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Apple blocks activating 4s on carrier employee phone lines
- Thread starter mmmtastybusch
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Exactly what I was saying. Apple controls MUCH more over these phones than a lot of you realize. This is why Verizon wouldn't sell iPhones at first, they tend to have the same mentality, so a headbutt was imminent IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if this was BOTH companies. The reason I think it's Apple right now is because I know it's the exact same way with Sprint. I agree with the poster above, I already have the phone so why does it matter? Let me activate the thing and advertise it to customers!
As for the person who works at best buy: most Best Buy, HH Gregg, and other retailer employees don't get an actual employee line, just a discount. They're doing this with actual employee lines, corporate and indirect from what I gather.
I will tell you this: I've worked for Verizon for two years, and the only time I've ever seen this done is when the iPhone 4 was released in May, and again right now with the 4s. Never with any android phones. So that tells you something...
from an apple store
This is correct. It's also standard policy, not just on iPhones, but any high profile phone where high demand is anticipated. This policy was in effect at Verizon for the Blackberry Storm when people expected it to be an "iPhone killer." Same for when the iPhone 4 made it to Verizon in early 2011. It also goes as far back as the Motorola RAZR (the original one), though I believe you'll also have a hard time activating a Droid RAZR currently, at least until the holidays are over.
You must be new to Verizon, because this is a long-standing policy. In exchange for a deeply-discounted line as an employee, you don't get the benefit of getting the flagship shinyPhone the moment it comes out. That's the price you pay.
Not true. AT&T also has tight control over their employee-discount lines. Even if you just "slap a SIM in it and go," their network is well aware of what phone that SIM is in. That's how it's hard to get away with not having a data plan on an account when your SIM is in a smartphone.
Not to mention that when AT&T did strictly enforce delayed purchased of iPhones for their employees, they had a very straightforward enforcement policy: if your manager saw you with an iPhone before they were allowed on employee accounts, you had a loooooot of 'splainin' to do, to avoid getting fired on the spot.
You didn't look hard enough:
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Verizon-asks-employees-to-hold-off-on-iPhone-purchases_id16403
Do you like, get decent commissions? Because you sure don't put much effort into gathering information. A skill you'd definitely need to make sales.
Considering that Apple employees were allowed to get iPhones when they came out, and in fact were given free first-gen iPhones when it launched, no, this is not characteristic of Apple.
On the contrary: it makes perfect sense. They don't want employees hogging up the inventory. Or worse, being unscrupulous about it, hogging up the inventory and then immediately selling the iPhones they bought on eBay for a hugely inflated price, then either pocket the cash or sit on it to buy another iPhone full-price and still make a profit.
You feel that way because it doesn't benefit you. In reality though, they'd much rather see the public being able to buy those phones, and not blogging about how employees get first pick while everyone else has to wait a couple weeks at best to get theirs.
But if you feel that Verizon treats you that badly, well, maybe it's time to find another line of work!
Umm, ever heard of the Nexus 1?
Or any other number of phones that can be purchased unlocked online?
I've worked here for two years and this is the first I've heard of it other than the iPhone 4 in May. Although I just called and talked to concession accounts and a rep said they did it with the droid razr for a couple days, nowhere near the month and a half and counting for the iPhone.
Is there any reason you're being so hostile towards me? I'm sorry if I did something to offend you...
regardless if this particular situation doesn't turn out to be apple, you've got to be kidding if you don't think this is something they would do. They are well known for their totalitarian control over everything they produce. Just look at when they bricked jailbroken iPhones a couple years ago. Or how they refuse to offer iPhones to a carrier that wants any bloatware on it. Or how they sue companies producing android phones for patent infringements and then blatantly copy the notficiation system. I love apple products, but their business tactics are less than great.
this doesn't even make sense. They aren't able to block me from buying and selling the phone, how do you think I am holding a 4s right now? I could still easily go buy a 4s on ebay and sell it to a customer. Not sure what you were getting at there.
I'd feel this way regardless. Sorry, but you don't know me and you don't know how I'd feel.
I'm also dealing with this right now and it's definitely very annoying. I'm not an employee, but I'm on an employee account.
When I found out I couldn't get it right away, I wasn't too upset. It was about a month wait with the iPhone 4 on Verizon, so I figured I could live with that if it were the case here. Now it's almost three months after launch and they're still backordered. I go to vzw.com and check the wait times multiple times a day. My heart sinks every time I see the shipping dates pushed back
I'm starting to get really annoyed with Apple, though. They're launching the 4S in 22 more countries including China on the 13th of this month. They can't even keep up with demand here in the States. At this rate I feel like I'll never get one.
