Possible Fix for Activating + Porting in under an hour!

[MBHockey]

Same boat as 90% of you on this board. No prob at Apple Store, but activation wouldn't go through. Called probably four times between Apple and AT&T over last 14 hours...nothing.

I called one last time today, got the most helpful person in the world at AT&T. She figured out that the problem was my verizon account information *had a dash* in the middle of the number, and it cannot accept dashes (why iTunes didn't tell me this i don't know). Anyway, she fixed it, activated my iphone right over the phone while i was talking to her, and now i can make outgoing calls AND receive incoming calls. My iPhone went to brick to FULLY working (ported from Verizon) in 40 minutes with my phone call.

I also got an email from AT&T saying congratulations that my number was ported.

Call up AT&T and ask if all the info you entered into iTunes looks correct...they'll probably find something that's clogging it all up.

[jacinto45]

Which of the errors did you have in iTunes? Was it the "Your activation requires additional time to complete" or one of the others people have reported?

[MBHockey]

Yes, that one. Plus the email stating it would take 24 hours.

[Jsimon9633]

what number did you call?

[rainmanbk]

I am positive my number didn't have a dash in it. Are there other things that could be wrong?

[MBHockey]

The number i called was: 1-877-800-3701

There's probably other stuff that can be wrong with the account, i would call and make sure it's not something silly like that. They can fix problems like this that iTunes doesn't catch quite easily over the phone.

[Jsimon9633]

The number i called was: 1-877-800-3701

There's probably other stuff that can be wrong with the account, i would call and make sure it's not something silly like that. They can fix problems like this that iTunes doesn't catch quite easily over the phone.

so then what option did you press 1 2 or 3?

[Jsimon9633]

because if i choose option 2 they tell me they are closed to talk to anyone? :/

[MBHockey]

It's option 3 - checking the status of your iPhone activation...

[Jsimon9633]

It's option 3 - checking the status of your iPhone activation...

well thats the thing though all I have is the your activation is in process thing

i dont have an "order number"

option 3 asks you for some order number

[wstohner]

crap i put that dash in my number too, but now when i call they hang up on me with a message saying that they are experiencing technical difficulties... no &*#& sherlock.

[wstohner]

well thats the thing though all I have is the your activation is in process thing

i dont have an "order number"

option 3 asks you for some order number

use your activation ID

[Jsimon9633]

use your activation ID

and where the heck do i get that?

I only got one email from freaking itunes thats it :/

[NightStorm]

I put a dash in mine too... I've been on hold with Cingular for over an hour now. :(

[MBHockey]

and where the heck do i get that?

I only got one email from freaking itunes thats it :/

It was in my email from iTunes about porting my number.

[Jsimon9633]

It was in my email from iTunes about porting my number.

ah i guess its not good that I already have ATT service I didnt want to port any number just upgrade

what a mess

[jacinto45]

I just tried calling. I chose option 3, entered by order number, and was told by a recording that my activation had been received and would be processed "shortly."

I was given the option to press 0 to speak to a customer service representative. I did, and was told that they were experiencing technical difficulties and would have to try again later.

Anyone have better luck with this?

[skillz1318]

calling them back to have them remove the dash...

my account number is like 123234123412-00001

i didn't think to remove the dash when registering through itunes....grrrrr

[rcyoung]

Where have all the character based, data entry "old time" programmers gone!

With all the "graphical" interface features used these days, recent programmers seem to have forgotten the basic rules of checking "typed" user input. All else being said, there is no excuse for an application to take an invalid character if it was written and tested to proper specifications.

Software QA messed up on this one.....and it is such a simple check!

[wstohner]

calling them back to have them remove the dash...

my account number is like 123234123412-00001

i didn't think to remove the dash when registering through itunes....grrrrr

that's exactly what my account number looks like "-00001"... on hold now. it sounds like you can get them to activate the phone for you. now the question of the day: be extremely nice or disgruntled? how do i get them to do it over the phone.

[skillz1318]

im not sure...im just gonna ask for them to remove the dash from my verizon account number i guess...and hope that fixes everything

[Beerad]

damn I put the "-00001" in also, calling now

[Beerad]

Anyone one on hold get anyone yet? How long as your wait?

[wstohner]

Anyone one on hold get anyone yet? How long as your wait?

still on hold. about 30 mins right now. no music.

[Jeffrey903]

Should I tell them to include the "-00001" at all? Like should my account number be:

451246421 or 45124642100001

[jacinto45]

How did you guys even get on hold? They're not accepting new calls because of "technical difficulties," the recording says.

[TurboPGT]

damn i did that tooo.......on hold......anyone get this fixed for them?

