iPhone family plan upgrade
June 22, 2009 10:27 AM Subscribe
I would like a new iPhone, but the upgrade logistics are a little hazy...
I'm not eligible for an upgrade, but my brother is. We're on an ATT family plan, and he doesn't mind if I use his upgrade. The problem is that in about 48 hours, I'll be moving to Atlanta, while he stays in southern Indiana. My question is: If I upgrade his line through apple's website, have the new iPhone shipped to me in Atlanta, and stick my current 3G sim card in the new iPhone, will everything work properly?
By properly, I mean: All calls/texts to my line will come to my new iPhone. All calls/texts to my brother's line will continue to his phone. The ATT infrastructure won't crumble.
Am I missing something? Or will it really be this easy? Thanks, team!
I'm not eligible for an upgrade, but my brother is. We're on an ATT family plan, and he doesn't mind if I use his upgrade. The problem is that in about 48 hours, I'll be moving to Atlanta, while he stays in southern Indiana. My question is: If I upgrade his line through apple's website, have the new iPhone shipped to me in Atlanta, and stick my current 3G sim card in the new iPhone, will everything work properly?
By properly, I mean: All calls/texts to my line will come to my new iPhone. All calls/texts to my brother's line will continue to his phone. The ATT infrastructure won't crumble.
Am I missing something? Or will it really be this easy? Thanks, team!
Response by poster: Thanks, Napierzaza! I honestly didn't even think about the location change being a problem. My main concern was the sim card. If they send me a new sim card with the iPhone, I would have to assume that it will have my brother's information on it. I just wanted to be sure that when I get the new iPhone, I can discard the new sim card, put my current sim card in, and everything will be peachy keen.
posted by snapplepop at 10:46 AM on June 22, 2009
posted by snapplepop at 10:46 AM on June 22, 2009
Are you upgrading from an older iPhone?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:09 AM on June 22, 2009
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:09 AM on June 22, 2009
I did exactly this with the last iPhone round. I had the 2G iPhone, and used my upgrade to purchase the new 3G for my wife.
1. Bought the 3G. Took it home and put in my wife's SIM card.
2. Put my SIM card back in my old iPhone and reactivated it with the phone number.
The only hurdle was the fact that I used a loophole back then to activate both phones under the old 2G iPhone plan ($20 data with 200 sms). Worked splendidly until AT&T caught on about 2 months in and notified me that the 3G iPhone needed to have a 3G data plan ($30 data with no sms). I called up and added the 3G plan to my wife's number - even though it was originally purchased under my number. No problems, I think AT&T doesn't really care as long as they're getting paid for it one way or another.
posted by shinynewnick at 11:10 AM on June 22, 2009
1. Bought the 3G. Took it home and put in my wife's SIM card.
2. Put my SIM card back in my old iPhone and reactivated it with the phone number.
The only hurdle was the fact that I used a loophole back then to activate both phones under the old 2G iPhone plan ($20 data with 200 sms). Worked splendidly until AT&T caught on about 2 months in and notified me that the 3G iPhone needed to have a 3G data plan ($30 data with no sms). I called up and added the 3G plan to my wife's number - even though it was originally purchased under my number. No problems, I think AT&T doesn't really care as long as they're getting paid for it one way or another.
posted by shinynewnick at 11:10 AM on June 22, 2009
Response by poster: Blazecock, I am not upgrading from an older iPhone. I currently have an LG Shine with a 3G SIM card.
posted by snapplepop at 11:24 AM on June 22, 2009
posted by snapplepop at 11:24 AM on June 22, 2009
Unless things have changed since 2007, I don't think the SIM card can be moved over from a non-iPhone phone, even if you're coming from AT&T:
The iPhone's software image is encrypted, and the unit ties its internal software to the iPhone's GSM SIM card at activation. That means users won't be able to pop out their existing SIM card and plug it into the iPhone, although the iPhone's SIM card may work in other GSM phones.
You might be able to unlock the phone at some point in the future to reuse your old SIM, but you would probably only get voice (no data/texts over 3G/EDGE).
Have you tried talking to AT&T to move your phone numbers around?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:52 AM on June 22, 2009
The iPhone's software image is encrypted, and the unit ties its internal software to the iPhone's GSM SIM card at activation. That means users won't be able to pop out their existing SIM card and plug it into the iPhone, although the iPhone's SIM card may work in other GSM phones.
You might be able to unlock the phone at some point in the future to reuse your old SIM, but you would probably only get voice (no data/texts over 3G/EDGE).
Have you tried talking to AT&T to move your phone numbers around?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:52 AM on June 22, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Napierzaza at 10:37 AM on June 22, 2009