I mean, I understand not wanting employees to make the backorder worse, but when we're talking three months later, I don't think it's too much to ask. I just want to get in line with everybody else. But if Apple keeps launching them in other countries when they can't even meet demand at home, I probably won't be able to get one until March or April. Meanwhile, my Droid Incredible is losing resale value every day
When I found out I couldn't get it right away, I wasn't too upset. It was about a month wait with the iPhone 4 on Verizon, so I figured I could live with that if it were the case here. Now it's almost three months after launch and they're still backordered. I go to vzw.com and check the wait times multiple times a day. My heart sinks every time I see the shipping dates pushed back
I'm starting to get really annoyed with Apple, though. They're launching the 4S in 22 more countries including China on the 13th of this month. They can't even keep up with demand here in the States. At this rate I feel like I'll never get one.
I mean, I understand not wanting employees to make the backorder worse, but when we're talking three months later, I don't think it's too much to ask. I just want to get in line with everybody else. But if Apple keeps launching them in other countries when they can't even meet demand at home, I probably won't be able to get one until March or April. Meanwhile, my Droid Incredible is losing resale value every day
I agree.
Its Verizon or Sprint that wont activate them for you and add their ESN to your account.
AT&T employees have no problem. Offcourse they will blame someone else but if you bought it full price from Apple I dont see the reason they're stopping you from using it. Unless you got it for a discount from your work?
I can't speak in regards to Verizon, but Sprint did something similar. It's common practice with Sprint Employees that high profile launch phones are delayed from employee availability. The EVO actually had a longer wait than the iPhone. The difference with the iPhone is Sprint specifically told it's employees that they are not allowed to activate iPhones on their employee or friends/family account (Advantage Club) even if they obtain the device another way (i.e. via Apple unlocked, gift, prize, etc.).
This is done to make sure devices are available to actual customers, and most employees understand and accept this. It's a small price to pay for $0 unlimited everything.
Sprint employee have since been notified that Employee and Friends/Family iPhone upgrades (New Friends/Family account got access last month) are available Monday the 9th.
This is done to make sure devices are available to actual customers, and most employees understand and accept this. It's a small price to pay for $0 unlimited everything.
Sprint employee have since been notified that Employee and Friends/Family iPhone upgrades (New Friends/Family account got access last month) are available Monday the 9th.
I have an employee line for sprint and have the iPhone 4S. The guy at the Sprint store got mad when I asked him about it and said good luck and here I am with it, glad I laughed in his face.
There are different Employee accounts for Sprint. The referral plans (ie. EDRP, AKA SERO) were not affected by this restriction. The ones I am referring to are the EWD (Employee Wireless Discount) and SWAC (Sprint Wireless Advantage Club, AKA Friends/Family). EWD is the $0 Employee specific account and SWAC are accounts you can give to friends and family, that are non-contact, but the employee is responsible for them.
If you have an existing SWAC account and were able to activate an iPhone as an upgrade before 1/9, the employee responsible for that account could get in trouble...
This is interesting. I bought a 4S from a girl off Craigslist last weekend. She told me that she had bought the phone from someone else. I asked her who. She said a Verizon employee. I'll bet this is why the Verizon employee sold the phone to her on Craigslist. They couldn't activate it.
^^ probably so. I've thought about it myself. Every morning when I get to work I call in and ask. And every time I ask the rep to please talk to their supervisor and explain that if a customer wants an iPhone 4s, they can order one. At this point it's their own fault if they don't have one, they'd have no right to be mad at me for having one. At this point it's not even about the customer anymore, all they're doing is pissing off employees. They're saying it might not be until March now! Unbelievable!
Not to mention my current phone (Droid Pro) has a completely cracked screen. At least once a day a customer asks me about it. "How do you work at Verizon and have a broken screen?!" And I have to explain the whole situation to them. Then they look at me and 9 times out of 10 say something along the lines of "wow, thats ******** up... makes sense at first, but didn't those come out in like October???" lol It's ironically making them look like *******s to our customers at this point when their original intent (or so they say) was to display the opposite
Not to mention my current phone (Droid Pro) has a completely cracked screen. At least once a day a customer asks me about it. "How do you work at Verizon and have a broken screen?!" And I have to explain the whole situation to them. Then they look at me and 9 times out of 10 say something along the lines of "wow, thats ******** up... makes sense at first, but didn't those come out in like October???" lol It's ironically making them look like *******s to our customers at this point when their original intent (or so they say) was to display the opposite
doesn't verizon have them in-store at this point? a coworker is going to get one on friday. I will ask if he had to order it or if they had it in store.
That's not the point. Verizon won't let employees activate the iPhone 4S on their employee plan.
This is true, it also applies to new iMac's Pro's MBA's etc. They might have told the OP that this was the case prior to purchase though.
What on earth makes you think apple has anything to do with this OP? Apple sells an iPhone for a profit and doesn't give a damn (within reason) what happens to it after it is purchased.
Your employer has this restriction because they want to prioritize their customers over their employees. And you are calling them every day to try to harass them into allowing you to activate it? You must not like your job much.
