Transferring upgrade eligability

[econoar]

Quick question on transferring upgrade eligibility on AT&T family plan.

Another line on my account is eligible for a full upgrade but I am not. I know that in the past you could purchase the phone on the upgrade eligible line, activate it on iTunes (killing the SIM on the phone which has the eligibility), take the SIM out of the new iPhone and put it in the old phone...and then take my SIM and put it in the new iPhone.

However, is it possible to order the phone on the upgrade eligible line, receive the iPhone, and put the SIM in from "my" iPhone in without even going through the hassle of activating, killing the old SIM, and swapping out at AT&T? Anyone know if the new wireless activation in iOS 5 might allow for this?

 

[aneftp]

Quick question on transferring upgrade eligibility on AT&T family plan.

Another line on my account is eligible for a full upgrade but I am not. I know that in the past you could purchase the phone on the upgrade eligible line, activate it on iTunes (killing the SIM on the phone which has the eligibility), take the SIM out of the new iPhone and put it in the old phone...and then take my SIM and put it in the new iPhone.

However, is it possible to order the phone on the upgrade eligible line, receive the iPhone, and put the SIM in from "my" iPhone in without even going through the hassle of activating, killing the old SIM, and swapping out at AT&T? Anyone know if the new wireless activation in iOS 5 might allow for this?

Just upgrade with eligible line. Just put your microsim (or obtain from the store) into new phone. You are good to go.

 

[econoar]

That's what I was hoping for. I'm in a different state than the person who is eligible on my account, so I wouldn't be able to meet up with them to swap sims and such. So, you think you can for sure just take the SIM from my old phone and put it in the new phone that I purchased using the upgrade on the other line?

I thought in the past it was required that you had to activate it on iTunes on the upgrade eligible line and then perform a swap.

 

[CmdrThor]

You might want to try calling AT&T.

 

[Uabcar]

Hmm - i never thought of this even being a problem. Was planning to use my upgrade for my wife (who uses the camera all the time). I am/was just planning to use her upgrade next year for myself - on the next iPhone.

 

[flatlined]

What if the line currently has no data plan? If I were to get a 4S on another line with AT&T that has an upgrade do I need to add a data plan to get the 16GB 4S $199 price? Can I call in and drop it right after I order it on that line?

Thanks

 

[bellaisa]

I'm somewhat in the same boat. I got 2 non-data lines on my family plan that's eligible for an upgrade. If I use one of those lines to pre-order, can I just bring that phone into the ATT store and have them cancel the newly added data plan with no fees?

 

[vitzr]

Here is the AT&T approved way to perform what is called an "Upgrade Swap" on a family plan.

It's really fast, easy, approved by AT&T and does _NOT_ require the swapping of sim cards.

Why make this any harder, when it's actually quite easy

Step 1) Order the phone on the line that is eligible for the upgrade.

Step 2) Upon receiving the phone, simply call AT&T tell them you are doing an "Upgrade Swap".

They will move the phone numbers to the proper phones without any further time wasted, and activate your new iPhone for you.

Now you are all set.

This is precisely why I always order through AT&T since the phones come with new sim cards installed, and you end up with both a new phone and a new sim card. Apple cannot make these simple changes to a family plan.

The entire process takes approx six minutes.

 

[econoar]

Here is the AT&T approved way to perform what is called an "Upgrade Swap" on a family plan.

It's really fast, easy, approved by AT&T and does _NOT_ require the swapping of sim cards.

Why make this any harder, when it's actually quite easy

Step 1) Order the phone on the line that is eligible for the upgrade.

Step 2) Upon receiving the phone, simply call AT&T tell them you are doing an "Upgrade Swap".

They will move the phone numbers to the proper phones without any further time wasted, and activate your new iPhone for you.

Now you are all set.

This is precisely why I always order through AT&T since the phones come with new sim cards installed, and you end up with both a new phone and a new sim card. Apple cannot make these simple changes to a family plan.

The entire process takes approx six minutes.

So, just to make sure, no SIMS will die and you can do this over the phone without both devices in the same place?

 

[simply stunning]

What if the line currently has no data plan? If I were to get a 4S on another line with AT&T that has an upgrade do I need to add a data plan to get the 16GB 4S $199 price? Can I call in and drop it right after I order it on that line?

Thanks

You will not be able to cancel the data plan on that line. It will be there for the full 2 year contract before you can get rid of it. It is one of the ways they recoup the costs for the iPhone. Or any phone for that matter.

 

[AnthroMatt]

You will not be able to cancel the data plan on that line. It will be there for the full 2 year contract before you can get rid of it. It is one of the ways they recoup the costs for the iPhone. Or any phone for that matter.

