Apple iPhone Preparation and Testing

[severe]

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.

That is a ridiculous statement. There are many reasons that one may have a poor credit rating. And an individual could be in the process of rebuilding their credit while having a six figure income.

I, for one, had a less than desirable lifestyle but turned things around and repaired the damage. Consequently, I was making good money long before I was able to complete those repairs.

So..um... don't bet on it.

 

[severe]

Sooo.. I'm going to fill out all the paperwork, give them $150 for deposit, and walk out without activation or a plan?

Why not just get the phone ASAP (Friday?) and handle the activation, etc, after the dust settles. You'll just have to use the iPhone w/o the phone functions for a few days.

But yea.. otherwise it would work just like that, "fill out all the paperwork, give them $150 for deposit, and walk out with activation or a plan", as far as I know.

I worked for Cingular about 5 years ago, and that's how we handled it. Same visit and you're out the door with activation. The deposits got as high as $1000. $150 was the lowest available, as far as I remember.

 

[Dwight Schrute]

What he said. Severe, that is...

 

[aricher]

waiting for my ZunePhone

 

[drichx]

Did anyone read this article and catch this in the beginning?

For consumers eager to get their hands on an Apple iPhone, here's the good news: It will be available in all 1,800 AT&T phone stores at 6 p.m. sharp on June 29.

I thought the iPhone will not be available in all AT&T stores, just corporate ones? I am seriously so confused about this whole process and reporters and such getting their facts messed up.

 

[gotohamish]

I worked for Cingular about 5 years ago, and that's how we handled it. Same visit and you're out the door with activation. The deposits got as high as $1000. $150 was the lowest available, as far as I remember.

Forgive my beginner question, but I currently have a company Blackberry and since moving to the U.S. have never gone through the motions of getting my own phone. Can someone please give me a brief, simple outline of what is necessary to get one, and what to expect?

Thanks!

 

[TitoC]

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.



Sooo.. I'm going to fill out all the paperwork, give them $150 for deposit, and walk out without activation or a plan?

Again, if you stopped and actually READ my first original post, you would realize I was stating this JUST for the initial launch, not neccesarilly a permanent thing. This is so people like me wouldn't have to wait in line behind people like you (with bad credit history) and wait an hour or so for EVERY person that has to get activated. That's all.

Yeah, that's right, walk out without an activation plan. that way I don't have to wait in line behind you while you take an additional 45 minutes to get activated.

 

[JPyre]

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.

Umm... I'm 26 and I ruined my credit due to legal battles and irresposibility earlier in life. On paper I only make $35k, but I also made $15k the easy way, off paper, giving me another $1000 a month - this affords me the new Cadillac STS on 20"s, Grey Goose and Pineapple, and the newest electronics out.

My debt to income is screwed as well as my credit, yet I always have $500 cash in my pocket ready to splurge...

 

[gotohamish]

Umm... I'm 26 and I ruined my credit due to legal battles and irresposibility earlier in life. On paper I only make $35k, but I also made $15k the easy way, off paper, giving me another $1000 a month - this affords me the new Cadillac STS on 20"s, Grey Goose and Pineapple, and the newest electronics out.

My debt to income is screwed as well as my credit, yet I always have $500 cash in my pocket ready to splurge...

You sound like a real financial inspiration. Do any IRS read this?

 

[severe]

Umm... I'm 26 and I ruined my credit due to legal battles and irresposibility earlier in life. On paper I only make $35k, but I also made $15k the easy way, off paper, giving me another $1000 a month - this affords me the new Cadillac STS on 20"s, Grey Goose and Pineapple, and the newest electronics out.

My debt to income is screwed as well as my credit, yet I always have $500 cash in my pocket ready to splurge...

Grey Goose and Pineapple!?

So.. you makin' enough for a Louis Vuitton handbag too?

Ha!

Just a cheap shot... no harm meant.

 

[gotohamish]

Grey Goose and Pineapple!?

So.. you makin' enough for a Louis Vuitton handbag too?

Ha!

Just a cheap shot... no harm meant.

So? It'll look good in the Pink Cadillac.

Just kidding too.

 

[TheNumberOneFan]

Limit?

The limit should be one. I swear to god, if I see someone walking out with more than one iPhone in their hands, and it comes to be my turn to get one and they've sold out....

 

[lazyrighteye]

I wonder if the plan rates are going to be outrageous and so they are holding that info until the last possible minute to avoid the bad publicity. Seems like they would announce if it was good news.

It doesn't really matter to me since I'm not getting one, I'm just wondering.

I have wondered and suspected the same.

I hope I'm/we're wrong, as I plan on getting an iPhone in August (VZW contract expires).

 

[lazyrighteye]

Excellent point. I will need to transfer a number and such from T-Mobile, so I'd be happy just getting the phone in hand, then figuring out the contract etc when all the craziness dies down.

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

Thanks

Walk into AT&T and tell them you'd like to port your current T-Mobile number to their service.
Before doing so, make sure you do not accrue any penalties from T-Mobile for "early termination" as those fees can be astronomical - that your contract with T-Mobile has expired.

