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Swapping a 4 for 4S

F

foolishfocus

macrumors member
Original poster
May 17, 2010
39
0
St. Louis
I am trying to get an understanding of exactly what I need to do to get both phones working. I have a 4S on the way and am currently using the 4. We used my fiancée's upgrade so as I understand it, the Sim card is programmed for her phone. If we activate it, it will make her current dumb phone sim card useless. If I swap my iPhone 4 sim into the new 4S before activating and put the new sim into my old (but returned to default) 4, will everything work properly? We both have the same exact plan, but will it cause issues that they show she has a 4S but in reality she is using the 4?

Thanks in advance!
 
You'll need to:

Pull the sim card out of the new phone before its ever turned on, call AT&T or go to an AT&T store, ask them to program and activate that sim card for your phone number. Plug back into new iPhone, turn it on and enjoy!!
 
Last edited:
Yes it will work properly but you will need to call your provider and have them swap the phones to the proper account. So the 4s will show up under your account and the 4 under hers. I used my brothers upgrade for the 4 and I did this, other wise when/if you take it to apple for service it will show her as the owner.

megapopular said:
Pull the sim card out of the new phone before its ever turned on, call AT&T or go to an AT&T store, ask them to program and activate that sim card for your phone number. Plug back into new iPhone, turn it on and enjoy!!
Click to expand...

Why do this? She still needs a sim for the 4..... what you said makes no sense at all.

0blivion said:
I have a similar question, lol. I'm currently on a three year contract with Rogers (I'm using the iPhone 4). If I buy the iPhone 4S at full price (unlocked), can I just switch in the SIM card and use the iPhone 4S without a problem?
Click to expand...
Yes. The sim doesn't care what phone it's in..... at least in the US, not sure how it is else where but I don't see why it would be different.

Radnor said:
The 4 and the 4s use the same type of SIM card, so you should be able to just swap them. I don't understand why people are saying you need to contact AT&T for - they don't care what phone your account is using. I could switch my card to any number of different iPhone 4 phones right now.
Click to expand...
Because the phone is still registered to the buyer. He doesn't have to do that but it will show up as her phone if he doesn't.
 
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I have a similar question, lol. I'm currently on a three year contract with Rogers (I'm using the iPhone 4). If I buy the iPhone 4S at full price (unlocked), can I just switch in the SIM card and use the iPhone 4S without a problem?
 
The 4 and the 4s use the same type of SIM card, so you should be able to just swap them. I don't understand why people are saying you need to contact AT&T for - they don't care what phone your account is using. I could switch my card to any number of different iPhone 4 phones right now.
 
She is worried about losing her contacts, if we took the phone in to AT&T would they be able to save her contacts from her old phone?
 
foolishfocus said:
She is worried about losing her contacts, if we took the phone in to AT&T would they be able to save her contacts from her old phone?
Click to expand...

Megapopular has it correct.

Before you turn on the new 4S, call AT&T and have them do an upgrade swap. You tell them the IMEI number on the SIM card and say I want this sim card tied to this phone number.

After they do that, you can turn on the phone and activate it. If you don't do this, and do turn on the phone without calling them, it will deactivate her old dumb phone's sim.

EDIT: Or you can just take out the new sim card, put it away. Take your sim from your old iPhone 4 and plug it in and it will work. But what are you going to do with the old phone? Is your girl going to use it? If shes going to use your old iPhone 4, and you are going to use the new 4S, then take the new SIM and put it in your old phone and activate it. Take your old sim and place in new 4S phone and that's it. Her dumb phone will be inactive and she will be on the iPhone 4, and you will be on the iPhone 4S.

Confusing isn't it?
 
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hildaneuenhause said:
does anybody know just what exactly does the S in iPh4S stand for?
Click to expand...

On the 3GS it stood for "Speed" so I'm assuming it would be the same.

But it could stand for just about anything you want.

Such as:

Steve
Speed
Silly
Siri
Super
Superlative
 
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