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Switching from AT&T to T-mobile - will be using 6 and 6 plus

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maverick22

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 30, 2012
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I signed up with T-mobile for the 2 lines unlimited for $100 Sunday morning, paid my wife's AT&T 6+ off that evening, and am waiting for both to be unlocked (a rep said tonight it should be complete tomorrow). Anyone know how to speed this up in case I don't get the approval e-mail tomorrow?

Is it a bad idea to be using the iphone 6 and iphone 6 plus (no 12 band)? We live about 15 miles south of Dallas.

Thanks (1st post here in a long time)!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Me and my wife switched from AT&T to T-Mobile last week and are using our phones from AT&T. For some reason we've noticed that the batteries drain a LOT faster being on the T-Mobile service. Not sure why this is.

Anyone else having this issue?
 
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rdunlap said:
Me and my wife switched from AT&T to T-Mobile last week and are using our phones from AT&T. For some reason we've noticed that the batteries drain a LOT faster being on the T-Mobile service. Not sure why this is.

Anyone else having this issue?
Click to expand...

What was the unlock process like? How long did it take?

Thanks
 
maverick22 said:
I signed up with T-mobile for the 2 lines unlimited for $100 Sunday morning, paid my wife's AT&T 6+ off that evening, and am waiting for both to be unlocked (a rep said tonight it should be complete tomorrow). Anyone know how to speed this up in case I don't get the approval e-mail tomorrow?

Is it a bad idea to be using the iphone 6 and iphone 6 plus (no 12 band)? We live about 15 miles south of Dallas.

Thanks (1st post here in a long time)!
Click to expand...
I have a T-Mobile iPhone 6s+. Currently, no Band 12 in Phoenix. It's rolling out but I've been only on Band 4 for a year and a half. I've done fairly well, averaging 2-18 down.
[doublepost=1488387427][/doublepost]
rdunlap said:
Me and my wife switched from AT&T to T-Mobile last week and are using our phones from AT&T. For some reason we've noticed that the batteries drain a LOT faster being on the T-Mobile service. Not sure why this is.

Anyone else having this issue?
Click to expand...
If I had to make an uneducated guess, it's that your phone does not have all of T-Mobile's bands and is thus forced to grab a weaker signal from the T-Mob bands it does support. Which impacts battery life.
 
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maverick22 said:
I signed up with T-mobile for the 2 lines unlimited for $100 Sunday morning, paid my wife's AT&T 6+ off that evening, and am waiting for both to be unlocked (a rep said tonight it should be complete tomorrow). Anyone know how to speed this up in case I don't get the approval e-mail tomorrow?

Is it a bad idea to be using the iphone 6 and iphone 6 plus (no 12 band)? We live about 15 miles south of Dallas.

Thanks (1st post here in a long time)!
Click to expand...

If you call AT&T technical support, they have the ability to fast-track an unlock over the phone with you. Just be firm and say that your devices are paid off and you need them unlocked.

Also, be forewarned -- when I did this two weeks ago, I had to perform a full reset / restore from iCloud on my device in order for the unlock process to complete on my 6S+. Something about the phone not "checking to see if it's unlocked" unless it's in setup mode. Once I did that, the T-Mobile service started immediately.
 
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I just unlocked my att phones. Took about a week. First they ask you to submit it online. I did multiple times and kept getting denied. Talked to a rep and insisted she open a case to unlock our phones. It was done in about 3 days. Hello T-Mobile!
 
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LaloG said:
I just unlocked my att phones. Took about a week. First they ask you to submit it online. I did multiple times and kept getting denied. Talked to a rep and insisted she open a case to unlock our phones. It was done in about 3 days. Hello T-Mobile!
Click to expand...

Same nonsense I went through over a year ago when I left AT&T. After about a week calling them daily and getting nowhere I started losing my patience.
There's nothing much you can do unless you get the BBB or the FCC after them to speed it up if they're wasting your time and giving you the run around.
I also had 2 iPhone 6 plus models. I used them for over a year on Tmobile until I upgrade to the i7.
They worked fine, I feel that Im getting a little better signal now with Band 12 included in my new device with T mobile but it wasn't a big deal.
 
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mgmusicman94 said:
Unlocking with AT&T was a nightmare. After a bunch of hassle on the phone and failed unlock portal requests, we emailed lori.lee@att.com (an executive customer service email) and got a phone call within the hour and our phones unlocked immediately.
Click to expand...

Great to have that contact info.
It should come in handy for many people that are switching and are stuck in the same crazy limbo story trying to unlock their devices while porting ETF free.
 
So I got the confirmation email yesterday afternoon, and a few hours later got a call from someone that works with Lori Lee. That is a legit contact! The email said to wait 24 hours, then hook up to itunes.

So do I really need to erase/restore (whatever the directions are), or can I just pop the temporary sim cards from T-mobile? The temporary ones were given to me until I go to the store, and then they will port our actual numbers from AT&T. I don't want to screw anything up.

thanks
 
maverick22 said:
So I got the confirmation email yesterday afternoon, and a few hours later got a call from someone that works with Lori Lee. That is a legit contact! The email said to wait 24 hours, then hook up to itunes.

