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So how do you activate a new iPhone 4S?

OrlandoTragic

OrlandoTragic

macrumors 68000
Original poster
May 13, 2007
1,517
380
Orlando, FL
I've always upgraded in-store, but I opted to have the 4S shipped to me.
Do I swap the SIM card from my old phone and then plug it in, or what?

I'll be selling my 4 the same day as I get my 4S.

Thanks all!
 
You activate your iPhone through itunes, and yes, swap the SIM cards from your 4 and 4S (I think you want to do this before you activate your 4S but don't quote me on that).
 
So what if your old phone isn't an iPhone, and has a regular SIM card? (as in, not a micro-SIM)
 
I'm coming from a droid... do I do the same process when it gets here? Just plug in and continue through iTunes? I have Verizon.
 
duelingdragons said:
I've always upgraded in-store, but I opted to have the 4S shipped to me.
Do I swap the SIM card from my old phone and then plug it in, or what?

I'll be selling my 4 the same day as I get my 4S.

Thanks all!
Click to expand...

your new 4S will come with a new sim. you can activate using the phone, or plugging into itunes. your old sim will become useless. once you activate, your new sim preinstalled with the 4S will only work

ripper998 said:
They dont come with Sims preinstalled?
Click to expand...

they do, i am not too sure why no one else cared to mention this over the last 4 days.
 
ripper998 said:
They dont come with Sims preinstalled?
Click to expand...

It did, a micro-SIM, but the phone currently has no signal so we're just guessing that we needed to put the old SIM card in for activation...? My fiancee is on the phone with AT&T now to get it sorted.
 
Surrylic said:
It did, a micro-SIM, but the phone currently has no signal so we're just guessing that we needed to put the old SIM card in for activation...? My fiancee is on the phone with AT&T now to get it sorted.
Click to expand...

you will activate the phone with the new sim. once activated, your old sim will no longer be needed. good luck
 
I've never replaced a sim during an iPhone upgrade.

Once you plug the phone in to iTunes it should just start working. That's been my experience anyway. 4s should be here today, hoping this activation process hasn't changed. I'd like to get it in my pocket and get to work on time tonight.
 
I'm with AT&T and though I haven't received my iphone yet, the email said you can activate it either by calling or using a website online. I think it was att.com/activation
 
drb1992 said:
You activate your iPhone through itunes, and yes, swap the SIM cards from your 4 and 4S (I think you want to do this before you activate your 4S but don't quote me on that).
Click to expand...

Todthebod said:
You have to go to the store.
Click to expand...

Ignore these responses, just plain wrong. You don't have to swap sim cards.

I've had all previous 4 iPhones and I've never had to swap the sim. When you activate it through iTunes, the preinstalled sim in your new phone will be activated.
 
duelingdragons said:
How do the activation servers know that the phone should be tied to my specific account without a SIM card though?
Click to expand...

sir, that comes preloaded onto the phone. i have posted on how the process works. i advise you follow the steps. if not then id hate for you to be on hold and what not with ATT over something thats easily done. good luck.
 
bmms8 said:
sir, that comes preloaded onto the phone. i have posted on how the process works. i advise you follow the steps. if not then id hate for you to be on hold and what not with ATT over something thats easily done. good luck.
Click to expand...

I completely believe you, I'm just curious how it actually works.
How can this phone, fresh out of the box, know that it should be associated with my phone number?
 
The phone has a serial number and IMEI number printed on the outside. This was scanned with a barcode and associated with your order before it was shipped.

Trust me, it works.
 
duelingdragons said:
I completely believe you, I'm just curious how it actually works.
How can this phone, fresh out of the box, know that it should be associated with my phone number?
Click to expand...

Because when you set it up it will connect with at&t and activate your new sim card
 
Vertigo50 said:
The phone has a serial number and IMEI number printed on the outside. This was scanned with a barcode and associated with your order before it was shipped.

Trust me, it works.
Click to expand...

Makes perfect sense, thanks for the explanation!
I knew it worked, I was just curious as to how.
 
Ooooooook, so just heard from my fiancee. Apparently her 4S just randomly started working after having no signal for a couple hours. So no call to AT&T (those that said this was incorrect were definitely right), no plugging it into a computer... I guess they're supposed to just work right out of the box, and hers just took it's good ol' time :p

Thanks
 
Surrylic said:
Ooooooook, so just heard from my fiancee. Apparently her 4S just randomly started working after having no signal for a couple hours. So no call to AT&T (those that said this was incorrect were definitely right), no plugging it into a computer... I guess they're supposed to just work right out of the box, and hers just took it's good ol' time :p

Thanks
Click to expand...

Did she try and activate thru iTunes or just the phone ?
Cellular net work or home wireless ?
I've been trying with iTunes for over an hour and no joy.
 
I am with Sprint; I went thru te activation process as Sprint told me too and it was activated with an incorrect phone number attached. I bought it thru Apple.com and somehow they messed it up. Sprint could not assist me, and phone said to call Apple. Call tem I did and they had no idea what went wrong and said to call Sprint and then actually tried to call Sprint and connect me. Then the reps computer went crazy and she said she had to reboot and lost contact with her senior rep. Waiting for a call back now. My first IPhone experience is becoming a nightmare.
 
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