Just for clarification, this is how it looks like AT&T handles it's iPhone orders. They order a number of phones from Apple. Not your phone, a number of phones at a certain configuration. They arrive at their processing center in Kentucky. The box is opened and eventually matched to a piece of paper with your information on it. That's when it becomes your order and phone and not before. A shipping label is generated and then you get that glorious email or status change that I pray for every night while burning incense at my Steve Jobs shrine.