[Beerad]

still on hold. about 30 mins right now. no music.

Been 20 minutes here, I don't think they really open till 9:00 am your time, but I am going to stay on hold.

[wstohner]

Should I tell them to include the "-00001" at all? Like should my account number be:

451246421 or 45124642100001

not that this means anything, but when i talked to verizon, i asked if i should include the 00001 and the guy said "include it to be safe," which is not really a good answer to a yes or no question...

[sizemoresr]

damn I put the "-00001" in also, calling now

Me too. I finally got through. I wish iTunes would have caught this.

[bieser23]

same exact thing with the dash - so frustrating

[wstohner]

Me too. I finally got through. I wish iTunes would have caught this.

how long were you on hold? did they activate the phone for you while you were on the line?

[Jeffrey903]

I got in after about 8 minutes on hold. She is now pulling up my account info (I'm on hold again, but at least I got a rep)

[Beerad]

I got in after about 8 minutes on hold. She is now pulling up my account info (I'm on hold again, but at least I got a rep)

8 minutes! Come on! 30 minutes here.

Is it after 9:00 am your time?

[TurboPGT]

I got in after about 8 minutes on hold. She is now pulling up my account info (I'm on hold again, but at least I got a rep)

LOL DITTO....are we talking to the same person? I hope this works.

[BwanaZulia]

I just upgraded from my AT&T account so I didn't have to put in a account number.

I am on 11 hours of waiting.

I am not sure that is it.

BZ

[brackle]

I talked to a very nice lady and told her I thought it was because I put the dash in the old account number. She said she couldn't do anything because the activation was on hold and had been sent back to processing. But she "red flagged" it and noted on there that I thought it was the dash. She said they should get back to me. We'll see.

[NightStorm]

They fixed mine and activated it with me over the phone. It took forever (on hold since 7:15 or so until about 9:15), but its working fine now. The lady I talked to seemed much better prepared than the ones last night...

[BwanaZulia]

They fixed mine and activated it with me over the phone. It took forever (on hold since 7:15 or so until about 9:15), but its working fine now. The lady I talked to seemed much better prepared than the ones last night...

What did you do or did THEY do to activate it?

As far as the person I talked to, they couldn't.

BZ

[Rojo]

not that this means anything, but when i talked to verizon, i asked if i should include the 00001 and the guy said "include it to be safe," which is not really a good answer to a yes or no question...

Wait a minute...
People are talking to Verizon during this set-up process?
And things aren't working well?

Hmmm.... :rolleyes:

[PuterSaurus]

I used a dash from my Sprint account also. 13+ hours.

Just called ATT and pushed option 3 and then after a sec it went to their voicemail.

[wstohner]

What did you do or did THEY do to activate it?

As far as the person I talked to, they couldn't.

BZ

perhaps this is only a fix for previous verizon customers. you said before that you were already with at&t, so i'm guessing that you didn't enter an unnecessary dash.

[wstohner]

Wait a minute...
People are talking to Verizon during this set-up process?
And things aren't working well?

Hmmm.... :rolleyes:

I talked to them yesterday to verify both that my account was out of contract and my account number. It's called doing what you can to be prepared.

[TurboPGT]

has anyone tried this number: 1-877-777-4192


On hold......................

[Grimace]

I'm on the phone with AT&T&T&T&T&T right now and we're trying to figure out what the deal is when porting from Verizon.

I was on hold for an hour and then got through.

[Jsimon9633]

the hilarious thing is that there are like 1423232 numbers to call and who knows which is going to lead to anything

[NixHex324]

Anyone keep getting hung up on? After about ten minutes on hold I got two rings and then they hung up on me. This has happened about three times now.

In the mean time I have the most highly pollished phone on the planet.

[hamedatl]

I got hungup on by AT&T after being on hold for 30 minutes. I'm calling Apple now. This is gay.

[Grimace]

Turns out that it isn't a problem with the dash or the last few 0001 digits.

The guy told me that he just needed verification of a few other things. Although, I gave him no new info that wasn't input in iTunes.

His recommendation: CALL! (just keep calling until you get on hold, then wait it out...he activated me instantly)

[BwanaZulia]

Turns out that it isn't a problem with the dash or the last few 0001 digits.

The guy told me that he just needed verification of a few other things. Although, I gave him no new info that wasn't input in iTunes.

His recommendation: CALL! (just keep calling until you get on hold, then wait it out...he activated me instantly)

What did he actually DO to activate you?

Maybe something we could tell the reps?

BZ

[lilvenom]

What did he actually DO to activate you?

Maybe something we could tell the reps?

BZ

yeah my rep's telling me i just have to wait grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Beerad]

Holy ****! After 93 minutes it went to voicemail!

