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Other iPhone 15 Preorder on Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI)
- Thread starter NotApplicable
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It worked! May be worth noting that I did Citizen's monthly installment, not ACMI, but it shouldn't make a difference.
Here's how my process went:
I always set up new phones as new, so I didn't transfer anything. That shouldn't matter either way.
When it came time to activate the phone, I was given the option to transfer an eSIM from a nearby phone. I selected that and it failed. I was then given the option to set it up later in settings. I selected that. Went to my carrier's app and entered the new phone's IMEI number and it was activated in less than a minute.
Hope that helps. Good luck, everyone!
Here's how my process went:
I always set up new phones as new, so I didn't transfer anything. That shouldn't matter either way.
When it came time to activate the phone, I was given the option to transfer an eSIM from a nearby phone. I selected that and it failed. I was then given the option to set it up later in settings. I selected that. Went to my carrier's app and entered the new phone's IMEI number and it was activated in less than a minute.
Hope that helps. Good luck, everyone!
What about the "transfer your number" prompt that asks for your phone number and the last four of your SSN? Did you just enter garbage as someone else suggested?
Thanks for being our guinea pig!
That never came up for me, probably because it asked to transfer my number. I had already signed into my Apple ID at that point.
As others said, it worked. I have Verizon pre-paid, and it worked no problem transferring the e-sim and getting it set up with the T-mobile iPhone.
Used the Apple Card 0% payments (ACMI), with the instant credit for my old phone.
The e-sim transfer worked on the first try, and I did not have to select set up later.
Used the Apple Card 0% payments (ACMI), with the instant credit for my old phone.
The e-sim transfer worked on the first try, and I did not have to select set up later.
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So you transferred the e-sim from verizon's pre-paid to the "t-mobile" phone? Very cool. Did you ever get the prompt to enter your phone number and last four of your SSN?
Correct. Prepaid Verizon to the T-Mobile iPhone. It never asked any verification questions. Just the prompt to transfer the e-sim and worked as expected. The new phone recognized my phone number from the old phone.
As I suspected, the T-Mobile variant is the same as the unlocked phone for all intent and purposes. This happened years ago when apple didn’t sell the unlocked phone at launch, and buying the T-Mobile variant was the way around it.
Buying the T-Mobile iPhone is the way to use ACMI if you are prepaid.
This is awesome. Based on your and other's comments, I've ordered a T-Mobile version to use with my carrier. Hopefully, my experience is as smooth as everyone else's has been.
I was able to successfully activate mine on Spectrum! It prompted for T-Mobile nonsense but it errored out and I was able to finish setup! 🎉
Interesting? What T-Mobile info did it prompt you with? I didn’t get anything carrier related during the process.
It asked for my phone number and last four of my social for account verification. I just clicked okay and let it error until it said “finish later in settings” 🤷🏼♂️
Can anyone confirm if this ACMI method works if we checked out with AT&T carrier selected instead of T-Mobile on the Apple site? Does it just work the same way when we receive the phone where we can skip the activation screen three times?
I did not order through AT&T, but on the Reddit thread in /r/AppleCard, people have said they were able to use it via AT&T. This is only with the ACMI method. Apple's T&C's state that AT&T installment plan phones are locked. Those are the only ones.
In my opinion, I think if you can order the phone, then assume that it will work. In other words, if you can go through the selection, order, and pay screens and place your order, then it will work.
For some models, you will be asked to insert your carrier credentials before you can buy and there's no way around that as far as I know.
Also you can use the T-Mobile route and use the iPhone with any carrier including AT&T. Apple's T&C's explicitly state any purchase with ACMI will give you an unlocked phone which means that it will work with any carrier regardless of which one you chose. So long as you're able to order it.
I wish I had the ability to test, but I would imagine that you could setup a prepaid plan with one of the big 3 carriers (my research says it's T-Mobile Connect at $10 a month before taxes and fees), enter those credentials, then cancel your plan once you receive the phone and you would be fine. Even if you immediately use the phone on another carrier. It will be unlocked.
In my opinion, I think if you can order the phone, then assume that it will work. In other words, if you can go through the selection, order, and pay screens and place your order, then it will work.
For some models, you will be asked to insert your carrier credentials before you can buy and there's no way around that as far as I know.
Also you can use the T-Mobile route and use the iPhone with any carrier including AT&T. Apple's T&C's explicitly state any purchase with ACMI will give you an unlocked phone which means that it will work with any carrier regardless of which one you chose. So long as you're able to order it.
I wish I had the ability to test, but I would imagine that you could setup a prepaid plan with one of the big 3 carriers (my research says it's T-Mobile Connect at $10 a month before taxes and fees), enter those credentials, then cancel your plan once you receive the phone and you would be fine. Even if you immediately use the phone on another carrier. It will be unlocked.
If you go the prepaid route with T-Mobile using the $10 plan, what do you input for SS# since prepaid doesn’t require that? Guess you will still have to bypass it as others suggested.
Are you sending your old phone back via mail-in box? I wonder if I pick up in-store and try to trade it in-store they will give me trouble…
Store will not give customers trouble when they pick-up and trade in the phone. I did it and the process was so simple and smooth.
Nice, good to hear. I was nervous if they’ll ask me for any carrier plan details.
No worries on that. They will give you your order and help you to trade in.
If it is an in-store pick up and you selected trade in online they shouldn't have an issue. Even then they should still allow you to as long as they have people.
I mailed my old phone back simply because I wanted the instant trade-in credit. I think if you have selected to mail the device in, you cannot change it without also reversing the credit and then doing it in store.
Best options:
1) trade the phone in via mail to get the instant credit
2) select no trade in at the time of purchase, and then go into an Apple Store and trade in your phone. They can issue the credit back to the card used to purchase your phone.