Carrier Transferring old SIM to iPhone 12 during setup?

[s2mike]

I’ll start out by admitting that this is a pretty embarrassing question, considering that the iPhone 12 will be the tenth iPhone I’ve owned...but I’m experiencing a major brain fart here.

I’m in the Apple Upgrade Program, so I get a new phone every year. For the past few years, I specifically recall having to take the SIM card from my old iPhone and put into the new iPhone during the setup process.

How come I need to do this when the new iPhone comes with a SIM card already? Doesn’t the SIM card that ships inside the iPhone 12 get activated and tied to my carrier account when I purchase the phone? Is there a way to avoid putting my old SIM card into the new phone?

Ultimately it’s not a big deal, and I can always put my iPhone 11 SIM card into the iPhone 12...but I’m wondering why I’ve needed to do this in the past.

Thanks!

 

[AppleFeller]

Your new "upgrade" should indeed be activated with a new sim in it, the phone should be activated once it is confirmed in Apple's system as being picked up and turned on, that second screen where it "activates". You should not be ever transferring your simcard over in your case. Regardless if you do need to manually end up activating the device after the fact, have them update the simcard to the use the new one that comes with the phone to ensure optimal cellular voice and data performance.

 

[Momof2.1107]

I just joined Verizon in August of this year. I wonder if my current sim would work in my 12 Pro Max next month?

 

[s2mike]

Your new "upgrade" should indeed be activated with a new sim in it, the phone should be activated once it is confirmed in Apple's system as being picked up and turned on, that second screen where it "activates". You should not be ever transferring your simcard over in your case. Regardless if you do need to manually end up activating the device after the fact, have them update the simcard to the use the new one that comes with the phone to ensure optimal cellular voice and data performance.

Thanks!

 

[AppleFeller]

I just joined Verizon in August of this year. I wonder if my current sim would work in my 12 Pro Max next month?

Verizon will require a new 5G simcard to be in the phone, make sure you request this at your carrier or a local apple store when you receive your 12 Pro Max if ordering unlocked sim free model. A new SIM card in general also ensures optimal cellular voice and data performance on the device.

 

[Momof2.1107]

Verizon will require a new 5G simcard to be in the phone, make sure you request this at your carrier or a local apple store when you receive your 12 Pro Max if ordering unlocked sim free model. A new SIM card in general also ensures optimal cellular voice and data performance on the device.

Damn that sounds like I’ll more than likely be charged the $20 upgrade fee. Oh well I rather pay it and have a brand new phone. Thank you.

 

[Never mind]

Verizon will require a new 5G simcard to be in the phone, make sure you request this at your carrier or a local apple store when you receive your 12 Pro Max if ordering unlocked sim free model. A new SIM card in general also ensures optimal cellular voice and data performance on the device.

Called Verizon‘s tech-support and asked them about putting my current Sim card from my Xs iPhone into a unlocked Sim free model, and they said that would be just fine. Do not need an update Sim card for the iPhone 12 Unless it is really, really old SIM card

 

[AppleFeller]

Called Verizon‘s tech-support and asked them about putting my current Sim card from my Xs iPhone into a unlocked Sim free model, and they said that would be just fine. Do not need an update Sim card for the iPhone 12 Unless it is really, really old SIM card

I didn't say a prior sim card outright wouldn't work, but yes you do in fact need a new 5G SIM card if on Verizon in order to use 5G (new cards are labeled with the 5G instead of 4G).

 

[ajpuciat]

I didn't say a prior sim card outright wouldn't work, but yes you do in fact need a new 5G SIM card if on Verizon in order to use 5G (new cards are labeled with the 5G instead of 4G).

Verizon support told me yesterday that my current SIM will work at 5G speeds with the new iPhone. It is just labeled with a red V. No 5g or 4g labeling.

 

[AppleFeller]

Verizon support told me yesterday that my current SIM will work at 5G speeds with the new iPhone. It is just labeled with a red V. No 5g or 4g labeling.

You should never just move over a old SIM card regardless, countless people end up having odd voice and data performance issues, new sim goes in and voila, the phone is working normally. Also to no surprise, Verizon support is clueless. Apple iPhone 12 Pro - Activate / Set Up Device

 

[ssledoux]

I have moved my old sim with my last couple phones. It never fails if I don’t, the dang phone doesn’t activate properly and I wind up at ATT. If I just move my SIM, all my stuff automatically works. I’ve not have a problem yet.

