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Apple iPhone Preparation and Testing

gotohamish said:
Can anybody help me shed light on the process of changing a number from T-Mobile to AT&T?

Thanks
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You wait until your contact ends and converts to month-to-month, switch the number, cancel the tmobile contract the next day.

or...

Get an iPhone, convert your tmobile contract to month-to-month(requires early deactivation fee $175) tell ATT to take your number, tell tmobile the next day goodbye

As long as youre not under contract you can switch a number anytime. You might even be able to do it under contract but i've never heard of it.
 
i don't see an ebay market for these until they're unlocked. even with multiple per person, i'm assuming you'll need multiple lines on your account. they won't let you buy 3 phones if you only have 1 line.

and if all the recent reports are correct, AT&T stores will have 150-300 phones depending on the size of the market. doesn't sound like a shortage to me. at video game console launches most stores have 20 or less (stores like Target get under 10). so 10x the quantity, a high price tag, committed to a long term contract, and no sign of unlocking = no ebay business with iPhones.
 
TitoC said:
I don't know if anyone has brought this up, but it's something I had been thinking about for a couple of days. Since the iPhone will be sold as a "Locked" phone, activation will need to be required at purchase. Or worse, is an iPhone buyer going to have to wait all day in line for an iPhone, then drive over to an AT&T store and wait in another HUGE line to get it activated? This would mean major PR headaches for both companies.

As anyone who has had to go to a cellular store and buy a phone, get a plan and then get the phone activated, this usually turns out to be a 45 minute to an hour ordeal. All the while, people are waiting behind you in frustration. Now, can you imagine this same process when dealing with all the hoopla over the iPhone? Major mess! I don't believe Apple nor AT&T would want this.

So this is the question. How are the Apple stores going to be dealing with this? Obviuosly, the AT&T stores will have no problem with this. Buy the iPhone, then get it activated right there at the store. Because of all the extra man-power and security AT&T is going to have to supply to all of their 1,800 stores, I seriously doubt AT&T is going to be sending ADDITIONAL personel to all of the 180 Apple stores.

Apple and AT&T are telling (via their emails sent out to people opting to get info on the iPhone) that you will need an iTunes account. But if you look at the language, it sounds like they are saying you will need your iTunes name and password at time of "purchase" or at least on "activation" and not just for syncing your contacts, calendars, etc. This is what they said in their email:

"To set up your iPhone, you’ll need an account with Apple’s iTunes Store. If you already have an iTunes account, make sure you know your account name and password. If you don’t have an account, you should set one up now to save time later."

So this is what I predict will happen. I think that activation will actually happen through the iTunes store. I think that a user will end up selecting his or her own data and voice plan via iTunes, just like any othe purchase. You connect your iPhone, it starts up iTunes, the iTunes store comes up and you buy your plan throught it. This way, both the At&T stores as well as all the Apple stores can get people activated. I think this could possibly be part of the unveiled displays that the stores are preparing. You could get it activated there at the store or at a later time. What will probably happen is that you will end up signing a general contract, but the actual selection of plans and so forth will have to be done via iTunes. This way, you could also opt out to do the actual "activation" of the phone until you get home and get a chance to read all the fine print before any purchase.

Any thoughts?
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How will that work for people like me? I can't purchase an AT&T phone online or over the phone, I am required to goto a store and physically give them $150 for a deposit. I don't think any cellular company can do it(for those without good enough credit), this idea would severely limit the number of people able to purchase the phone.
 
io_burn said:
I think it's a safe bet that no one with terrible enough credit to require a deposit for cellular service has the $500+ to purchase an iPhone.
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That is as far from correct as possible. You have no idea the strict criteria they demand on your credit to sell you a 2 year contract. You also, apparently, have no idea how easy it is to screw that up and impossible to repair quickly. It can take years from one mistake.
 
JPyre said:
As long as youre not under contract you can switch a number anytime. You might even be able to do it under contract but i've never heard of it.
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We've ported numbers that were under contract to other providers (where I work) with no problems. No need to switch to a month-to-month first.
 
I'm sure there are going to be a ton of them here in Bloomington.. HAH.. J/k

As long as there is a Demo somewhere close I'll be happy...
 
Anyone think we'll be able to get upgrade credit's on the iPhone? I'm up for my 2 year phone upgrade... Hope it can be applied to iphone.:eek:
 
I really have a hard time believing that Apple would allow AT&T to charge high rates for the data plan, as Apple needs to sell as many as these things as possible. Nearly all of us will be in line on the 29th, but for the rest of the world it's still a phone, albeit a very amazing phone. I have heard things about it from my dad, which often remarks that "technology is the devil," when his computer crashes. I think people can swallow the $500-600 if the contract price is low enough, but on that note, they really need to release the plan info.
 
cjewby said:
I'm sure there are going to be a ton of them here in Bloomington.. HAH.. J/k

As long as there is a Demo somewhere close I'll be happy...
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yeah, I'm worried about a shortage here in South Bend as well. :(
 
I'm sure activation will be painless. When I bought my Qwest cell phone I ordered it over the internet from Qwest. When it arrived I simply called Qwest and it was already activated.

