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AT&T are incredibly incompetent. I hate them. A lot. Here's my story...

W

WilliamG

macrumors G4
Original poster
Mar 29, 2008
10,056
3,978
Seattle
My story begins when FedEx pulled up outside my door this overcast morning in Seattle, rang the doorbell once, didn't bother waiting and started to leave.

I saw them do this from my window, and scrambled down the stairs in my underwear to prevent my iPhone 4 from another van journey.

After giving the FedEx guy a bit of a yelling at, I unpacked my iPhone 4 and began the journey into hell.

Journey into Hell:

I have two iPhone 3GSs, currently, on my family plan. My wife (the main line) was due a penalty-free upgrade to the iPhone 4, so I used her number to get me one. I realized that when it arrived I'd have to call AT&T before activation to enable the iPhone 4 on MY line.

So, I did this. The iPhone 4 arrived, - I called AT&T immediately and gave them the IMEI from the phone and the number from the microsim. They activated it on my number, and I thought that would be it....

Little did I know...

I then connected the iPhone 4 to iTunes to activate the actual phone, and guess what? It came up with this:

Screenshot2010-06-23at123147PM.png


OH GREAT.

A call to AT&T confirmed there was nothing they could do about that. Apparently, I was supposed to activate the iPhone 4 through iTunes BEFORE calling them, which was NOT what I was informed.

And of course, the Apple Store didn't have any microsims to swap with me. Thankfully, after about an hour on the phone, AT&T discovered a secret batch of new microsims at a store near me so I went to go pick one up.

I get home, I activate the phone - no trouble. However, by doing so, it has now deactivated my wife's 3GS sim! So now I have to go back AGAIN to the AT&T store to get ANOTHER sim, - this time a full-size one.

Seriously, AT&T. You suck. You're misinformed, and you pass on that misinformation to your customers. As soon as the iPhone is available on ANY other network (yes, including Man in Basement Networks with only one tower, in Ames, Iowa), I'm gone. I'll pay whatever ETF they throw at me, and I'm gone.

GONE! YA HEAR ME?

Anyway, there's my rant. Carry on.
 
In my order confirmation, I had the following language
Note: Do not attempt to active your device until you have received it.

...

Once you have received your wireless device, you can activate it online by following these steps:

...
Click to expand...
 
Oh it gets better! I'm actually activated on my wife's number, still! HAHA oh boy now I have to go back! :mad::mad::mad:
 
that has to be super frustrating

but you are asking a system that has proved to be severely broken to do a lot for you. Switching numbers and primary contact lines on a new phone with new sim from home and not in an ATT store, you had to know there would be a catch.. or two.. or three

hope you get it worked out soon
 
I am sorry but this is too funny. I would not be surprised to see some news clip tonight about a store full of dead ATT employees and the OP is standing out in front with a crazy look on his face.
I am sorry to here about your troubles but thanks for sharing this incredibly frustrating story. Maybe your next post will be when all is well in iphoneland.

Kenal0
 
i ordered through att premier use the link they provided in the email and it litereally took me about a minute or two to get up and fully running on my new phone.
 
Same problem here, Unbelievably frustrating. My store doesn't have any microsims.
 
However, if the number you used to order your device is NOT the number you intend to use with your iPhone 4, follow these simple steps when your device arrives and an ATT representative will help you activate.

1. As soon as you receive your new iPhone 4, charge your device fully.
2. Contact AT&T at 1-800-331-0500 or 611 from a different wireless device. At the prompt, enter the wireless number that received the upgrade to iPhone 4.
3. At the next prompt, choose option #2 to activate your phone on a different mobile number, and an AT&T representative will help you from there.
4. After speaking with the AT&T representative, you will be instructed to launch iTunes (www.itunes.com) and connect your device.