 

[Never mind]

You should never just move over a old SIM card regardless, countless people end up having odd voice and data performance issues, new sim goes in and voila, the phone is working normally. Also to no surprise, Verizon support is clueless. Apple iPhone 12 Pro - Activate / Set Up Device

actually no. Just for the heck of it, I got a brand new Verizon SIM card, which I put into my phone and Wa-la, though everything seem to work, outgoing and incoming calls as well as texting failed to work and I had to call tech-support and they work this through and it took about 35/45 minutes. I did this early for one reason so that I can take this card with all the kinks worked out and place it with from my Xs and move it over to my iPhone 12 pro this Friday and hopefully everything will go smoothly.

 

[AppleFeller]

actually no. Just for the heck of it, I got a brand new Verizon SIM card, which I put into my phone and Wa-la, though everything seem to work, outgoing and incoming calls as well as texting failed to work and I had to call tech-support and they work this through and it took about 35/45 minutes. I did this with the new Sim card on my Xs and will move it over to my iPhone 12 pro this Friday and hopefully everything will go smoothly.

Well duh, you can't just put in a new SIM card, you have to call and or in store have Verizon update the respective ICCID number under your line to tell your service, "Hey I actually am on this sim card now".

 

[compwiz1202]

Verizon will require a new 5G simcard to be in the phone, make sure you request this at your carrier or a local apple store when you receive your 12 Pro Max if ordering unlocked sim free model. A new SIM card in general also ensures optimal cellular voice and data performance on the device.

Yea it will be different this time around with needing 5G SIM. Unless you absolutely know there is no 5G anywhere near you yet

 

[scarrz]

I guess my question is if you request a new sim card I assume you are then paying the VZW $30 activation fee or if you swap over your sim do you then not get charged??

 

[Momof2.1107]

I guess my question is if you request a new sim card I assume you are then paying the VZW $30 activation fee or if you swap over your sim do you then not get charged??

That’s the exact same question I have.

 

[todd.kilby.7]

So normally I just switch out the new SIM card with my old but if I want to use my new SIM card, how to I set it up? Do I have to call AT&T or will the phone be activated right out of the box from Apple?

 

[Thoradin]

Do people in the US really have to swap sims every year, with each new phone?
Over here in the UK most people have SIM cards that are years old, we just swap them from one device to the next with no issues whatsoever.
I have a family member still using the same nano sim from the iPhone 5 launch in their 11 Pro!

 

[Never mind]

Well duh, you can't just put in a new SIM card, you have to call and or in store have Verizon update the respective ICCID number under your line to tell your service, "Hey I actually am on this sim card now".

I did just that and the tech couldn’t get it to work either at first, and had to try twice. If it didn’t work the second time he said after turning off my phone for a short time I would have to go in and have the store look at it. Luckily it did work after a few minutes. And yes you can just put it in, go to the Verizon site and put in the proper numbers and it should work but mine did not do so that’s why I made the call to tech-support

 

[ssledoux]

I’ll likely just get mine going with my old sim, and then one day when I’m near the one ATT store with the helpful employees, I’ll go change it and activate the new one. I don’t care about 5G anyway.

 

[VineRider]

I have changed phones for years by just moving the SIM from my old phone to new one. I'm on AT&T and have never had an issue doing this. From what I've read in these forums, on AT&T at least, there is no need to get a new SIM for 5G access.

 

[SisterBlue22]

AT&T here, and I don't think I've ever swapped a SIM card from an old phone to a new one.

 

[s2mike]

Alright - glad to know I’m not crazy. I always thought that having to move the SIM card from my old phone to my new phone seemed strange.

Last year I picked up my phone, got home and set it up, but never had any cell service...I ended up putting the old SIM into the new phone and all was well, but now I’m wondering why I never had service from the SIM card that came with the new phone.

 

[teeshot44]

You should never just move over a old SIM card regardless, countless people end up having odd voice and data performance issues, new sim goes in and voila, the phone is working normally. Also to no surprise, Verizon support is clueless. Apple iPhone 12 Pro - Activate / Set Up Device

I have always moved sim from phone to phone for years and never had an issue. Best way to save getting hit with their activation fee.

 

[lelisa13p]

Ditto to what the other AT&T users here are saying. I swap my current SIM into my upgrade. When I regularly pass my current iPhone on to my son because I'm upgrading, he then swaps his current SIM into the iPhone I'm giving him. This is one thing that AT&T has done very well for years.

I’ll likely just get mine going with my old sim, and then one day when I’m near the one ATT store with the helpful employees, I’ll go change it and activate the new one. I don’t care about 5G anyway.

Me, too, especially with pandemic in full bloom.