sim card and ATT

[techie5]

So I just called ATT and wanted to order a second sim card [second line] for my wife. I do not have the phone yet in had so she said I could not do it because she needed to assign a new sim card to the phone and needed the imei number from the phone. This lead to a discussion about whether I can take my sim card and put it in another ATT phone and use it. She said it would not work that each phone I use I have to register the imei number with the sim card. I don't understand. If this is the case, why do I read about people taking their sim card and putting it in other ATT phones and using it? She said I might be able to make calls and text, but downloading apps from google would not work. Could someone please explain how this works. What I want to do is keep my old phone, order a new one, and go back in forth with the sim card at will. She said I would have to call them each time I put it in each phone. Please explain!!! Thanks

 

[Rukbat]

Could someone please explain how this works.

It's very simple. Some of the people AT&T hires couldn't find a clue in a field of clues so deep the clues were up to their eyes.

For a new phone they want the IMEI. Then put the SIM into any phone with AT&T's frequencies and the APN set to AT&T's values and it'll work. They don't want you doing it, but I don't want the IRS collecting tax from me - and AT&T and I have equal chances of getting what we went. (I regularly swap my SIM into a phone so old that it's branded Cingular. No problem with voice, text or data. I just need an adapter because that phone takes a larger SIM.)

 

[techie5]

Thanks. But I am now wondering this: I just bought a used ATT phone from swappa. When I get it, will I be able to order a new sim card with a new number for it from ATT? I want to use it as a second line for my wife. Or because it was already used by someone else with ATT will they say I can't use the phone because someone else registered it? Thanks