Activate in store or at home?

[gern blanston]

My iPhone 4 will be shipped to the AT&T store, and they said that either they could activate it in the store, or I could take it home and activate it myself. This is different from last year when they said that they had to activate the 3GS in the store even though it was an upgrade from my 3G. I'm glad that it was activated in the store, however, since the unit that they gave me was defective, and they swapped it out for another right then. If I had gone home and come back, they probably would have told me to go through the Apple store (Genius Bar appointment, etc) which would have been a bit of a pain. Plus, if something goes screwy with the activation, I'm probably better off with an AT&T rep handling it right then. Fortunately, my AT&T store has friendly and helpful reps, unlike some others that I've visited.

On the other hand, I kind of like to be the one to handle and setup my phone. If the store is crazy with activations that day, I may just do it myself.

 

[stphnman20]

If your going to be there, just get it activated there..

Thats what i'm going to do..

 

[ghostface147]

I am activating at my job.

 

[lungho]

I am activating at my job.

Do you have to activate from the computer that has your primary iTunes account or can you sign in to iTunes on a different/work computer? If you can use a different computer, does this affect your purchases you made on your primary computer?

 

[ghostface147]

That's a good question. I won't know until I try it, but my machine is the primary machine anyways, so I don't think I will have an issue.

 

[lungho]

Ahh, ok thanks. Looks like I could be staring at a new phone the whole day until i can get home to properly activate it.

 

[ghostface147]

You have the option of activating at the Apple store or ATT store.

 

[lungho]

Yeah I knew I did at an AT&T store but this is the first time I've purchased from an Apple store. Anyway, thanks for the info. It came in handy.

 

[derk]

I should probably create another thread for this. I am the primary account holder on the family plan for the 2 iphones on our account. I ordered the iphone 4 at the upgrade price on my wife's line which has an iphone 3g. My line has the iphone 3gs (I don't qualify for upgrade price). She's not interested in getting an iphone 4. Would I be able to activate the iphone 4 using my existing number? or is the new iphone 4 coming from Apple going to "bound" already to her number? do I have to call ATT wireless to do that for me?

 

[Behshad]

you can swap them by making a call to ATT,,, specially with the new micro SIM....

 

[cardfan]

I'm not leaving the store til its working. Especially if i'm waiting so long in line to get that annoying apple store experience.

 

[Ipheuria]

any computer should do

Do you have to activate from the computer that has your primary iTunes account or can you sign in to iTunes on a different/work computer? If you can use a different computer, does this affect your purchases you made on your primary computer?

I don't think you need to activate from your primary computer. The purchases wouldn't be affected unless you sync the phone. The phone will be empty anyway so once you sync with your primary it would wipe off whatever got onto the phone. When I didn't know how to JB I used to give my friend my phone to JB for me. He would connect it JB it and activate it on his computer. I'm sure if I'm wrong someone will chime in but I don't think you would have a problem.

 

[gern blanston]

When activating, should you set up the phone as a new phone, then sync, or restore from backup? Or does it matter?

 

[BuddhistGirafe]

I should probably create another thread for this. I am the primary account holder on the family plan for the 2 iphones on our account. I ordered the iphone 4 at the upgrade price on my wife's line which has an iphone 3g. My line has the iphone 3gs (I don't qualify for upgrade price). She's not interested in getting an iphone 4. Would I be able to activate the iphone 4 using my existing number? or is the new iphone 4 coming from Apple going to "bound" already to her number? do I have to call ATT wireless to do that for me?

You should just be able to swap the SIM. Get a MicroSIM from AT&T for your wife's account, put it in your phone, and a regular SIM for your account for the Wife's 3GS.

 

[BuddhistGirafe]

When activating, should you set up the phone as a new phone, then sync, or restore from backup? Or does it matter?

It is always best to start as a new phone. I am doing that, then just re-syncing all my stuff.

 

[fresh1]

I'm not leaving the store til its working. Especially if i'm waiting so long in line to get that annoying apple store experience.

Totally Agree

 

[thebrain2u]

I was considering getting my phone and just leaving, go home and activate it. But after waiting in line, I think waiting a bit longer to activate it in store would be nice. If any problems came up, at least I'd still be around some knowledgeable people.

 

[lungho]

I don't think you need to activate from your primary computer. The purchases wouldn't be affected unless you sync the phone. The phone will be empty anyway so once you sync with your primary it would wipe off whatever got onto the phone. When I didn't know how to JB I used to give my friend my phone to JB for me. He would connect it JB it and activate it on his computer. I'm sure if I'm wrong someone will chime in but I don't think you would have a problem.

I appreciate your input. Every little bit helps. Thanks.

 

[jrpierce]

If I'm jailbroken should I restore to factory before I go in to AT&T to have them sync my contacts?

 

[cajunrph]

If I'm jailbroken should I restore to factory before I go in to AT&T to have them sync my contacts?

I'd restore to factory if I were you. They don't look kindly towards jailbroken phones. I guess I'm gonna have to restore to factory around the 25th because I don't know when I'll be by a store to get the phone. I don't want to take the chance of bringing in my phone and them wanting to do the initial set up and me having a jailbroken phone. I wasn't able to preorder for the 24th.