Has this changed in the past 5 months? I have no data plan on the line I used to upgrade to the iPhone 4. The store rep added the data plan to the upgrade-eligible line to sell the phone, then promptly removed it once he added the phone to my line.

 

[Xgm541]

You will not be able to cancel the data plan on that line. It will be there for the full 2 year contract before you can get rid of it. It is one of the ways they recoup the costs for the iPhone. Or any phone for that matter.

Im not all too sure about this one. I think that if the other person does not have a data plan enabled phone they can opt out of the data plan after 1 month.

Alternatively, you can get the $15 data plan and sell your old phone which I assume is an iphone 4. The ebay quick sell was accepting them for $350 which means you get to cover your $15 data plan for 2 years.

 

[vitzr]

I'm in a different state than the person who is eligible on my account, so I wouldn't be able to meet up with them to swap sims and such. So, you think you can for sure just take the SIM from my old phone and put it in the new phone that I purchased using the upgrade on the other line?

I thought in the past it was required that you had to activate it on iTunes on the upgrade eligible line and then perform a swap.

Being in a different state is no problem. You simply order the phone and upon receipt, call AT&T and they will activate it then transfer the info between phones. Once that is done the last thing you do is sync the phone to iTunes.

UNDER NO Circumstances Do Any Of You Have To SWAP Sims.

The SIM Always Stays with the Phone it's in.

What if the line currently has no data plan? If I were to get a 4S on another line with AT&T that has an upgrade do I need to add a data plan to get the 16GB 4S $199 price? Can I call in and drop it right after I order it on that line?

In your case All Smartphones (has nothing to do with iPhone) must have data plans added to the line. If you are unwilling to pay for a data plan, you will not be allowed to use an iPhone. Period. No exceptions

I'm somewhat in the same boat. I got 2 non-data lines on my family plan that's eligible for an upgrade. If I use one of those lines to pre-order, can I just bring that phone into the ATT store and have them cancel the newly added data plan with no fees?

You do NOT have to go into the store. Just order an iPhone on a one of the lines, add the data plan which will be an option online when you order the phone and you are all set. Again you must have a data plan or you will not be allowed to use Any Smartphone.

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So, just to make sure, no SIMS will die and you can do this over the phone without both devices in the same place?

The sim is to stay with the phone it's in.

And yes the devices can be in any state or geographic area. That's the power of computers

New iPhones always come with sims in place that never have to be removed under any circumstances.

 

[Khryz]

This is precisely why I always order through AT&T since the phones come with new sim cards installed, and you end up with both a new phone and a new sim card. Apple cannot make these simple changes to a family plan.

Why does where you order it from make a difference?

I can't order from Apple and once I receive the phone call AT&T to get the lines switched? iPhones from Apple obviously come with new SIM cards .. So I don't get it.

 

[iphonenub]

Even if it is ordered from apple? What if I had a microsim with my number on it already? Could I just switch microsims before turning the phone on and then the other relative would still have a working sim in their current phone?

 

[vitzr]

Has this changed in the past 5 months? I have no data plan on the line I used to upgrade to the iPhone 4. The store rep added the data plan to the upgrade-eligible line to sell the phone, then promptly removed it once he added the phone to my line.

No, nothing has changed .

You were dealing with a new hire, he / she had no clue. By removing the data plan at the end, what that person did not remember is that AT&T will NOT allow Anyone to use a smartphone like an iPhone without a data plan.

Here's how it works. If for some reason the data plan does get removed, the computers that are online and scanning all smartphone activity 24/7 will find that you do not have a data plan.

The next step is that you will receive an text saying they noticed you do not have a data plan and for your "convenience they are adding one". If you have questions you can call in.

Translated, when you call in they tell you the same thing I am and you get your choice of which data plan you wish to pay for.

It's entirely possible that you will operate for up to 90 days without any of this happening due to the heavy workload of AT&T, at which point you finally are advised, you are charged all the way back to when the plan was assigned since obviously you've been using it.

If you have not used it then they will give you partial credit and take your iPhone back if you wish to cancel the data plan.

Hopefully I have helped clarify how this works.

 

[bellaisa]

for me, I already have a data plan on my iPhone 4. I'm just using one of the non-data lines to pay the discounted price, and in order to order the phone, I need to add a data plan. So can the ATT employee at the store remove the data plan after I activate the new phone on my iPhone 4 line? I don't want my dad's phone to have a data plan.

 

[vitzr]

Why does where you order it from make a difference?

I can't order from Apple and once I receive the phone call AT&T to get the lines switched? iPhones from Apple obviously come with new SIM cards .. So I don't get it.

It matters because Apple is Not your carrier, AT&T is. As long as you are making NO changes, then you can buy from Apple and carry on.

