Anyone know what's the quickest method for doing so to ensure I get a preorder tonight? I'm trying to use another person's upgrade in my account but not quite sure how to do so I am looking for some help. Would I order through Apple or ATT?
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Upgrading with AT&T with someone else's eligibilty
- Thread starter JohnnyJlo128
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Are you one of the authorized members on the account with ATT? If so, you're able to talk to ATT and tell them you're looking to upgrade your phone but with another family members upgrade eligibility. If you're not an authorized user on the account and the person who's due for an upgrade won't do it for you, you're going to have to get the phone elsewhere.
Just do it online and select the correct line for upgrade. When the phone comes, swap sims and done deal.
I'm doing this and just ordering the phone as thought it were for that line (through Apple as advised by my AT&T rep). When it comes, I'm just taking it to my corp plan and coordinating that with my rep using SIM and IMEI number. Then hand down old corp phone to wife using new sim and coordinated with rep as well.
You will need to know the last 4 digits of the main account holders social, or the password to the account when ordering online so make sure you have that.
Depending on phone generation, corp rep specifically advised NOT doing this. Esp if moving between 5/6.
I spoke to an ATT rep on the phone and asked about this. They said order through ATT site and you can select the line you are using the upgrade eligibility from. I asked her about the sim swapping thing and she wasn't sure about the sim sizes matching between phones?? Guessing it's still micro sim from the 5 to the 6. Either way I think I'll just do it through ATT so nothing gets messed up.
Makes no sense. Its still the same size sim. Why complicate things and go into the store if you dont have to?
This isnt rocket science. If it has a sim and the sim size is the same, just swap them. If it isnt, get a replacement sim in the size you need from the carrier for free and swap it in.
My situation is a little different as I'm taking a personal phone to a corporate network. However, per my corp rep (who has 10+ years exp) - you should always use new SIMs rather than swapping. SIM technology changes to handle new technology in the phones and on the network.
I get your point though.
I'm the head of the account so that's not a problem. So just making sure...i'm ordering through the Apple online store and just choose the phone that is eligible for an upgrade and when I get the phone just swap out my SIM card from my 5s to put into the 6? Nothing will affect the other phone that isn't upgrading, correct?
Go online right now to see if you can log in and do what you need to do.
FYI - the upgrade and costs are really tied to the PHONE LINE. You can switch out actual phones all day long. Day in and day out. On or off your plan.
As long as the other person realizes that that phone line is paying for the phone.
Let me repeat, unless you pay FULL PRICE for the phone up front, the line that ORDERS the phone will be paying for it for 2 years.
FYI - the upgrade and costs are really tied to the PHONE LINE. You can switch out actual phones all day long. Day in and day out. On or off your plan.
As long as the other person realizes that that phone line is paying for the phone.
Let me repeat, unless you pay FULL PRICE for the phone up front, the line that ORDERS the phone will be paying for it for 2 years.
And make sure the person who holds the line knows what is happening. This is what happens in the store. Its nothing special and has been going on for ages.
Nothing is really going to happen to the other line. They will keep their old phone and services as long as you don't change anything while ordering. The line will just lose its upgrade for another 18 months. On the upgradable account, the line might show up as having an iPhone 6 on the account until the systems updates based on IMEI.
Lol, this is a load of bs. As long as you have the account holders billing zip code and last 4 digits of their SS #, you're fine.
My experience when I ordered my iPhone 5 using my dad's upgrade was that I had to go into the AT&T store so they could make both of us new SIMs. He had a dummy phone at that time however. I don't know if it's any different with two smart phones being swapped. I chatted with a ATT rep online the other day and they made it sound like the procedure is easier now, but explained it terribly without any sort of detail.
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This is the first I am hearing of sims not being able to be swapped due to technology changes.
Again you guys make this harder than it needs to be, but do as you wish.
Doesn't matter where the phone comes from. If the sim fits and it's on the same network, go at it. Nothing else needs to be done.
I'm trying to figure out the same thing.
I plan to switch phones with my daughter, using her eligibility.
