Carrier Switched Carriers After Pre-Ordering iPhone...

[purdnost]

Last Friday, I pre-ordered a new iPhone. I enrolled in the Apple Upgrade Program and selected Verizon as my carrier. Long story short, I switched to T-Mobile yesterday, but my phone will arrive with a Verizon SIM. Being that phones shipped directly from Apple are unlocked (with the exception of AT&T, I understand), all I should need to do is swap out the SIM for my new T-Mobile one, correct? Simple as that?

I know my order is past the point of cancellation. I will still be required to pay Verizon the upgrade fee, but they will wave the line access fee since my account with them is no longer active.

 

[archer75]

Yep, just swap sims. It won't activate during the normal process as it's looking for your verizon account but I believe you can bypass all that stuff.

 

[purdnost]

Just an update on this: I swapped SIM cards before powering on the new iPhone and setup process initiated just fine until it got to activation step. My new phone said it would activate me on the Verizon network (so, apparently, the phone was pre-programmed to expect the Verizon SIM as I designated Verizon as my carrier during the pre-order process). I went ahead with the T-Mobile SIM anyway and got stuck in activation mode. I had to do a hard shut down and re-insert the Verizon card. I was then able to finish setting up the phone, after which I was able to successfully insert my T-Mobile SIM and activate the phone on their network.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

@thefish2019 Here is your solution.

 

[dave006]

My new phone said it would activate me on the Verizon network (so, apparently, the phone was pre-programmed to expect the Verizon SIM as I designated Verizon as my carrier during the pre-order process).

Correct your IUP iPhone shipped with a Verizon regististration in the Apple Activation server(s). Once you completed the initital activation using either your existign active Verizon SIM or the new NANO-SIM included in your new iPhone then you are free to swap in an active T-Moble or any other active valid NANO-SIM and use your iPhone on a different plan.

The reason the initial activation was tied to your Verizon account was simply a additional Apple security feature to prevent someone from stealing your new iPhone before it arrived and you were able to complete the activation steps and agree to the IUP terms. It wanted to validate the information that you had provided when you orignally ordered your new iPhone.

Dave