Please call 1-800-331-0500 or 611 from a wireless pho
 
ugh i just did basically the exact same except i went the the att store and finally got it all figured out, such a pain took me like 3 hours overall, half on the phone, half at the store
 
I generally stay away from the ATT bashing thing because it's not worth the trouble but I recently had a problem with my voice mail notifications and called ATT. The woman couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting a tone or seeing any visual voice mails (which is what I called about). We could leave messages and I could call in and get them but I wouldn't know there was one waiting for me.

After many holds she said " At least you can call in and get your voice mails" and that was all she could do for me and is there anything else she could do for me today. Whoa!

Anyway, I fixed it myself. Love ATT.
 
If anything good came out of your Journey to Hell, it's that your thread/post was fun to read. The whole time I was like "UGH, COME ON... SERIOUSLY?!" with you.
 
JohnGregorio said:
However, if the number you used to order your device is NOT the number you intend to use with your iPhone 4, follow these simple steps when your device arrives and an ATT representative will help you activate.

1. As soon as you receive your new iPhone 4, charge your device fully.
2. Contact AT&T at 1-800-331-0500 or 611 from a different wireless device. At the prompt, enter the wireless number that received the upgrade to iPhone 4.
3. At the next prompt, choose option #2 to activate your phone on a different mobile number, and an AT&T representative will help you from there.
4. After speaking with the AT&T representative, you will be instructed to launch iTunes (www.itunes.com) and connect your device.

Please call 1-800-331-0500 or 611 from a wireless pho
Click to expand...


Followed these steps EXACTLY and I have the same problem as OP. It's really amazing how bad AT&T is at this stuff.
 
JohnGregorio said:
However, if the number you used to order your device is NOT the number you intend to use with your iPhone 4, follow these simple steps when your device arrives and an ATT representative will help you activate.

1. As soon as you receive your new iPhone 4, charge your device fully.
2. Contact AT&T at 1-800-331-0500 or 611 from a different wireless device. At the prompt, enter the wireless number that received the upgrade to iPhone 4.
3. At the next prompt, choose option #2 to activate your phone on a different mobile number, and an AT&T representative will help you from there.
4. After speaking with the AT&T representative, you will be instructed to launch iTunes (www.itunes.com) and connect your device.

Please call 1-800-331-0500 or 611 from a wireless pho
Click to expand...


Right. But doesn't it mean call AT&T before you even activate? Sounds to me like the OP did everything he was supposed to, & he was still screwed over.
 
It really is time to have another network. AT&T is inept. I think I am going to short the stock, in hopes of the announcement of another network(s) getting the use the iPhone.

AT&T is beginning to seriously undermine the vaunted Apple end-user experience!
 
makefunnyfaces said:
Right. But doesn't it mean call AT&T before you even activate? Sounds to me like the OP did everything he was supposed to, & he was still screwed over.
Click to expand...

IDK, Did he call the local AT&T store or did he call the automated iPhone 4 number?

Seems like they listed clear steps.
 
Kenal0 said:
I am sorry but this is too funny. I would not be surprised to see some news clip tonight about a store full of dead ATT employees and the OP is standing out in front with a crazy look on his face.
I am sorry to here about your troubles but thanks for sharing this incredibly frustrating story. Maybe your next post will be when all is well in iphoneland.

All is indeed well in iPhone land. Went to the store and they gave me a new microsim and a new sim for the wife's 3GS. All well.

Kenal0
Click to expand...

Eallan said:
Followed these steps EXACTLY and I have the same problem as OP. It's really amazing how bad AT&T is at this stuff.
Click to expand...


Yes, DO NOT follow the instructions above. You HAVE to go to the store, currently, to get the phone switched to a different line, because it will invalidate the sim in the line it was bought on.
 
JohnGregorio said:
IDK, Did he call the local AT&T store or did he call the automated iPhone 4 number?

Seems like they listed clear steps.
Click to expand...

I called NOT the local AT&T store. When I went in there they were all ooh-ing and aah-ing at the phone. It was hilarious.
 
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