AT&T Post Paid iPad WiFi+LTE Activation Issues

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I pre-ordered two new iPad 64GB WiFi + LTE (AT&T) from the Apple online store and have been trying since I received them on March 16, 2012 to activate them on an AT&T Post Paid account by adding them to my existing AT&T wireless number. I received an order number (after giving my SSN and passing a credit check) and two new data phone numbers from AT&T by calling the number listed on their website under the support topic: "How to get postpaid data service for an iPad."

As of March 20, 2012, I have tried to complete the AT&T activation dozens of times, resulting in an error and being transferred to customer service. I've spent countless hours in telephone trees as well passed from department to department

Finally today, a floor supervisor in the postpaid department said unfortunately the iPad could not be activated and its Apples fault because they do not provide the data to AT&T. I asked what additional information do they need beyond the IMEI and ICCID numbers which were taken with the original order. He said it just needs to be completed in an AT&T corporate store. An authorized reseller would not qualify.

Is AT&T really this bad? I'm seriously considering switching all my AT&T accounts to Verizon after this experience. Physically visiting a corporate store is so stone age. Worse, it took AT&T 4 days to tell me

 

[RetiredInFl]

I pre-ordered two new iPad 64GB WiFi + LTE (AT&T) from the Apple online store and have been trying since I received them on March 16, 2012 to activate them on an AT&T Post Paid account by adding them to my existing AT&T wireless number. I received an order number (after giving my SSN and passing a credit check) and two new data phone numbers from AT&T by calling the number listed on their website under the support topic: "How to get postpaid data service for an iPad."

As of March 20, 2012, I have tried to complete the AT&T activation dozens of times, resulting in an error and being transferred to customer service. I've spent countless hours in telephone trees as well passed from department to department

Finally today, a floor supervisor in the postpaid department said unfortunately the iPad could not be activated and its Apples fault because they do not provide the data to AT&T. I asked what additional information do they need beyond the IMEI and ICCID numbers which were taken with the original order. He said it just needs to be completed in an AT&T corporate store. An authorized reseller would not qualify.

Is AT&T really this bad? I'm seriously considering switching all my AT&T accounts to Verizon after this experience. Physically visiting a corporate store is so stone age. Worse, it took AT&T 4 days to tell me

Return them and rebuy at Best Buy. There they "sneak" you into a postpaid plan without even telling you. Actually if you took them there they'd probably happily sign you up.

 

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Unbelievable, I've been on hold for 29 minutes and 34 seconds with AT&T. However, this CSR believes she knows the problem. The original order was placed for iPad 2 WiFi + 3G post paid data plan. Apparently, the new iPads need an LTE data plan.

Maybe the floor supervisor told me a blatant lie because he did not want to spend the time to cancel the order and go through the process of adding each new iPad back into the system

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UPDATE

The issue was indeed the 3G vs LTE data plan. The two new iPad 64GB WiFi + 4G LTE (AT&T) have been successfully activated on a postpaid plan with the iPhone 4S 64GB (AT&T).

Don't let AT&T feed you the BS that it takes 8 hours to for the activation.

Don't let AT&T tell you the 3G data plan and LTE data plans are the same for postpaid.

Don't let AT&T tell you the new iPad had to be purchased from them for postpaid OR activated in a corporate store.

Don't let AT&T tell you orders in their system are automatically cancelled after X days.

There are no termination fees or activation fees for postpaid accounts. It works the same as pre-paid, except its billed on your cellular account.