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Questions about activation fee/unlocked phone from Apple

I bought an unlocked iPhone 12 at an Apple store today and was charged around a $30 activation fee. I'd already contacted my carrier beforehand to send me a replacement sim for my new phone, which will have the same number and cellular plan of my old phone.


1) Since I paid the activation fee, am I still able to use the (physical) replacement sim card when it arrives?


2) Is my phone truly unlocked and able to connect to any carrier in the future even though I paid for the activation fee?


3) What exactly is the activation fee for? I literally just bought the device and didn't get any additional services performed, i.e. no trade-in, no data transferred, and no sim card transferred. The only information I gave the Apple employee was the name of my carrier.

Posted on Dec 1, 2022 9:10 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 1, 2022 10:45 PM

Apple does not charge an activation fee. That activation fee was charged on behalf of your carrier to activate cellular service for your new iPhone 12. You probably have a new phone number at present but with the same carrier who is sending you a SIM card with your old phone number.


1) Yes you can use SIM card when it arrives in the mail and replace the current SIM card. I recommend that you also call your carrier after you replace the SIM card and tell them to ensure that only one line (phone number) remains active and not both. This will ensure that you only get charged for one phone line and not two.


2) You purchased the iPhone directly from Apple and therefore your iPhonen 12 is truly unlocked and can be used with any compatible carrier. You can double check this by opening Settings ➡️ General ➡️ About ➡️ Carrier Lock: Ensure that No SIM Restrictions is stated there.


3) Activation fee is charged by some carriers to get cellular service started. Some carriers call this fee with another name and that is a SIM card fee. I recommend that you contact your carreir and ask them if they can waive this fee and credit your account for $30. In most cases the carrier will do that.


Axel F.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 1, 2022 10:45 PM in response to pax95

Apple does not charge an activation fee. That activation fee was charged on behalf of your carrier to activate cellular service for your new iPhone 12. You probably have a new phone number at present but with the same carrier who is sending you a SIM card with your old phone number.


1) Yes you can use SIM card when it arrives in the mail and replace the current SIM card. I recommend that you also call your carrier after you replace the SIM card and tell them to ensure that only one line (phone number) remains active and not both. This will ensure that you only get charged for one phone line and not two.


2) You purchased the iPhone directly from Apple and therefore your iPhonen 12 is truly unlocked and can be used with any compatible carrier. You can double check this by opening Settings ➡️ General ➡️ About ➡️ Carrier Lock: Ensure that No SIM Restrictions is stated there.


3) Activation fee is charged by some carriers to get cellular service started. Some carriers call this fee with another name and that is a SIM card fee. I recommend that you contact your carreir and ask them if they can waive this fee and credit your account for $30. In most cases the carrier will do that.


Axel F.

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Questions about activation fee/unlocked phone from Apple

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