The iTunes part is probably used for payment information and syncing.
 
cjewby said:
Anyone think we'll be able to get upgrade credit's on the iPhone? I'm up for my 2 year phone upgrade... Hope it can be applied to iphone.:eek:
Click to expand...

I am wondering the same thing. I'm beyond my 2-year contract with AT&T Wireless/Cingular/the new at&t. From what I have seen looking into "upgrading" to other phones, there is no incentive for existing customers VS just being a new customer. Same price for phone and 2 year contract required. Am I wrong about this? Anyway, it would be great to rewarded for my years as a customer...yeah right.
 
Online Purchase?

I will be far away from a an Apple or AT&T store on June 29. I am hoping that I will have little problems purchasing the iphone on Apple's webiste. Anyone else plan on NOT braving the long lines and will be purchasing online? I wonder what the avaibility will be like or if it will be backordered at 6:02 pm.
 
iPhone in the wild...

Heres a pic of Apple "secretly testing iPhones — in bars, subway stops, office buildings, rural areas and elsewhere"...
 

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JPyre said:
How will that work for people like me? I can't purchase an AT&T phone online or over the phone, I am required to goto a store and physically give them $150 for a deposit. I don't think any cellular company can do it(for those without good enough credit), this idea would severely limit the number of people able to purchase the phone.
Click to expand...

But what I am suggesting is not the credit-check part, but the actual activation of the phone. I believe that when you are at the store, a general contract and credit-check can be performed, but the actual ativation itself and data/voice plan purchase can be handled via iTunes.

I can't purchase an AT&T phone online or over the phone . .
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Ahh, yes you can. I guess you haven't heard yet that the iPhone will ALSO be available on the online Apple store.

. . .this idea would severely limit the number of people able to purchase the phone.
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Actually, I think it will be just the opposite. Buy the phone online, then purchase your plan online. Many cellular companies are already offering a variety of services online. You can change certain apsects of your plan, pay your bill, add services, etc. All online. Why not get it activated online?

All I was suggesting in my original post was that I believe iTunes will be more than just a "syncing" apsect of the phone. I believe it will also be an area where you can activate your phone, add services, alter certain aspects of your plan, pay your bill, check how many hours you have used up, etc. All without having to go to a web browser (as many providers are already doing) just your iTunes account. You wouldn't have to go to a web browser, log in, type in your password, etc. Just dock it in iTunes and all your plans, info, hours used, etc. will all be there.
 
I just came back from my Apple Store in Alpharetta, GA. I was told that they still have no plan information but you do not have to purchase the plan at the time you purchase the phone. You can do that on-line. So buy the phone, and if the plan doesn't suit you, sell the unused phone to someone who wasn't able to get one.

I think that without the calling plan you have a very expensive 8gb ipod.
 
I hope so...

I was just at the AT&T store near me and I started talking to the rep...
asked why the iphone poster wasnt up... "We haven't put it up yet"
asked about activation(because I have to have a deposit)... "We don't know"
asked how many will you get... "Probably 40-50"
asked are you shure? "No, but they expect to sell 1 million by the end of the year, and there aren't that many stores"
I said I hope you're right.
I mentioned that there were only like 10 PS3s and XBOXs on release day
and I also asked how many of other phones do they keep in stock - no real response.
She said "It's coming out at 6PM on the 29th"
I said I'll be here the day before then
She said "That's desperate"
:rolleyes:
 
JPyre said:
You wait until your contact ends and converts to month-to-month, switch the number, cancel the tmobile contract the next day.

or...

Get an iPhone, convert your tmobile contract to month-to-month(requires early deactivation fee $175) tell ATT to take your number, tell tmobile the next day goodbye

As long as youre not under contract you can switch a number anytime. You might even be able to do it under contract but i've never heard of it.
Click to expand...

Actually when taking a line to a new carrier your old contract is automatically canceled. At least that's what I was always told when you make the switch. This is obviously important if you are not month to month, but it probably wouldn't hurt to call the next day and make sure everything is done and finished. You can cancel while in contract but are required to pay an Early Termination Fee which varies from $175 - 200 depending on carrier.
 
TitoC said:
Ahh, yes you can. I guess you haven't heard yet that the iPhone will ALSO be available on the online Apple store.
Click to expand...

Ummmm... no I can't, my credit is not good enough to purchase a phone from AT&T with a 2yr plan without a deposit. AT&Ts website and AT&Ts tech support both refuse and refer me to a physical AT&T store because "online/over the phone" stores CAN NOT accept a cash deposit. Other people with good credit? No problem.

I believe that when you are at the store, a general contract and credit-check can be performed, but the actual ativation itself and data/voice plan purchase can be handled via iTunes.
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Sooo.. I'm going to fill out all the paperwork, give them $150 for deposit, and walk out without activation or a plan?
 
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