<rant> iPhone 4S upgrade for Christmas

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ksubbert
ksubbert Posts: 38 Member
I just got back from the AT&T store. I am getting my wife a new iphone for Christmas, or at least that's the plan. Unfortunately, she is the primary account (I have a Blackberry provided by my employer) and even if I buy the phone but do not activate it, AT&T will send a confirmation text and a customer satisfaction survey to her old phone. The saleman said the text will go out the same day as the purchase or possibly the next day. The guy said there is no way to de-activate these automated texts.

What are they thinking? Surely I am not the only person who is buying a new phone to give as a Christmas gift.

So now I have to figure out how I'm going to steal my wife's phone for 2 days.

Very frustrated. </rant>

Replies

  • Lauren8239
    Lauren8239 Posts: 1,039 Member
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    Can you secretly disable the texting feature on her current phone?
  • voluptas63
    voluptas63 Posts: 602 Member
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    They're thinking that if someone buys something on the account unauthorized, then maybe the primary account holder would want to know. Calm down.
  • Sublimely_Self_Righteousreused
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    Steal her phone. Make her think she lost it. Then purchese the iPhone, get the text, delete it. Then plant the phone in a spot that makes her think she found her phone again after the fact. Man, I'm a f*cking genius!
  • thepanttherlady
    thepanttherlady Posts: 258 Member
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    Ugh! Sorry this was a dup posting...see below. :)
  • erxkeel
    erxkeel Posts: 553 Member
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    LOL!
  • Mios3
    Mios3 Posts: 530 Member
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    They're thinking that if someone buys something on the account unauthorized, then maybe the primary account holder would want to know. Calm down.

    But then how does one buy a phone as a gift if their not the primary?

    I have verizon and my husband is the primary on our account and he just had to add me as an authorized person or what ever and now I can do anything I want to the account :bigsmile:
  • thepanttherlady
    thepanttherlady Posts: 258 Member
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    Is there any way you can log in online and change YOU to the primary account holder? If so, list your # as the primary account holder until the text comes in then switch it back to hers.

    With Tmobile any number on the phone can be designated as the primary account holder...you just need to know the social security # of the person who the account is in. :)
  • juleseybaby
    juleseybaby Posts: 712 Member
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    Steal her phone. Make her think she lost it. Then purchese the iPhone, get the text, delete it. Then plant the phone in a spot that makes her think she found her phone again after the fact. Man, I'm a f*cking genius!

    I LIKE IT!
  • campbellcjdm
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    Tell her you lost YOUR phone and have a critical call you need to make - take the phone and go buy the other one. If she wants the phone back before you get the texts, tell her you left the phone at your office and you have to go get it. hmmmmm :glasses:
  • voluptas63
    voluptas63 Posts: 602 Member
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    Steal her phone. Make her think she lost it. Then purchese the iPhone, get the text, delete it. Then plant the phone in a spot that makes her think she found her phone again after the fact. Man, I'm a f*cking genius!

    Winner
  • ksubbert
    ksubbert Posts: 38 Member
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    Can you secretly disable the texting feature on her current phone?

    I think I could pull that off. I can actually take her phone with me when I upgrade the phone. I'll tell her I want to use her Red Laser and Price Check apps while I'm out Christmas shopping. If the text doesn't come within a few hours, I can de-activate her texts. She doesn't get many texts so I doubt she would notice.
  • p0stdramatic
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    Just so you know, I recently upgraded my daughter's line, and it was almost 2 weeks before I got my text. It's not always like that, but it was this last time. Fair warning about AT&T. So either wait until the last minute to do the upgrade and hope they are in stock, or come up with a really good plan.

    I don't know if you can change the primary account holder with AT&T or not, but it would be worth looking into.
  • ksubbert
    ksubbert Posts: 38 Member
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    Is there any way you can log in online and change YOU to the primary account holder? If so, list your # as the primary account holder until the text comes in then switch it back to hers.

    With Tmobile any number on the phone can be designated as the primary account holder...you just need to know the social security # of the person who the account is in. :)

    I can't be the primary. We have different providers.
  • thepanttherlady
    thepanttherlady Posts: 258 Member
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    How exactly do you "deactivate" texts? My understanding for any provider is that if THEY send an account holder a text, it will go through regardless of whether you have texting or not.
  • morganhccstudent724
    morganhccstudent724 Posts: 1,261 Member
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    I just got back from the AT&T store. I am getting my wife a new iphone for Christmas, or at least that's the plan. Unfortunately, she is the primary account (I have a Blackberry provided by my employer) and even if I buy the phone but do not activate it, AT&T will send a confirmation text and a customer satisfaction survey to her old phone. The saleman said the text will go out the same day as the purchase or possibly the next day. The guy said there is no way to de-activate these automated texts.

    What are they thinking? Surely I am not the only person who is buying a new phone to give as a Christmas gift.

    So now I have to figure out how I'm going to steal my wife's phone for 2 days.

    Very frustrated. </rant>



    ^^^^This would irritate me....
  • ksubbert
    ksubbert Posts: 38 Member
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    They're thinking that if someone buys something on the account unauthorized, then maybe the primary account holder would want to know. Calm down.

    But then how does one buy a phone as a gift if their not the primary?

    I have verizon and my husband is the primary on our account and he just had to add me as an authorized person or what ever and now I can do anything I want to the account :bigsmile:

    I'm not sure but I didn't have a problem when I upgraded my son's phone. Somehow I'm on the account, since I get the bill. But I don't have a phone with AT&T so the texts go to my wife's phone.
  • sjcsviola85
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    Steal her phone. Make her think she lost it. Then purchese the iPhone, get the text, delete it. Then plant the phone in a spot that makes her think she found her phone again after the fact. Man, I'm a f*cking genius!

    i'd deffo try this one :P
  • ksubbert
    ksubbert Posts: 38 Member
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    They're thinking that if someone buys something on the account unauthorized, then maybe the primary account holder would want to know. Calm down.

    But then how does one buy a phone as a gift if their not the primary?

    I have verizon and my husband is the primary on our account and he just had to add me as an authorized person or what ever and now I can do anything I want to the account :bigsmile:

    I would think there would be some way to work around it. What if your husband wanted a new phone for Christmas?
  • voluptas63
    voluptas63 Posts: 602 Member
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    They're thinking that if someone buys something on the account unauthorized, then maybe the primary account holder would want to know. Calm down.

    But then how does one buy a phone as a gift if their not the primary?

    I have verizon and my husband is the primary on our account and he just had to add me as an authorized person or what ever and now I can do anything I want to the account :bigsmile:

    I would think there would be some way to work around it. What if your husband wanted a new phone for Christmas?

    I work for a global telecommunications company. There are too many liabilities in your thinking. Husband and wife are divorcing. Wife goes and buys 4 new lines on the account. Buys new cell phones etc. Shouldn't the authorized account holder know that these changes took place? Angry kid goes and exchanges cell phones etc. I appreciate the sentiment, but it is really in the best consumer interest to have these in place.
  • campbellcjdm
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    Let us know what you do and if you can pull it off ! :devil: