iPhone setup question
 

iPhone question.

Son's iPhone SE is really beat up and not working well. He's now arrived in CA with very limited access to Wi-Fi. I have a refurb iPhone 6 here for him. Can I set this refurb iPhone up here, restoring from the latest iCloud backup (dated yesterday) of his iPhone SE, then mail it to him in CA, and have him move over his T-mobile SIM card from the iPhone SE?

There is a T-mobile store where he is, but it takes quite a while to restore an iPhone from iCloud and it would be nice if he doesn't have to sit in a Starbucks for hours doing a restore that I can simply do overnight at home.

Yes, as long as the SIM card is the same type.

The short answer is Yes.

The cards are the same for 5SE and 6. Changes on 7. T-mobile is compatible with ATT and Verison as well.

You should be able to restore his data to the newer iPhone before you send it to him. The SIM card only changes the carrier information not the other data on the phone. People even change SIM cards without turning their iPhone off to change between carriers or numbers though Apple recommends turning the phone off.

When getting a new iPhone have always backed up to local computer, then restored to the new iPhone using the computer. Then I remote wipe the old iPhone.

Is the 6 on T-Mobile as well?

If not are you sure there is no carrier lock?

Shouldn't be but does not hurt to check.

The 6 is supposed to be factory unlocked but I'll verify.

Thanks all!

Kids (well, 17 y/o) are hard on phones. I no longer get them new iPhones!

What changes?