Check with your HR or employee accounts department, get a date and accept the fact that what they say goes regardless of how unreasonable you think it is.
Your employer has this restriction because they want to prioritize their customers over their employees. And you are calling them every day to try to harass them into allowing you to activate it? You must not like your job much.
Check with your HR or employee accounts department, get a date and accept the fact that what they say goes regardless of how unreasonable you think it is.
I love how you decided to skip reading the entire thread before you threw in your redundant two cents.
1.) They don't know who I am when I call in, I don't call from my phone. And I'm completely friendly with them. I talk to them and kindly ask that they explain to their supervisor that at this point it's not helping customers, etc.
2.) If you would actually read the thread you would know they WON'T GIVE ME A DATE and that I already have talked to my corporate rep.
No I will not accept it. Maybe if they would give me a date I would accept it. Or if I would have been told before I actually bought the device. No, I think I'm being pretty reasonable.
because apple never say they will ever be open source! So you like having crap software from verizon on your iphone like on how a windows pc from dell or hp do? I like to have my iphone and mac without those 3p days trial crap ****. That's why apple is so great about it. They do it their way!
What an entitled brat you sound like. Verizon can set their policy to whatever they want. Don't like it? Quit.
Sprint employees are able to activate iPhones as of the 9th, maybe time for a change?
Perhaps you should tell them the truth: you didn't take good enough care of your phone. I've never heard of the Droid Pro having a defect where cracks just spontaneously show up on the screen over time.
The takeaway I would get from your "explanation" of the situation is not that Verizon treats its employees badly, but rather it employees immature, self-entitled people who expect to have expensive smartphones handed to them like candy, when I as a customer am stuck paying full price if I bust mine up and its not yet 2 years. Would I want to give you a commission? Probably not.
It's not Verizon's fault that your screen cracked. It's yours. And phones cost money, even fi you work for them. it's not their obligation to replace a phone you broke all because you treat them like disposable items.
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Where are you getting, out of all of this, that I'm expecting Verizon to replace a phone for me? I paid full price for it two months ago. When a customer asks me I tell them I dropped it. It's my fault. And then they ask me why I don't just buy a new one. So I tell them the truth. I already have, but Verizon won't allow me to activate it, because they want to make sure there's enough for customers. Then they usually say something along the lines of "Didn't that phone come out in October?"
I'm not acting unreasonable. I'm not being a "brat". In case you don't know, employees don't get upgrades. I paid over 800 dollars for my iPhone. I'm not calling in acting like a fool, I call in and ask if they have a date yet, and kindly ask them to tell their supervisor the situation. I've talked to my corporate rep about it. I've talked to my manager. I'm not acting "entitled" to a new phone. I already paid for it. Funny thing is, 90% of the reps I talk to as well as my manager and corporate rep agree with me. And I never said Verizon treats its employee badly, they treat me very well with the exception of this one particular situation. I love my job. But everyone makes mistakes, and I feel like that's what they've done with this whole fiasco. Made sense at the beginning, but not three months later.
It's easy for you to act like you would be fine with it when you're not in the situation yourself.
If you wont accept it then get a regural non-discount line or switch carrier.
Driving them crazy with constant calls every day wont make a difference besides wasting you time and getting you upset.
They dont usually give out exact dates.
I dont think you're beeing reasonable.
So they never had concern for people jailbreaking iPhones? Seems like time and time again apple cares very much what is going on with the devices they no longer own.
The phone isn't replacing itself. On the other hand, you've chosen to display your broken phone AND tell potential Verizon customers how horrible, utterly horrible the way they treat you with their iPhone activation policies. I guess Verizon finds it okay for their employees to represent them this badly?
You're right, I'm not in that situation, because I choose not to be. I don't work for Verizon, don't want to. If I did, I'd have to a accept that they have certain policies as a condition of my employment with them. Like it or not, waiting to get an iPhone on a designated employee account is one of them.
I have conditions to my employment with my employer, too. Do I whine about the policies I disagree with in forums or to every customer who inadvertently gives me the opportunity to make a stink over it? No. It's none of their business. I either suck it up, or dust off my resume and start looking for work elsewhere.
They aren't going to support your device if you jailbreak it, that's all. They won't fix it, they won't make extra efforts to ensure new OS updates play nice with redsn0w, and they won't troubleshoot Cydia for you. If they did, then they would have to care very much about jail breaking.
In any case, this is a straw man argument. Carriers aren't' jailbreaking phones. Whether they sell to their employees or not isn't Apple's concern; Apple still get the money from those sales one way or another. If anything, Apple would probably be happy to see the added demand.
On the other hand, the carriers have to pay back subsidies to Apple, and they'd probably rather see those iPhones on the lines of customers paying full retail price for their monthly plans, over employees getting discounts on their wireless service. So the incentive to delay employees activating iPhones on their lines rests squarely with the carriers.
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