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If i buy an iphone outright from the Apple store do i have to have it activated?

W

wineandcarbs

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 2, 2008
904
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.125 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/107)

If I buy an iphone outright (at full price, not doing an upgrade) at the Apple store, do I have to have it activated in store? I want to just take it home sealed in the box and activate it at home. TIA! :)
 
They let me activate at home when i was just upgrading to the 3GS...the person even asked if I wanted him to activate it or if I wanted to do it through iTunes at home, so I guess it depends on who sells you the phone. I chose to activate at home.
 
Thanks guys.

If I am activating in store but don't have my SIM card with me (or am buying it as a gift), can they still activate it in store? Someone at an Apple store said they use a SIM card w/o a phone number attached to it (does that make sense?).

Dumb question but having never owned an iPhone, what exactly is being done when it is being activated? If it isn't activate w/ my own SIM card will there be any trouble when my SIM card is put into it (I'm not trying to use a SIM from a different carrier or anything like that).
 
beyondthesmile said:
Thanks guys.

If I am activating in store but don't have my SIM card with me (or am buying it as a gift), can they still activate it in store? Someone at an Apple store said they use a SIM card w/o a phone number attached to it (does that make sense?).

Dumb question but having never owned an iPhone, what exactly is being done when it is being activated? If it isn't activate w/ my own SIM card will there be any trouble when my SIM card is put into it (I'm not trying to use a SIM from a different carrier or anything like that).
Click to expand...

Your iPhone will come with a brand new SIM. This SIM will be attached to your account and your phone number by the person who sells you the phone. Your old SIM will cease to work upon activation.
 
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.125 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/107)

thelatinist said:
beyondthesmile said:
Thanks guys.

If I am activating in store but don't have my SIM card with me (or am buying it as a gift), can they still activate it in store? Someone at an Apple store said they use a SIM card w/o a phone number attached to it (does that make sense?).

Dumb question but having never owned an iPhone, what exactly is being done when it is being activated? If it isn't activate w/ my own SIM card will there be any trouble when my SIM card is put into it (I'm not trying to use a SIM from a different carrier or anything like that).
Click to expand...

Your iPhone will come with a brand new SIM. This SIM will be attached to your account and your phone number by the person who sells you the phone. Your old SIM will cease to work upon activation.
Click to expand...

Oh, how does that work if it is being bought for someone as a gift though? I'm on Rogers if that makes a difference (IDK if Rogers & At&t do it differently).
 
Shasta McNasty said:
They wont let you walk out of the store without actually activating the phone.

/thread
Click to expand...
... unless you buy the iPhone for the full, unsubsidized price (which you still have to be an AT&T subscriber to do).

Anyhow, if you do pay the full $499/$599/$699 pricetag, you do not have to activate in the store (since you didn't get a subsidy on it).

FWIW
 
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