Anyone know much about cell phones (particularly AT&T)? My iphone broke - getting a new one but not until next week.

[Al Neri]

Hi All -

Unfortunately my iphone died and I cannot get a new one until next week at the earliest. In the meantime I am without a phone. I have an old crappy phone - can I just swap the sim into the old phone - and then when I get the new iphone swap the sim into that?

I know with Verizon when I broke my MotoQ I had the same issue (being without a new Q for a week or so) I switched to a very old LG phone and when I went to switch to the new Q they had problems and tried to charge me a fee to activate the new Q since I was technically going from a non-smart phone to a smart-phone.

Also
1. Is it just as simple as that - switch the SIMs and I'm good to go?
2. Do the #s transfer over as well with the sim?

Thanks,

Alfonse

Moved from Off Topic.
Sr Moderator allisolm

 

[akshatp]

You can use the SIM with an old phone for now.

When you get the new iPhone, remove the SIM (if it came with one) and insert YOUR sim. Hook it up to your PC, fire up iTunes, and click "Register later." DO NOT go through the activation process otherwise your contract will be re-extended for two years.

Click on your iPhone in iTunes, and then Restore from backup. That should be all.

PS this all assumes you had a backup of your previous iPhone.

 

[Al Neri]

Unfortunately it will be for re-upping my contract for two years, correct me if I am wrong.

It's kind of a roundabout scenario. Me and my fiancee (well wife in a week) have a family plan and each have 3G iphones purchased in July 2008. My iPhone died. Ostensibly, since she is the main phone on the account, she is eligibile for an upgrade now, I am not until December. That being said, she is going to take the upgrade and then essentially give me the upgraded phone and keep hers (she doesn't really care about upgrading). The only problem is that we can't do this until next week since I am going to be away from now until Monday (bachelor party).

I assume that I will have to activate my "new" iphone - right? I can't somehow get a subsidized phone without re-upping the contract, right?

-Alfonse

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: Al Neri
Unfortunately it will be for re-upping my contract for two years, correct me if I am wrong.

It's kind of a roundabout scenario. Me and my fiancee (well wife in a week) have a family plan and each have 3G iphones purchased in July 2008. My iPhone died. Ostensibly, since she is the main phone on the account, she is eligibile for an upgrade now, I am not until December. That being said, she is going to take the upgrade and then essentially give me the upgraded phone and keep hers (she doesn't really care about upgrading). The only problem is that we can't do this until next week since I am going to be away from now until Monday (bachelor party).

I assume that I will have to activate my "new" iphone - right? I can't somehow get a subsidized phone without re-upping the contract, right?

-Alfonse

No. Do exactly what I said, or you will end up re-upping both contracts for two years. Hers will automaticcaly be re-upped for 2 years since she used the subsidy to buy the new iPhone. If you 'activate' that as a new phone on your line, you will also be hit with two years.

Do it the way I explained, as long as you have a backup. I just did this with my wife's phone on Tuesday. She had the 3G phone, i backed it up, bought a new 3GS on my dad's line, plugged it in and restored from backup with her SIM card in there. Worked like a charm, kept all her settings, apps, songs, etc.

 

[Al Neri]

Awesome.

Thanks akshatp.

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: Al Neri
Awesome.

Thanks akshatp.

No problem.. Feel free to email me if you have any questions... email in profile