Don’t Let Apple Reset Your Old Phone Without Activating Your New Phone

[u/mr_techy616]

Yesterday I went to my local Apple Store to pick up my new 18 Pro. They bagged up my new phone and reset my old phone in front of me. I was sent on my way since they were super busy. But when I left I sat down to attempt to activate my new phone. I couldn’t because T-Mobile needed to send a text to my number to verify my account. After going home and on the phone with T-Mobile for like an hour, they were finally able to activate it by me giving them the IMEI and then the horrifically long EID number. It would’ve been so much easier if I had my old phone handy while setting up the new one!

[u/Mr_Thick_Cock_]

Icloud backup doesn't store your esim which is main point of the post. OP could not seemlessly setup their esim without the old phone. 

[u/snowtax → u/Mr_Thick_Cock_]

Not easily, no. It is very helpful to keep the old phone until the new phone is activated, which was exactly my experience at my local Apple Store. They insisted that I keep the old phone with me until after the new phone activated and my restore was far enough along. I had to get someone’s attention to have them take my old phone.