What is the obsession from buying from Apple, you are adding an extra step?

Even if it is ordered from apple? What if I had a microsim with my number on it already? Could I just switch microsims before turning the phone on and then the other relative would still have a working sim in their current phone?

Why are you so obsessed with doing the extra work of swapping sims when that's totally unnecessary?

Not only that, you are getting a faster sim with the new phone.

 

[CmdrThor]

No, nothing has changed .

You were dealing with a new hire, he / she had no clue. By removing the data plan at the end, what that person did not remember is that AT&T will NOT allow Anyone to use a smartphone like an iPhone without a data plan.

Here's how it works. If for some reason the data plan does get removed, the computers that are online and scanning all smartphone activity 24/7 will find that you do not have a data plan.

The next step is that you will receive an text saying they noticed you do not have a data plan and for your "convenience they are adding one". If you have questions you can call in.

Translated, when you call in they tell you the same thing I am and you get your choice of which data plan you wish to pay for.

It's entirely possible that you will operate for up to 90 days without any of this happening due to the heavy workload of AT&T, at which point you finally are advised, you are charged all the way back to when the plan was assigned since obviously you've been using it.

If you have not used it then they will give you partial credit and take your iPhone back if you wish to cancel the data plan.

Hopefully I have helped clarify how this works.

You are misunderstanding what he is trying to do. Line 1 has his iPhone with data plan. Line 2 is a dumb phone with no data plan. He wants to order a new iPhone on Line 2 to use the upgrade. A data plan will be added to Line 2. He'll do an upgrade swap and use the new iPhone on Line 1 and family member will continue to use the dumb phone on Line 2. The data plan can be removed from Line 2 during the upgrade swap. If a smart phone is later used on Line 2, then yes a data plan would be added, but otherwise no.

 

[vitzr]

for me, I already have a data plan on my iPhone 4. I'm just using one of the non-data lines to pay the discounted price, and in order to order the phone, I need to add a data plan. So can the ATT employee at the store remove the data plan after I active the new phone on my iPhone 4 line? I don't want my dad's phone to have a data plan.

Let's break this down for everyones benefit

There are just two categories of phones.

1) Feature phones that do not require a smartphone plan

2) Smartphones that DO require a smartphone plan.

Yes, if your dad is using a feature phone he can have the data plan removed if it's a smart phone plan. If it's a feature phone plan then it depends on how he accesses the internet, email and other features from his phone. They also have data plans for feature phones, but they are not mandatory unless data is being used.

 

[simply stunning]

Has this changed in the past 5 months? I have no data plan on the line I used to upgrade to the iPhone 4. The store rep added the data plan to the upgrade-eligible line to sell the phone, then promptly removed it once he added the phone to my line.

It very well could be that I'm misinformed. I did this a few months ago where I asked AT&T this question, and that is what I was told. Sorry if this is incorrect.

 

[vitzr]

You are misunderstanding what he is trying to do. Line 1 has his iPhone with data plan. Line 2 is a dumb phone with no data plan. He wants to order a new iPhone on Line 2 to use the upgrade. A data plan will be added to Line 2. He'll do an upgrade swap and use the new iPhone on Line 1 and family member will continue to use the dumb phone on Line 2. The data plan can be removed from Line 2 during the upgrade swap. If a smart phone is later used on Line 2, then yes a data plan would be added, but otherwise no.

No I did NOT misunderstand anything,

YOU should read who I was responding to.

 

[aneftp]

You guys are making it sound so difficult.

1. My sister lives in DC
2. I live in Orlando

My sister line has upgrade. My doesn't.

Last year I just ordered online. Had my sisters upgrade eligible line upgraded and had her iPhone 4 sent directly to my house in orlando. I didn't use the microsim in that phone. I went to ATT Corp store to get a new microsim MD activated my line with that microsim and place it in the iPhone 4.

That's all you have to do. That way my sister sim was never touched since she is 1000 miles away.

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You do nit have to do an upgrade swap at all.

As long as one has dumb phone in the line they don't want data they can always call ATT up and cancel any data plans.

 

[bellaisa]

No I did NOT misunderstand anything,

YOU should read who I was responding to.

I think what CmdrThor stated is correct, and is exactly what I'm trying to accomplish and that's what two ATT reps told me as well. It seems plausible. It's called their "Upgrade Swap/Complex Swap/Cross Swap" for family plans.

 

[Khryz]

It matters because Apple is Not your carrier, AT&T is. As long as you are making NO changes, then you can buy from Apple and carry on.

Appreciate the help vitzr, but I am still not getting it ..

What is the difference between a new iPhone 4S sent to your house whether it is ordered from Apple or AT&T?

If I am going to call AT&T either way to switch the phones, I don't see the difference.