[NixHex324]

Just looking for some reassurance guys. I've been on hold for 30 minutes but there's no music or anything. Apparently I'm still connected but you'd never know it. Hows everyone else holding up?

[Jsimon9633]

Just looking for some reassurance guys. I've been on hold for 30 minutes but there's no music or anything. Apparently I'm still connected but you'd never know it. Hows everyone else holding up?

what number are you guys holding on?

you guys had some kind of activation id or web order numbeR?

ive been on hold for 45min with constant att bs

[wstohner]

just got off the phone with them. talked to them for over an hour. she updated my account, took out the dash, "activated" my account, et cetera. she said now i just have to wait for the email. she said it could be here in an hour or two, with my number ported. who knows. this is bs. i dont think they even really understand what the iphone is. she asked me to look at my sim card for the different numbers... i just tapped in the "i" and read her that information. then she said she was going to call me, and couldn't figure out why the call didn't go through, mind you the phone is still on the "Activate iphone" screen. talk about poor training.

[kevinwiz]

Just looking for some reassurance guys. I've been on hold for 30 minutes but there's no music or anything. Apparently I'm still connected but you'd never know it. Hows everyone else holding up?

just hang up. this will soon follow with a quick succession of loud beeps

[TurboPGT]

Guys I've finally gotten through to the port request dept...now on hold again.

Have they really activated the phone while you guys were talking to them?????

[Beerad]

My second time calling, 877-800-3701 I got a rep. She was very friendly, sounded a little stressed like they are getting alot of calls.

She said my phone is now all activated, I hooked up the phone and iTunes is down. I still need to get my second phone hooked up too.

[MBHockey]

Guys I've finally gotten through to the port request dept...now on hold again.

Have they really activated the phone while you guys were talking to them?????

Yes, she did it while i was on the phone with her. It popped up on the screen and said iPhone Activated and then it basically unlocked (i had to unplug and replug the iphone in when she said it was done)

[SteveM8]

14 hours after activating MY Iphone (coming from Verizon) it still is not activated. The 2nd phone (my wifes) was activated at 3am.

They turned off my old Verizon acct and my new Iphone is not working. I AM MAD.

My wife's phone, which I did 2nd, is working and it also was a verizon transfer.
Another kicker. They created TWO family plan accts, each with one of the Iphones on it., WHen I call AT&T they claim both phones are activated, but I never got my email for my phone and when I hook it up to Itunes it says more time is needed. 14 hours so far. What a JOKE.

I am now without any phone and anyone who calls me gets a disconnected notice.

[mrtune]

For those porting numbers, let me share my story. I'm on verizon and I put my full account, with the dash and everything into itunes when I signed up.

I activated my phone last night and it went through in 20 minutes. I then received an email that the porting is in progress and i'll get another email when it's done. At this point I could make calls and use other features on the phone.

12 hours later it (the email)never came and I still couldn't receive calls, so I called att. Once I got ahold of someone in the porting department he told me that normally att sets numbers to port 3 hours after activation. When their computers start the switch, it's instant. It gives people time to check and delete things like voicemail and whatnot.

In my case it was set at 24 hours! He apologized and manually changed it so it would port while I was on the phone with him. After it went through, I got a text message right away telling me I can now receive calls and he called my from another line to confirm my phone is working.

Calling them and spending 20 minutes on the phone saved my another 12 hour wait!

Hope this helps some of the other with problems porting numbers.

[orderedlist]

Did anyone who got their phone activated by someone over the phone receive THE EMAIL? If so, did you get it before you called?

[/dev/toaster]

Oh how interesting. I am on hold with the AT&T port department, going to suggest this when they return.

[/dev/toaster]

There goes that idea ... they said my port requires someone to do it manually because they hit a problem. What the problem is, they don't know ... needless to say, they said that I need to wait at least 24 hours. Grrrrr

[runplaysleeprun]

i got through after about 10 minutes of waiting, and a flustered sounding "April" is going though, saying that previous people botched it up a bit, and I'm missing loads of info. shes now looking for a supervisor. i hope this clears this up. Of note, I had an old account with AT@T before they became cingular (like, 6 years old) and they needed to move it over their new system. i'll update with how this goes.

Edit: She came back with the same spiel, it can take up to 24hrs blah blah...
pity, she sounded cute.

[Outsiderdude26]

I just got off the phone with at&t. The customer service guy told me that every went well. They are just waiting for the number to be released. The problem is not them but the company one was with before.

In my case Verizon is being a i little bitch and won't "released" my number until 3:15 am, on Sunday.

So, at&t good. Verizon bad.

if you can stop people from leaving, you better botch their porting number service.