 

[JPyre]

Again, if you stopped and actually READ my first original post, you would realize I was stating this JUST for the initial launch, not neccesarilly a permanent thing. This is so people like me wouldn't have to wait in line behind people like you (with bad credit history) and wait an hour or so for EVERY person that has to get activated. That's all.

Yeah, that's right, walk out without an activation plan. that way I don't have to wait in line behind you while you take an additional 45 minutes to get activated.

I understand what youre saying now, kinda. I used to be in retail. I HAVE sold a phone at FULL price with a sim card and had the customer walk out. But NOT at the discounted rate. This raises the issue "Is 499 full price or not?" If $499 turns out to subsidized with a 2yr (down from $799) then thats a problem. If $499 turns out to be the one-and-only price(broken, replacement, etc) then I guess you could be right, you might be able to just purchase a sim and the phone and if you have good credit - activate at home, if not go back to the store.....

 

[severe]

Forgive my beginner question, but I currently have a company Blackberry and since moving to the U.S. have never gone through the motions of getting my own phone. Can someone please give me a brief, simple outline of what is necessary to get one, and what to expect?

All you should need is your S.S. number, for the credit check. That's really it. That and some funds for a phone is all that's normally needed, unless you don't mind the carriers free phone option(s).

If you walk in with a your own phone, that's fine too. As long as it's a GSM phone for Cingular, in this case. Your sales person will provide you with a SIM card to install in your phone, and you're golden. You'll be billed a few weeks after the transaction, usually just the monthly plan plus a few sign-up charges.

 

[blueskybyway]

Limit?

The limit should be one. I swear to god, if I see someone walking out with more than one iPhone in their hands, and it comes to be my turn to get one and they've sold out....

I can appreciate your anticipated frustration, but consider this: There will be a fair number of people on family plans that switch from other vendors. This means that a percentage of those people may buy an iPhone for themselves and a spouse, which I plan to do. However, I will do it after the dust settles in a month, so you will not have to worry about me being in front of you.

Also, you may want to factor in the law enforcement contingent (see the USA Today article) that will be present at many of the retail sites before committing to what you are going to do when you see someone walking out with more than one iPhone and they run out when it's your turn.

 

[eddietr]

Limit?

The limit should be one. I swear to god, if I see someone walking out with more than one iPhone in their hands, and it comes to be my turn to get one and they've sold out....

Hey, just in case you see me in the line, the second one is for my wife.

So in case you are behind us, you got two choices:

a.) Let me buy the two phones myself.

b.) Stand behind me, my wife, and our son as we all wait together and you get to listen to him say "is it our turn yet", "how many more minutes", "I have to go the bathroom" 5-6 times a minute for however many hours we all wait.

Your choice.

 

[gotohamish]

All you should need is your S.S. number, for the credit check. That's really it. That and some funds for a phone is all that's normally needed, unless you don't mind the carriers free phone option(s).

If you walk in with a your own phone, that's fine too. As long as it's a GSM phone for Cingular, in this case. Your sales person will provide you with a SIM card to install in your phone, and you're golden. You'll be billed a few weeks after the transaction, usually just the monthly plan plus a few sign-up charges.

Thanks, I figured as much, but some of these conversations above had me a little concerned.

 

[lazyrighteye]

Activation Via iTunes Store

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?

I have been thinking along the same lines: activation via iTunes Store.
It makes a lot of sense.
I see no other way for both AT&T and Apple to sell and activate iPhones than through some web portal - which Apple has some experience with.
This could be neat: seeing your "three" plan options in the iTunes Store, selecting a plan and then checking out. That easy - which would be yet another area where Apple/AT&T can redefine the cell phone experience: the checkout/activation. As many have mentioned, standard cell phone activation takes a solid hour, on a slow day.

The 29th is shaping up to be a doozie - just as Apple marketing has been hoping.

 

[mavrick422]

# of iphones in NYC???

how many iphones do you all think are going to be sent to NYC apple stores? Same amount at both the soho and 5th avenue store? How early do you think we need to get there to insure we get one? thanks, and good luck friday!

 

[SiliconAddict]

Hey does anyone know, just because I'm interested, what does it cost a person to terminate their contract with Crapular. Lets say someone wanted an iPhone and wanted to get it on a different network. Get the iPhone, drop Crapular, and add the phone to another carrier. What kind of penalty do you get for dropping them before the 2 year contract is up?

 

[twoodcc]

looking forward to getting one.....if i can

 

[Aperture]

Hey does anyone know, just because I'm interested, what does it cost a person to terminate their contract with Crapular. Lets say someone wanted an iPhone and wanted to get it on a different network. Get the iPhone, drop Crapular, and add the phone to another carrier. What kind of penalty do you get for dropping them before the 2 year contract is up?

It used to be $150, it could have been bumped to $200.

 

[SheriffParker]

Hey does anyone know, just because I'm interested, what does it cost a person to terminate their contract with Crapular. Lets say someone wanted an iPhone and wanted to get it on a different network. Get the iPhone, drop Crapular, and add the phone to another carrier. What kind of penalty do you get for dropping them before the 2 year contract is up?

T-Mobile is 200... I don't know about "Crapular" but the iPhone shouldn't work on any other network anyway... I'm pretty sure they will be locked.