Activation Question

FlashMac · #1 August 6th, 2007, 05:08 AM

Hi guys, glad to see you are all enjoying your phones, can't wait until they make their way across to the UK.

Can someone give me some experience-based advice on activating the iPhone? I have watched the activation video on apple.com.

Basically I'm with Orange and want to keep my number. During the video Mr Interesting says transferring your number is easy, and may take between 20 mins and a few hours (fair enough) depending on your provider, with various account-type info that needs to be entered, all well and good.
But do I need to terminate my contract with Orange, and get a PAC code, before I attempt this? I would assume so, it would seem too easy for iTunes to go away and terminate your current mobile contract with an unaffiliated company automatically, but can someone confirm how this works, its not very clear. Any personal experiences would be welcome.

Cheers.

SGilbert · #2 August 6th, 2007, 09:23 AM

Don't know about UK, but here in US, it would be YOUR responsibility to know if your contract is expired or not. iTunes will handle all the particulars of setting up a new account with ATT, but your previous carrier still may pursue you if they believe they are due any money. Of course, like me, if you had already been with ATT, then you can transfer with iTunes at anytime.

If you are now with Orange, and the iPhone carrier will be Orange, you have, no doubt, any problem.

FlashMac · #3 August 6th, 2007, 11:22 AM

Thanks for your reply. The iPhone carrier in the UK will be O2. I'm happy to cancel my contract with Orange before I go and get my iPhone, I just want to make sure I do everything in the right order so as not to lose my number.
I suppose the PAC number you get from the previous provider must be valid for a while, I'm obviously not going to cancel my Orange contract until just before I go to get the iPhone.

SGilbert · #4 August 6th, 2007, 03:16 PM

IMHO, if you're elegible to cancel your Orange acct., transfer 1st; THEN cancel. Otherwise, you MAY loose your existing #. At worst, you may owe them a few cents (or whatever you use)

FlashMac · #5 August 7th, 2007, 06:05 AM

Really? I would have thought that the activation would tell me that the number was already in use or something similar. I'm certainly eligible to cancel with no money owed, my current contract period expired several months ago (i've been waiting a long time for the iPhone), in fact I get Slammed all the time (where 3rd party resellers phone you up "on behalf" of Orange to try and get you to sign up to a new contract with what turns out to be a 2-year-old-phone).
I will check with O2 closer to the time, I assume they must be prepared for this sort of question, plenty of people will be with some other provider and will want to keep their number...

**fryke** · #6 August 7th, 2007, 06:17 AM

No, you definitely can only transfer a number that _is_ in use. However, I'd simply ask O2 about it. They'll be ready. And they're the interested party here besides you. Orange might not be too interested in _how_ exactly they're going to lose you as a customer.

andyhargreaves · #7 August 7th, 2007, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlashMac

Thanks for your reply. The iPhone carrier in the UK will be O2. I'm happy to cancel my contract with Orange before I go and get my iPhone, I just want to make sure I do everything in the right order so as not to lose my number.
I suppose the PAC number you get from the previous provider must be valid for a while, I'm obviously not going to cancel my Orange contract until just before I go to get the iPhone.

This is what I was thinking. Surely being an O2 customer before the iPhone is released here in the UK would be a good thing - get your number transferred to O2 in plenty of time.

You never know, you might be able to get O2 to give you a nice shiny new phone now, which you can eBay to cover some of the cost of the iPhone...?

andyhargreaves · #8 August 7th, 2007, 07:32 AM

Sorry to double-post...

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyhargreaves

This is what I was thinking. Surely being an O2 customer before the iPhone is released here in the UK would be a good thing - get your number transferred to O2 in plenty of time.

You never know, you might be able to get O2 to give you a nice shiny new phone now, which you can eBay to cover some of the cost of the iPhone...?

OK, so it seems I am incorrect. I've just spoken to someone at O2, and he advised to hang on with current contract until iPhone release date is announced. Then join O2 when you buy the iPhone. If you join O2 now it is impossible to upgrade your phone mid-contract, even if you're willing to pay for it. Thus if you sign up to O2 today it will be at least 12 months before you can get an iPhone....

Andy