Can you buy iPhone 5 at full price at Apple and then bring it into VZ to activate?
MarioGonz
Newbie

As with many people asking today, I'd like to keep my unlimited plan. No current discussion seems to apply exactly to me so I'm making a new one. Here is a quick summary and then my question:

I'm not an account manager but I pay my share of the bill so the acct. manager doesn't care what I do with my phone. I have an iPhone 4 with unlimited data. I'd like to get an iPhone 5 and keep my data. I don't mind paying full price. I'd much much prefer to order from Apple than VZ's online store. So question: Can I pre-order the iPhone from Apple at full price and take the phone to get switch at a store to make sure it get's switch right or do I have to wait till who knows when till my local VZ store has iPhone 5s in stock?

Edit: Decided to call Apple (VZ's customer service line has a pre-emptive recording about how you shouldn't ask questions like mine to a CS representative. Understandable)

What the Apple guy said was that when you buy from them you have to tie that iPhone to an account, whether it's new or current. What I want to do will only be possible once Apple starts selling "unlocked" iPhones. At this time they don't know when that'll be possible but he was very optimistic in saying soon. I guess I'll have to wait no matter what I choose.

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Re: Can you buy iPhone 5 at full price at Apple and then bring it into VZ to activate?
heyitsmejosh
Contributor - Level 2

why not ask the current account manager to give you account manager privileges for now so you can order and pay for the phone.. then remove those privileges because usually apple doesnt sell phones for full retail until a few weeks after launch, while verizon and att will.

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Re: Can you buy iPhone 5 at full price at Apple and then bring it into VZ to activate?
Tidbits
Legend

Yes you could buy it from Apple.  You have to make sure you buy the one specifically for Verizon(IMEI will be in the database).

If you buy the "unlocked" one then it will not work on Sprint or Verizon like the 4S was.

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Re: Can you buy iPhone 5 at full price at Apple and then bring it into VZ to activate?
MarioGonz
Newbie

Really? I think I will do that. I was not aware of this. Too late to do it for tomorrow's pre-order. He's most def. sleeping by now. If I remember correctly, launch day iPhone pre-orders sell out in mere hours. I'm probably going to still be looking at a 1-2 week wait. Better than trying my luck at finding one in store. Thank you so much!

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Re: Can you buy iPhone 5 at full price at Apple and then bring it into VZ to activate?
heyitsmejosh
Contributor - Level 2

maybe not with verizon, a friend of mine preordered well into the day when the iphone 4 came out no problem so you might be able to.. keep in mind most people who have the verizon iphone 4 probably dont have an upgrade before oct 7th since thats 20 months from the first day people got it so the numbers will be slightly down. (of course you have people with multiple lines and people like me who plan on paying full retail)

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Re: Can you buy iPhone 5 at full price at Apple and then bring it into VZ to activate?
Arrestedcloud
Enthusiast - Level 2

Apple.com will not let you buy the iphone 5 "currently" without a contract. You will have to stand in line at a store to get it. You can order one from verizon paying full price. i was trying to pre-orrder it as well because i could get 10% cash back from my credit card and other offers but could not 😞 So I ordered it full price from big red

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