If I do Apple: the AT&T rep recommended we order under the eligible line and not activate, then go to an at&t store to do the switch and activate. But I'd need to drive 2 hours to her school to take her to a AT&T store to work the switch.
OR I can order thru AT&T by doing the online switch of eligibility.
It seemed to me in the past that the Apple folks were happier with the availability/speed of their orders. Also the news item about Apple supporting NEXT so they could do more of the phone sales makes me think I'm better offer thru Apple???
Although in the end, it's probably not much difference.
I plan to switch phones with my daughter, using her eligibility.
If I do Apple: the AT&T rep recommended we order under the eligible line and not activate, then go to an at&t store to do the switch and activate. But I'd need to drive 2 hours to her school to take her to a AT&T store to work the switch.
OR I can order thru AT&T by doing the online switch of eligibility.
It seemed to me in the past that the Apple folks were happier with the availability/speed of their orders. Also the news item about Apple supporting NEXT so they could do more of the phone sales makes me think I'm better offer thru Apple???
Although in the end, it's probably not much difference.
Umm its not a load of BS. What you described is using the authorized user's info to gain access to the account. So the other poster is correct, an authorized user needs to access the account and authorize the upgrade. If the person is not available or willing to give it to you, you need to find a way to get authorized.
One caveat: If the phone line you intend to use does not have a data plan, you will need to add a data plan to the line to get the iPhone. It is not a problem because you can cancel the data plan within 30 days and not be charged for it. But it is an added step that they will tell you in store but you might not know of online.
You can do it all online but the problem is that you will have your daughters activated sim card and her phone won't work until you get her the new sim card. That is why AT&T wants you to go in and do it. What can happen is that you can tell your daughter to expect to not have a phone for a day and just mail her the new sim. Then she can go in by herself and get everything done. Otherwise, you can suck it up and drive 2 hours. I do believe AT&T now charges for sim cards.
First of all, what I described is NOT what an authorized user is. An authorized user is placed on the account with permission to make changes to the bill, however they may not be the account holder necessarily. For example, I am an authorized user on my family plan, but am not the account holder. My dad is. Second of all, the OP asked about pre-orders and in order to do that (at least with Apple) all you need is the account holders last 4 digits of their SS # and the billing zip code.
OP, there is an option on ATT's website when you sign into your account that you can check your eligibility and swap it with the one that has an available upgrade.
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Umm so your dad is the main account holder... which would make him an authorized user. The main account holder would have to be an authorized user or else the original contract could not have been signed. An account can have many authorized users. A person cannot make changes to an account unless they are the main account holder or an authorized user. Since I believe the OP is the main account holder he needs no further authorization.
Your dad's line: Main account
Your line: Sub account - you have to be authorized by your dad to make changes or have your dad make changes for you. When you enter in your dad's details you are basically lying to the system telling the system your dad is making changes when in reality you are. Online that works fine. But if you go in store its a problem when they check ID. Its all about who is legally able to bind the account holder to further liabilities. Obviously the main account holder is authorized to bind him/herself to further contracts, which includes any lines under the account that they authorized in the first place.
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I see where on ATT that I can swap eligibility but it looks like I have to do it real time and not an actual swap of the upgrade status which means its just gunna take a little longer when the actual time comes. I was just checking if I did swap and if it will keep records of it on the back end but it doesn't look like it. I think its safe to say I should just order through my mom's number (who has the upgrade) on Apple and when I get the phone just swap out my sim card for the new phone and then turn it on.
I talked to a rep about it earlier today and you're right you have to do the shared upgrade when checking out. Also, the simple SIM swap does not work according to the rep. You have to contact ATT or go to the store to have new SIM cards made/have the correct numbers assigned to the right phones. I'm not sure the science behind this, but this is what I had to do with my iPhone 5 2 years ago. I heard that it is not a good idea to activate the phone before going to ATT.
It's not BS, it's my experience. I can recall having to set myself up as an administrator to make changes like this long ago. Maybe it's easier now but I only remember having to ensure I was an authorized user. If you just need the last 4 of the SSN and ZipCode then hey, great. Easier for everyone.