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So whats the Deal with Upgrade Swaps?

C

Corruptitudes

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 24, 2009
100
0
I want to know whats going on with upgrade swaps. I will have to use my upgrade to upgrade my wifes 3g to the 4g iphone. Some say you have to call ATT prior so that they can "swap" numbers on them. Others say you can simply activate through itunes.

Both of us have iphones. I search for Itunes activation screenshots, and found this http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2007/06/iphone-registra/

From the screenshots it looks as though registration will ask for the phone number your activating. So if my wife input her phone number there why would I have to call ATT? Im trying to avoid them like the plague because I have a fear they will remove my unlimited data plans. And with the netflix app coming out, and face time coming, I can see us using more then 2gbs...
 
Corruptitudes said:
I want to know whats going on with upgrade swaps. I will have to use my upgrade to upgrade my wifes 3g to the 4g iphone. Some say you have to call ATT prior so that they can "swap" numbers on them. Others say you can simply activate through itunes.

Both of us have iphones. I search for Itunes activation screenshots, and found this http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2007/06/iphone-registra/

From the screenshots it looks as though registration will ask for the phone number your activating. So if my wife input her phone number there why would I have to call ATT? Im trying to avoid them like the plague because I have a fear they will remove my unlimited data plans. And with the netflix app coming out, and face time coming, I can see us using more then 2gbs...
Click to expand...

I don't know, but that is the 2G from three years ago. I'd really just suggest people to go to an AT&T store upon receipt of the iPhone.
 
elephunkman said:
I don't know, but that is the 2G from three years ago. I'd really just suggest people to go to an AT&T store upon receipt of the iPhone.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but that wont happen. The people in the store are looking out for themselves not me. I wont support their commission by having them remove my unlimited plans. They already made me loose a grandfathered text plan.
 
ITS HELL! I have worked on trying to get this fixed all day long. Long short short. You have to to buy 2 new sims cards (One a regular sim, and other micro sim at $25 each, but AT&T is giving them to me for free.) Upgrade just as you should, and then it will shut off your wifes service, then you must call ATT and have them activate on of the new sims(regualr) to her numebr and put it in her phone. Then have them do the same with the new micro sim with your number.

AT&Tcan do it without this process, but Apple cannot as they must activate the phone before you leave the store and the checkout process automatically activates the microsim on her number making her sim now inactive, and can never be revived (hence having to get 2 new sim cards) I suggest going to AT&T unless my Apple stores are just complete idiots. Lol
 
Thanks Jman, however, I dont have an apple store in my town. So I will be ordering online.

So your saying that that sim once activated is locked to the number that it was upgraded on assuming it was purchased through a b&m store. What if I order through apple.com will they send me an opened box with a sim that has been activated with my phone number? Or will they send me an unopened box with an unactivated sim that Itunes activates?
 
Then your in luck, you can call AT&T BEFORE you plug your phone in, and activate it and they can fix the problem before it happens and basically just send a number to that sim since it hasn't been activated in a phone yet. So you have to do it BEFORE you turn it on and everything.
 
Jman14 said:
Then your in luck, you can call AT&T BEFORE you plug your phone in, and activate it and they can fix the problem before it happens and basically just send a number to that sim since it hasn't been activated in a phone yet. So you have to do it BEFORE you turn it on and everything.
Click to expand...

So if thats the case, then why would I have to call AT&T at all? At that point if the sim is not activated, and Itunes asks for the phone number, shouldnt I be able to input the correct phone number into Itunes and have it activated that way?
 
The sim is preloaded with the number of the upgrade out of the box, but if its not put in and turned on, then it wont actually be activated. So you need to call AT&T to chane the prelaoded number on the SIM, so you don;t have any issues.
 
Corruptitudes said:
So if thats the case, then why would I have to call AT&T at all? At that point if the sim is not activated, and Itunes asks for the phone number, shouldnt I be able to input the correct phone number into Itunes and have it activated that way?
Click to expand...

Because the sims IMEI is on the line you upgraded with. So when you activate the sim can ONLY be activated on that line. When you call AT&T they will switch the IMEI to your line, and u can activate as if it was yours. :)
 
Jman14 said:
The sim is preloaded with the number of the upgrade out of the box, but if its not put in and turned on, then it wont actually be activated. So you need to call AT&T to chane the prelaoded number on the SIM, so you don;t have any issues.
Click to expand...

This is false. The SIM is BLANK.

However, the SIM is associated in AT&Ts system with the number you ordered the upgrade on. All you need to do is call AT&T and tell then you are doing an upgrade swap. They will associate the SIM with the correct number.

