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snook911

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 13, 2007
889
0
Yorba Linda, CA
I have never pre ordered so i was wondering what happens with the activation when you pre order. I am assuming you will have to hook up the phone to itunes to activate it. Some one told me it comes activated but then you would have 2 phones working off the same sim. Or do they tranfer your sim over before they ship it. That does not seem to safe though. If someone got a hold of the phone they could start making calls on your account.
 
You plug into iTunes to unbrick the phone. Then you'll have a new micro-SIM for the iPhone 4 and there will be a 1800 number to call you activate that new sim or you go to att website to activate it.
 
How do you port your number over when you receive your phone?

When you do the preorder it should ask if you have service or want to start new service. From that point pick the services you want and then it will ask if you want to be assigned a number or if you want to bring your number over from another carrier
 
You plug into iTunes to unbrick the phone. Then you'll have a new micro-SIM for the iPhone 4 and there will be a 1800 number to call you activate that new sim or you go to att website to activate it.

Everything is activated when the iPhone is plugged into iTunes. No need to call AT&T to activate unless you have problems. The old iPhone will soon go dead as it will be deactivated automatically.


That is what happened with going from my original iPhone to the 3G.
 
When you do the preorder it should ask if you have service or want to start new service. From that point pick the services you want and then it will ask if you want to be assigned a number or if you want to bring your number over from another carrier

My contract with Verizon ends on July 9th. I have been told conflicting stories about getting the iphone 4 and not having to pay the ETF. an ATT rep told me that I would have to wait until July 9th to get the Iphone and have my number ported over without paying the ETF. An employee at an Apple store said that I could still pre order the Iphone and not pay the ETF and get my number ported. I am now infinitely confused. Basically I would like to make sure I get an Iphone 4 and not pay the ETF at Verizon.
 
My contract with Verizon ends on July 9th. I have been told conflicting stories about getting the iphone 4 and not having to pay the ETF. an ATT rep told me that I would have to wait until July 9th to get the Iphone and have my number ported over without paying the ETF. An employee at an Apple store said that I could still pre order the Iphone and not pay the ETF and get my number ported. I am now infinitely confused. Basically I would like to make sure I get an Iphone 4 and not pay the ETF at Verizon.

Well you could technically do that. You'll just have to start a new contract with ATT with some random number they will give you. You will still be paying for the verizon line until your contract ends. Once that happens you can go to an ATT store or call their customer service to do a post-activation port so you'd be able to get your original number back. But from the period between the 24th and the 9th you won't have your number on the new iPhone 4.
 
Well you could technically do that. You'll just have to start a new contract with ATT with some random number they will give you. You will still be paying for the verizon line until your contract ends. Once that happens you can go to an ATT store or call their customer service to do a post-activation port so you'd be able to get your original number back. But from the period between the 24th and the 9th you won't have your number on the new iPhone 4.

alright. thanks for your help.
 
When you do the preorder it should ask if you have service or want to start new service. From that point pick the services you want and then it will ask if you want to be assigned a number or if you want to bring your number over from another carrier

bad bad bad advice. never pick to port your number over when you preorder a phone. while you are waiting for your order to be shipped you will be without a working phone because the port will have taken place when they packed the order.

what you should do is just have them set you up a new number then when you get the phone just call up and have them port the number when you have the phone in hand.
 
bad bad bad advice. never pick to port your number over when you preorder a phone. while you are waiting for your order to be shipped you will be without a working phone because the port will have taken place when they packed the order.

what you should do is just have them set you up a new number then when you get the phone just call up and have them port the number when you have the phone in hand.

I wasn't telling them to do that, but that was their question. But yes your advice is much better than what they were wanting to do.
 
bad bad bad advice. never pick to port your number over when you preorder a phone. while you are waiting for your order to be shipped you will be without a working phone because the port will have taken place when they packed the order.

what you should do is just have them set you up a new number then when you get the phone just call up and have them port the number when you have the phone in hand.

I wasn't telling them to do that, but that was their question. But yes your advice is much better than what they were wanting to do.
Sorry guys, this is bad information. For the iPhone the port does not start until the iTunes activation or the customer calls the VRU system.

I will agree with one key piece of advice, only port if you are ready to break ties with your previous carrier and you know if AT&T service meets your needs. In the example above, if you activate on June 24, your Verizon account would terminate as so as you complete the iTunes activation step at home.

Have you even verified that your current Verizon number is portable? Please use this link to verify: http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/transfer-your-number/

You would be able to make outgoing calls from your new iPhone as soon as your new Microsim is active but your inbound calls would not be routed to your iPhone until the port completes. AT&T has to get your existing Verizon phone number and when you phone number leaves Verizon, your Verizon account is toast and you would get hit with any ETF.

So if you need to wait until July 9, just selece the "new" number when you pre-order. You have 30 days to complete the port at no additional charge from AT&T. This will also allow you to test the iPhone 4 and the AT&T coverage before you break your ties with Verizon.

Dave
 
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