Able to use another persons upgrade for myself?

[stlcap5]

My stepdad is eligible for an upgrade is there any way I can take my sim card and stick it in the the iphone when it arrives at my house and use it for myself?

[Doppler808]

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stlcap5 wrote:
My stepdad is eligible for an upgrade is there any way I can take my sim card and stick it in the the iphone when it arrives at my house and use it for myself?

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you need to activate it first, then you can switch it. Be sure to call and make sure the data plan was transfered over.

[stlcap5]

ok thanks

[MissAllison]

You don't even have to activate it on the line you purchased for. You can go ahead and activate right on your line right off the bat.

[stlcap5]

So all I have to do is stick the sim card in the iphone and then activate it after that?

[MissAllison]

Bingo

[stlcap5]

Then what about the data plan how do I make sure its on my line?

[MissAllison · Accepted solution]

Call 611 from your phone (the iphone) and tell them you would like to add the iPhone data plan to your line.

[stlcap5]

Oh ok what about on my stepdads when I go to order phone online and it says I have to do the data plan or is there a way around that?

[MissAllison]

Yes just call 611 and tell them to deactivate the iphone plan on his line. You are more than likely going to have to just order it that way.

[stlcap5]

Ok sounds good then. Thanks a lot I greatly appreciate the help!!!

[MissAllison]

No problem. Welcome to the iPhone family!

[stlcap5]

Thanks! Im sure I'll be happy with it going from a blackberry, then a palm treo, and now to this so it should be good

[MissAllison]

Oh most definitely! If you like a phone with alot of cool fun things, you'll love it.

[stlcap5]

Ya i do...my girlfriend convinced me to get it so I was hoping I would like it.

[Nicholette]

You could just go to an At&t store the person whose account name its under has to be present, tell them you want to use the phone upgrade on his phone but put it under your number. Phone is activated and in your hands within minutes. I just did it Sat. with my husband's phone upgrade so I could get the iphone.

Hint tho, test it while you are there Ive played with it all day and never called anyone only to find that the call volume is broken all other sound ie: playing music is fine so phone has to go back.

[Docs44]

This question is along the same line.  We have 5 phones on our family plan.  Myself and my wife have iPhones, along with our nephew.  We have two other phones that are both fully upgrade eligible that our parents use that are just regular phones.  So in theory I could use the eligibility from one of their phones, and buy myself a 3G S.  Then I would basically deactivate my current iPhone and put the new iPhone under my number? Or do I have to put it under their number first and then transfer it? It's all very confusing.  My number is eligible now for a price discount so I could get the 3G S for $399 now and $199 next March since that is 18 months after I bought the 3G. 

[stlcap5]

Ya but Im getting the 16G (Refurb) so thats why Im gettting it online.

[MissAllison]

Docs44, Yes you can use someone elses upgrade to get the phone. Just activate the phone on your line. You DO NOT have to put it under their number first, if you are ordering online you would have to. But if that is the case when the phone arrives just call 611 deactivate the iPhone data on that line, put in your SIM and add the data to your line. If you are just going into a store to do it, just explain what you want to do, and the rep will be able set you up.

[Docs44]

Thanks MissAllison!

[MissAllison]

No problem.

[miamifan1354]

Another question along the same lines.  I want to get the 3gs in an apple store using someone else's upgrade.  They have a 3g (I used my upgrade to get them their phone) so can I just go in, get the phone from apple and then pop in my sim, and add the 3g data plan to my line, making no changes to their phone?

[ssaito0527]

The only disadvantage to this is that Apple is forcing AT&T to renew the contract on both lines.  I purchased an iPhone 3GS under an upgrade eligible line, called Customer Care to do the IMEI swap and was then forced to renew the contract on both of the lines.  This applies only to iPhones and is being enforced by Apple, nothing AT&T can do about it.

[walds11]

Not true.  I did a swap on my family talk plan and the line that the 3G S went to was not affected.

[ssaito0527]

What steps did you follow?  Was it done in-store or over-the-phone?  I did this last Saturday over the phone and was told the same thing through all the reps I attempted this with.

On Signing 2-Year Contracts To Use Hand-Me-Down iPhone 3Gs | iLounge Backstage

 http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/backstage/comments/on-signing-2-year-contracts-to-use-hand-me-down-...

[jjcasebier]

My account is eligible for an upgrade in August. And my boyfriend is on our plan also, he wants the Galaxy Note but he's not eligible until 2013, I believe. Could he use my upgrade if my mom's present since her name is on the account? And he just give her the money for it, so it'd be like she's paying for it?

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

You can but you are now limited to jot getting an upgrade for two years. If something happens to your phone you gift just got a whole lot more expensive.

You can do what you want but it may not be a good thing if your relationship does not work out in the long run. Will he let you use his upgrade for your new phone in 2013?