Using current SIM in new iPhone (AT

Alfredo Jahn wrote:

I guess I didn't ask the question in the best way... I thought that I could take the SIM out of my current phone, and insert it into the new phone, and that would be it, other then restoring from a backup.

Correct. You can insert it into the iPhone 8 , and run through the setup. One of the steps is activation. Inserting the sim in and of itself does not activate the phone, but its one of the steps during setup.

Alfredo Jahn wrote:

. In other words, no other activation, such as contacting AT&T would be required.

Correct. Running through the regular iPhone setup, will activate the iPhone once it gets to that point. No need to contact AT&T. All it needs is a sim card inside. The sim card again does not need to have active service. Meaning it can be the one that comes pre-installed and is not active, or the one from the old iPhone 6. either one will work.

If using a sim card with active service, then the phone gets active service and can make calls once setup has been completed.

If you use the preinstalled one that is inactive, you may need to then call AT&T and have the service transferred from the old sim to the new.

Alfredo Jahn wrote:

Can't remember if I asked this, but does the phone have to be activated before I plug it into iTunes and restore from my old backup?

Thanks

No. When you plug it into iTunes, it will run through the setup, including activation.

Easiest thing to do, is yes to just install the sim card from the old iPhone 6 and restore from backup. Everything should work, and once restoring is complete, the iPhone should be activated and have service. Again, no need to involve AT&T here.

Alfredo Jahn wrote:

Also, I do plan to send my old phone back to Apple. The Apple store guy told me I could get $125 for my old phone (store credit). Do I need to send it back with a SIM card in it?

Thanks

No, but read here: What to do before you sell or give away your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Yes, you can use your current Sim to activate the new iPhone 8.

When you get the new iPhone the setup process will require you to have a sim card inside tom activate it.

Whether its the inactive one that comes with the iPhone 8 or the one from your iPhone 8, it should not matter.

Unless something has changed there should be no issue with using your current Sim card to activate the new iPhone.

Yes normally you can use the same nano SIM from old iPhone (assuming it's also from AT&T) to a your new iPhone.

GSM providers like AT&T use the sim as a means of authenticating the device on the network and the sim contains account information.

Verizon does the same but Sprint only uses the sim for LTE purposes and its sims have no account information stored on them.

Thus except for Sprint, a sim can be moved from phone to phone as long as the phone is eligible to operate on the network.

So your experience with the phone in the case of your son's friend is indeed what should happen.

Yes, Yes and Yes unless AT&T objects.

You can set up iPhone over a Wi-Fi network, or over your carrier’s cellular network (not available in all areas). You can also set up iPhone by connecting it to a computer and using iTunes.