So do I really need to erase/restore (whatever the directions are), or can I just pop the temporary sim cards from T-mobile? The temporary ones were given to me until I go to the store, and then they will port our actual numbers from AT&T. I don't want to screw anything up.

thanks
Click to expand...
Wait the 24 hours. Then put in the new SIMs. There should be no reason to restore unless you do not have SIMs from a different carrier. That instruction was last valid in 2011 and even Apple doesn't give it as their first instruction any more.

You will know your phone is unlocked if if asks for your Apple ID and password when you insert the new SIM.
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Applejuiced said:
After about a week calling them daily and getting nowhere I started losing my patience.
Click to expand...
Not too sure I'd want to be around when you actually got mad. :)
 
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If my wife and I want to switch phones (she wants to go from her 6+ to my 6--getting tired of the size and then I'd take her 6+), when/how would be the best way to do what?

thanks
 
maverick22 said:
If my wife and I want to switch phones (she wants to go from her 6+ to my 6--getting tired of the size and then I'd take her 6+), when/how would be the best way to do what?

thanks
Click to expand...

Did the rep mark which temporary number is for which SIM/number you are porting? If so, then just swap.

For instance, the last four of my wife's number is 8160 and the last four of mine is 5454. When we ported the rep marked that temp number 1234 was for 5454 and marked that on the SIM card. He then marked that temp number 2345 was for 8160 and again marked it on the card.

When I say 'marked it on the card' I am referring to the credit card size deal where you punch out the SIM. To do what you want, I would have simply swapped SIMs with my wife.

I am not sure how this happens if the SIMs are coming in the phones. I assume you can select which number to port to which SIM but I've never done that.

Or, to alleviate the hassle, just port like you would normally and when the port is done, just swap SIMs.
 
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eyoungren said:
Did the rep mark which temporary number is for which SIM/number you are porting? If so, then just swap.

For instance, the last four of my wife's number is 8160 and the last four of mine is 5454. When we ported the rep marked that temp number 1234 was for 5454 and marked that on the SIM card. He then marked that temp number 2345 was for 8160 and again marked it on the card.

When I say 'marked it on the card' I am referring to the credit card size deal where you punch out the SIM. To do what you want, I would have simply swapped SIMs with my wife.

I am not sure how this happens if the SIMs are coming in the phones. I assume you can select which number to port to which SIM but I've never done that.

Or, to alleviate the hassle, just port like you would normally and when the port is done, just swap SIMs.
Click to expand...

Right now I have the credit card size sim cards with the temporary phone numbers written on them.

I didn't know what was best to do. I honestly don't mess with itunes much. If we just swapped sims, my wife would have my old phone (which would contain all of my own texts right?).

I didn't know the best steps to take and when to do them as far as the new temporary sims, the porting, and itunes (setting up from a recent backup perhaps--I don't know).

thanks
 
maverick22 said:
Right now I have the credit card size sim cards with the temporary phone numbers written on them.

I didn't know what was best to do. I honestly don't mess with itunes much. If we just swapped sims, my wife would have my old phone (which would contain all of my own texts right?).

I didn't know the best steps to take and when to do them as far as the new temporary sims, the porting, and itunes (setting up from a recent backup perhaps--I don't know).

thanks
Click to expand...
Here is what I would do.

1. Port your numbers as normal. Your number to your 6, her number to her 6+. Porting takes less than five minutes when it happens.

2. Backup to iCloud or iTunes. Have her do the same.

3. Turn off Find My iPhone on both devices.

4. Restore both phones as new.

5. Remove your SIM from your 6 and hand your 6 to her.

6. Have her remove her SIM from her 6+ and have her hand her 6+ to you.

7. Place your SIM in the 6+ and have her place her SIM in the 6.

8. Both of you either login to your Apple ID and restore from iCloud or connect to iTunes and restore from your personal backup. Your restore will go to what is now your 6+ and her restore will go to what is now her 6.

Done.
 
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eyoungren said:
Here is what I would do.

1. Port your numbers as normal. Your number to your 6, her number to her 6+. Porting takes less than five minutes when it happens.

2. Backup to iCloud or iTunes. Have her do the same.

3. Turn off Find My iPhone on both devices.

4. Restore both phones as new.

5. Remove your SIM from your 6 and hand your 6 to her.

6. Have her remove her SIM from her 6+ and have her hand her 6+ to you.

7. Place your SIM in the 6+ and have her place her SIM in the 6.

8. Both of you either login to your Apple ID and restore from iCloud or connect to iTunes and restore from your personal backup. Your restore will go to what is now your 6+ and her restore will go to what is now her 6.

Done.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much! Got our phones activated (didn't switch yet--will get to that in the next few days)

Much appreciated!
 
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I'm in the same boat here moving from att to tmobile.

If possible would anyone just suggest swapping an at&t phone with a tmobile iphone? Any benefit to doing that vs getting unlocked then moving over?
 
maverick22 said:
So I got the confirmation email yesterday afternoon, and a few hours later got a call from someone that works with Lori Lee. That is a legit contact! The email said to wait 24 hours, then hook up to itunes.

So do I really need to erase/restore (whatever the directions are), or can I just pop the temporary sim cards from T-mobile? The temporary ones were given to me until I go to the store, and then they will port our actual numbers from AT&T. I don't want to screw anything up.

thanks
Click to expand...
I just put in my new SIM cards and it worked just fine. No need to restore.
 
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