Selling iPhone 4 Help

[Tbone]

So AT&T screwed up and sent me an EXTRA iPhone 4. I didn't even get charged for it. I could just return it like a good boy, but I was thinking I could also sell it on eBay for $850...lol

Before I do that, though, I wanted to check to make sure the phone isn't tied to my account/carrier. If I sell it, will the other person not be able to unlock/activate it unless they do it on my contract? Or is the phone not tied to anything until you activate it after receiving it? Can I sell it or am I stuck with an $800 paperweight?

[Adad]

You could just give it to me and we can figure it out from there. I have people here that could activate it to my account so you don't have to worry about it.

[Manic Velocity]

That is an amazing stroke of luck.  Enjoy your prize money.

You should check to see if the extra phone came with a SIM card.  If it did, take it out before selling it.  The phone itself is not tied to your account but the SIM is.

[Fuse]

Do the iPhones have SIMs? If so just make sure you don't give the SIM with the phone and you're set.

[Adad]

Yes it's in a little hidden cradle at the top of the phone, you just need a paperclip to pop it open. How many GB is it T?

[Fuse]

I may have a buyer for you if the price is right.

[Tbone]

It's 16GB.

The order confirmation says that there is an embedded SIM. Does this mean I have to open the package and take out the SIM? I already activated my other iPhone to my account, and each account is only allowed one phone, so do you think that the SIM is still somehow tied to my account?

The going price for the phone on eBay is between $800-$900. Marketprice is $600 (plus taxes, etc.). I'd be willing to sell it to a friend (or friend of a friend) for $650, but I'm afraid to go below that in case AT&T figures out their mistake and charges me full price for the phone if I don't return it. I could ship it ASAP and you'd have it in two or three days as opposed to paying $650 and getting it in 3-4 months...lol.

[Fuse]

If there was an actual process to activate your phone through software when you got it to your account, you should be fine. There is no way they associate each phone with an account before they leave the store.

You're fine.

My buddy said he just got one, but his friend offered $200. When I said you were looking for $650 that ended the bargaining. lol

[Tbone]

Yeah, $200 is the price WITH a two year contract. Yeah, I had to go to att.com/Activations and activate it. I just don't want someone else to try the same thing and for it to say "Sorry, the phone ID you entered does not match your account".

[Tbone]

This is confusing...

So there are unlockable iPhone 4s. Apparently those aren't sold in the US, so I can't claim mine is unlocked (meaning it will only work with AT&T).

Then there's also AT&T iPhone 4s that are either with or without contract. This is where I'm confused. Does mine require a contract in order for it to be activated? I just don't want to sell it and then have the guy be like "Wtf...this is locked to your contract. I can't use it!"

[Manic Velocity]

An unlocked iPhone is simply an iPhone that has been hacked to allow service from other carriers.  It's not a unique version of the phone.  All iPhones are unlockable.  You can sell this phone, and the buyer can unlock it for use with any carrier.

Unlocked iPhones sell for a bit more because most people don't realize that unlocking a phone is not a complicated process.  It takes less than 10 minutes, and there are boat loads of tutorials on the web.  But some people are willing to pay extra to not have to do the unlock themselves.  

Removing the SIM will require you to open the box and pop open the SIM tray.  You can still claim that the phone has never been used.  You don't even have to remove the plastic film on the screen.

Since you've already activated your other iPhone, you should be ok to sell this one as long as you take the SIM out.

[Tecknik]

Incorrect, Manic.

Not all "unlocked" iPhones have been hacked.  In the US, iPhones are sold "locked" to only be able to be used with AT&T.  However, other countries sell iPhones that are not locked to one carrier.  Therefore, they never have to be hacked to be able to be used on other carriers.

Also, not all iPhones are unlockable.  As far as I know, the newer basebands ("Modem Firmware" in your iPhone's "About" section) including the ones used in iOS 3.1.3 and up have not been hacked to be unlockable yet.  While some of these phones can be jailbroken, they can not be unlocked.



As far as the extra phone goes, Tbone...  I would wait a few weeks and see if AT&T realizes their mistake in the next billing cycle or two.

[Fuse]

They may realize the mistake, but removing the sim is only needed if you are that paranoid. They would NOT associate it to your account to the sim before it sends to you.

Wait, and if they don't charger you, sell it already.

[Heironymus]

As far as the extra phone goes, Tbone...  I would wait a few weeks and see if AT&T realizes their mistake in the next billing cycle or two.

since I just spent the last 14 hours SELLING the iphone 4's at my att store that I WORK AT.. I think I will give you this advice Tbone..


If you dont want it activated on your account remove the sim before you sell it. If you leave that sim in and the sim is associated with your account when the person activates in iTunes it will override your current sim on the account.
Secondly, they are correct in the fact that there is a semi decent chance att will end up realizing you got shipped two phones and try to charge you, HOWEVER, all you have to do is say it never got to you or you never recieved it because in theory they just dropped it off and ATT has had problems with minor theft from both UPS and FEDex so in that sense you would get out of the charges.

I would say sell the hell out of it for whatever you can but again, TAKE THE SIM OUT first!!!


and yes.. I did say 14 hours of selling the freakin IPHONE.. FML

[Lithium]

iPhone is an obsolete design.