Then you connect to iTunes, activate, and start loading it with apps and music!

All this is in our upgrade guide.
 
Jman14 said:
The sim is preloaded with the number of the upgrade out of the box, but if its not put in and turned on, then it wont actually be activated. So you need to call AT&T to chane the prelaoded number on the SIM, so you don;t have any issues.
Click to expand...

mbsaeger said:
Because the sims IMEI is on the line you upgraded with. So when you activate the sim can ONLY be activated on that line. When you call AT&T they will switch the IMEI to your line, and u can activate as if it was yours. :)
Click to expand...
A couple of data points here...

The Micro SIM is not pre-loaded with the phone number but it is already installed in the iPhone 4. As part of the order fulfillment process, the ICCI ID from the Micro SIM and IMEI from the iPhone 4 are scanned from the box and entered into the big server in the sky to catch up with the phone number from the pre-order (that's why they asked for the phone number at pre-order time).

So when you try to activate with iTunes, iTunes is going to check with HQ and find the information for the donor line and not the line that you want to use the Upgrade Swap on... Messy but that's how they are trying to get some real activations on AT&T and have everthing end up on Craigslist and eBay. So it makes it hard for the honest person.

You are calling AT&T Customer Care for two main reasons:

1. Agree to the contract terms for the donor line ( gets new two-year agreement and $325 ETF )

2. Correctly Activate the Mico SIM with your line of service. The rep may ask you to provide the ICCI ID and the IMEI. Just read from the box.

Once 1 & 2 are done, then you are now ready to connect your new iPhone 4 with iTunes for a "quick" activation ( just unlocks the phone for use and locks it to AT&T and then you can rock-n-roll. :cool:

Dave
 
dave006 said:
A couple of data points here...

The Micro SIM is not pre-loaded with the phone number but it is already installed in the iPhone 4. As part of the order fulfillment process, the ICCI ID from the Micro SIM and IMEI from the iPhone 4 are scanned from the box and entered into the big server in the sky to catch up with the phone number from the pre-order (that's why they asked for the phone number at pre-order time).

So when you try to activate with iTunes, iTunes is going to check with HQ and find the information for the donor line and not the line that you want to use the Upgrade Swap on... Messy but that's how they are trying to get some real activations on AT&T and have everthing end up on Craigslist and eBay. So it makes it hard for the honest person.

You are calling AT&T Customer Care for two main reasons:

1. Agree to the contract terms for the donor line ( gets new two-year agreement and $325 ETF )

2. Correctly Activate the Mico SIM with your line of service. The rep may ask you to provide the ICCI ID and the IMEI. Just read from the box.

Once 1 & 2 are done, then you are now ready to connect your new iPhone 4 with iTunes for a "quick" activation ( just unlocks the phone for use and locks it to AT&T and then you can rock-n-roll. :cool:

Dave
Click to expand...

Thanks for the more complete technical explanation.
 
Obviously you know more than AT&T and Apple reps. I was just going off what they told me. I still dont see why they make processes so complicated. Lol
 
dave006 said:
A couple of data points here...

The Micro SIM is not pre-loaded with the phone number but it is already installed in the iPhone 4. As part of the order fulfillment process, the ICCI ID from the Micro SIM and IMEI from the iPhone 4 are scanned from the box and entered into the big server in the sky to catch up with the phone number from the pre-order (that's why they asked for the phone number at pre-order time).

So when you try to activate with iTunes, iTunes is going to check with HQ and find the information for the donor line and not the line that you want to use the Upgrade Swap on... Messy but that's how they are trying to get some real activations on AT&T and have everthing end up on Craigslist and eBay. So it makes it hard for the honest person.

You are calling AT&T Customer Care for two main reasons:

1. Agree to the contract terms for the donor line ( gets new two-year agreement and $325 ETF )

2. Correctly Activate the Mico SIM with your line of service. The rep may ask you to provide the ICCI ID and the IMEI. Just read from the box.

Once 1 & 2 are done, then you are now ready to connect your new iPhone 4 with iTunes for a "quick" activation ( just unlocks the phone for use and locks it to AT&T and then you can rock-n-roll. :cool:

Dave
Click to expand...

So what happens if you put in a different number in itunes during activation?
 
Let's face it: Apple employees are MUCH more pleasant (& in the know) than AT&T employees. I'm going to order my iPhone through Apple, & have it sent to the Apple store. I'm also doing an upgrade swap with my mom. Will they be able to contact AT&T to change the numbers before they activate it?

Sorry if it's a silly question. I just don't want any surprises the day of. :p
 
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