar store.

 

[medgirl2001]

Are you looking at the UPS box, or the box the phone came in that was inside the UPS box

Ugh, the UPS box. Okay, I am an idiot.

Well, at any rate, it's fixed now and all is activated. Sorry for the dumb question. It's been a long day.

 

[DustyLBottoms]

Even better: the IMEI number is engraved on the BACK of every phone.

 

[RocketMan76]

Was yours shipped UPS from Apple?

There are a lot of numbers on my box: UPS tracking, PO# (the phone number), line item, part number, SSCC, phone serial number, model number, web number, sales number, delivery number, a number next to a bar code. But none of them is labeled IMEI, and none of them is the same number as the IMEI number on the back of the phone.

I don't know what to say. I'd post a picture, but some of that is personally identifiable information, and some I'm not sure (I don't know what the SSCC number is, for example).

Are you serious? It HAS been a long day, but good lords.

 

[medgirl2001]

Are you serious? It HAS been a long day, but good lords.

Okay, how many times do you want me to apologize? I took it out of that box, which was then under a pile of stuff. I never even thought about it with the other box in front of me. The UPS box does have the serial number/model number, etc. on it. It's not inconceivable that it could have had the IMEI number. Especially when the AT&T guy said, well, I guess it's because it shipped from Apple and not us, you'll have to go to an AT&T store to get a SIM. I said it was dumb. Please tell me how else you would like me to atone for a stupid question.

 

[dave006]

Even better: the IMEI number is engraved on the BACK of every phone.

Just a note: the IMEI is not engraved on any iPhone model before the iPhone 5. It is a new location starting with the iPhone 5.

On previous models, the IMEI is printed on the Micro-SIM / SIM tray by default so as long as you have the original SIM tray, you would have the IMEI printed there in addition to the iOS screen once the iPhone is started.

Dave

 

[RocketMan76]

Please tell me how else you would like me to atone for a stupid question.

Sing "I'm a little teapot".

 

[medgirl2001]

Sing "I'm a little teapot".

RocketMan, I think it's gonna be a long, long time.

 

[billinaz]

Sing "I'm a little teapot".

With video.