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Question about iPhone 4 and the sim

jpetermann

Diamond Member
If I sell a new iPhone 4 that has NOT been opened, is the sim inside already somehow registered to me? Do I need to take it out? Does the new owner just call in and register it to their account?

Thanks!
 
I believe that if it is new in box, there is no sim. If there is a SIM, then unless you have activated said SIM onto your account then it is clean. If there is a SIM, and it somehow has magically been activated onto your account, then they just need to pull it and replace it with their own.
 
I believe that if it is new in box, there is no sim. If there is a SIM, then unless you have activated said SIM onto your account then it is clean. If there is a SIM, and it somehow has magically been activated onto your account, then they just need to pull it and replace it with their own.

Ehhh, not so sure about that. Pretty sure my phones from AT&T came with a new SIM in the box that was already tied to our account, as we had some major issues trying to get them to activate it on another line (we were using my mom's upgrade for my wife's phone). They eventually were able to do it, but it knocked my mom's line (the line we ordered the phone under) offline until she was able to go back into an AT&T store and get a new SIM.
 
Ehhh, not so sure about that. Pretty sure my phones from AT&T came with a new SIM in the box that was already tied to our account, as we had some major issues trying to get them to activate it on another line (we were using my mom's upgrade for my wife's phone). They eventually were able to do it, but it knocked my mom's line (the line we ordered the phone under) offline until she was able to go back into an AT&T store and get a new SIM.

Did you order it straight from AT&T? That might be why... but I think if it was purchased new in a store and they didn't pull it out of the box to fiddle with, or scan the data on the side to load it into the system it should be ok.

When I worked at radioshack, the AT&T (nee Cingular) phones did not come with SIM cards, we would have to scan the SIM (if it was a new customer) and scan the box to link the information.

OP, to play it safe, I would say that you should just pop the box open (assuming it isn't shrink wrapped) and check for a SIM. If they (the eventual new user) drops in their own SIM, it should be ok. That was how I took my roommate's old iPhone and activated it on my own account.
 
Now that we're on the topic, where can I buy a new iPhone 4 without a SIM or any other contract? I want to use it with my T-Mobile SIM.
 
just so ya know all iPhones that are purchased in the US will come with a new SIM card in them, whether its activated or not is another question though. Typically they are activated when purchased, or if you order it online and have it shipped to you they are pending to be activated and you call a number and they instantly switch your acct to reflect the new SIM card which is preloaded in the iPhone.
 
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