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AT&T Activations Servers Overloaded with iPhone 4S Launch

I got my phone in my hands at around 9:30 am PDT, it's 2:50pm. I tried via wifi/phone first, then after a couple of attempts tried the itunes thing. I stopped briefly at 10:30, then again at noon. Spoke to an AT&T rep who saw no issues with my account and merely attributed the delay to the crush of people. I usually did get the "activation is till pending" and "email" message but I did get one message on phone that didn't say that (no sim message either, i'm migrating from a 3gs not a 4). My latest attempts are resulting in messages that say turn the phone off/on to retry or disconnect/reconnect through itunes.... no email message.

(edit) FINALLY! Now to restore from itunes and make sure old phone is backed up
 
Holy Cr@p!

After getting the message about turning off your phone / disconnecting from iTunes I try activated via wifi and it worked. Restoring from backup of my iP4 right now. Finally..... About 5 hours worth of trying.... Good luck to everyone else.
 
^ Just got done activating my iPhone 4S. Got the same message and not long after was able to do so. I'd advice people to just be patient... there is no way around it, as far as I can tell anyways. It does seem to take on average 4-5 hours to activate after the initial try. Hopefully you all get it running soon.
 
ne0trace said:
Now I'm getting:

We’re sorry. There was a problem completing your activation.

You can restart the activation process by turning your iPhone off and on. If activating via iTunes, please disconnect and reconnect your iPhone.

Anyone else?
Click to expand...
Yay! It just went through. Effin-A. Restoring now....
Maybe this new message means we're all queued up at the top.
 
Tried OTA and through iTunes from 10:30am PST until finally getting through at 3pm PST. I never received an e-mail and I tried most of the "tricks" other people said worked for them.

Just keep trying periodically. I got through OTA on AT&T.
 
ThomasJL said:
To the people complaining, I have a statement and a question for you:

• I fully agree with your complaints and criticisms of AT&T.
• Why did you choose AT&T, especially since the 4S is available on two different carriers with much better reputations for reliability?
Click to expand...

1) I stuck with AT&T for one I've been a customer since 1994 and feel after all these years they have to eventually get better. :D:D:D Yes, I'm a fool.

2) I'm on a pretty cool enterprise discount that I'd no longer be eligible so my plan is much cheaper.

3) AT&T is theoretically much faster than Verizon and Sprint here tends to suck more than AT&T. I'm crossing my fingers that real world performance is in fact better with the new antenna design.

4) I typically use my phone hands free and I'm one of those mythical few that is annoyed by the thought of not being able to talk on the phone and do other "stuff" at the same time.

Most of these are excuses. I should have went with Verizon... but whatever helps me sleep at night. ;)

Mike
 
been trying since 9am pacific it, is now 3:14pm, so for over 6 hours, spoke to att 3 times, last time att told me that the apple server is the hold up and should call apple, all is setup correctly with them, anybody have a number for apple?
 
Just Worked

After trying all day I figured I would stop obsessing. I just walked away. I noticed I had no signal on my iPhone4 and bam! I'm in! I guess there is just a backlog.
keep the faith.
 
Finally worked!!!

Finally got it activated after 20 or so attempts over past 6 hours. Did it through iTunes. I know what I'm doing tonight!:D
 
CALL ATT, its a simcard issue

I called ATT and he reloaded sim card number and reset it, i waited 15 minutes and it activated...... CALL ATT....
 
After the new error message saying to try again started coming up, I tried once again on itunes, didn't work. Turned the phone OFF and on, tried via Wi-fi and bam, it worked.

I think at this point its about getting lucky. The idea of this queue might be valid but I don't think their setup is simply batch jobs where you have to wait your turn. I think theres probably a queue where you can wait hours and hours and you can also try forcing yourself in.

And with that, may the force be with you.

64GB White 4S
 
I tried multiple attempts through iTunes and my wifi at my house using only the iPhone. What worked for me was when I left and tried to activate over 3G using the iPhone only (obviously). Took about 5 attempts.

Maybe less people are using the 3G way to activate.
 
The SIM card in your iPhone does not match the SIM card associated with your account.
To activate your iPhone with this account, please use the SIM card associated with your account. Please insert the SIM card provided with your iPhone, and try again.
Click to expand...

WTF

I getting ready to give up
 
Arizona. 5 hours since first try.

Pre-ordered thru Apple. Got phone at 10am.
Tried activating thru phone via wifi. No luck.
Connected thru iTunes. No.
Repeated several times per hour. No.
Restarted phone. No.
Did nothing for 2 hours.
Just worked at 3:22 thru iTunes. Didn't do anything different, it just worked this time.
It said activation successful and to disconnect and reconnect to continue setup.
Now doing restore.

You're probably next!
 
I feel had. I was one of the "idiots" that was online for the midnight pre-order (which ended up starting 40 or so mins late). After about 2 hours I was able to order. I felt very good about the whole deal, elitist even knowing this is the first time I joined the chaos and was one of the "first ones".

I now have THREE friends that walked into an AT&T store this morning in the Phoenix area. One waited out front about an hour, the other 2 went to the same store and only waited 20 mins. All 3 walked out and there phones were activated by the time they got to the car. Me? The first adopter, like many of you.... still sitting here HOURS later trying to activate this damn thing. So much for being among the first. :rolleyes:
 
Started around 3pm EST. Just got through via the iPhone. Then restored through iTunes.
 
ATT called me, to see if it has activate?

they said keep trying they will call back tomorrow.

I was shocked they called me.
 
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