A word from the UK, this sounds good for Canada, but i bet rogers changes this once you've signed up after the "promotional" period!
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
AT&T Eligibility at Apple Stores, International iPhone 3G Shortages Expected
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
A word from the UK, this sounds good for Canada, but i bet rogers changes this once you've signed up after the "promotional" period!
Oh, it just gets worse.
If you failed to get the iPhone ordered on-line and are hoping to get one on Friday you better get up early. Or not go to bed at all.
I just called into my local CPW and asked it they had any to sell on Friday. Oh yes! 2! Both 8GB.
While I was standing looking over his shoulder he looked at all stores in South Yorkshire to find a store with 16GB iphones. Guess what? Most stores had 1 or two. The most was 4! There were only a few more 8GB out there too.
So if you turn up on Friday morning and the queue is longer than a handfull go home and go back to bed. You will have wasted your time.
Although I am disappointed, I'm not surprised. Demand was always going to be high. It was just too much to hope that between Apple, O2 and CPW we could have had a launch that was a success for everyone. No doubt we will be reading quotes from them that it's brilliant that the phone sold out so quickly but that really misses the point. It may have done but MILLIONS are going to be pi**ed off if this is refelcted around the globe.
What a damned shame.
If you failed to get the iPhone ordered on-line and are hoping to get one on Friday you better get up early. Or not go to bed at all.
I just called into my local CPW and asked it they had any to sell on Friday. Oh yes! 2! Both 8GB.
While I was standing looking over his shoulder he looked at all stores in South Yorkshire to find a store with 16GB iphones. Guess what? Most stores had 1 or two. The most was 4! There were only a few more 8GB out there too.
So if you turn up on Friday morning and the queue is longer than a handfull go home and go back to bed. You will have wasted your time.
Although I am disappointed, I'm not surprised. Demand was always going to be high. It was just too much to hope that between Apple, O2 and CPW we could have had a launch that was a success for everyone. No doubt we will be reading quotes from them that it's brilliant that the phone sold out so quickly but that really misses the point. It may have done but MILLIONS are going to be pi**ed off if this is refelcted around the globe.
What a damned shame.
It's hilarious that Canada as a 1st world nation has the worst mobile plans in the world, some developing nations has far superior plans then us and this has been noted several times via respectable sources. However we are still silly to pay top dollar for getting less, on wonder these company in Canada walk all over its customer base and fine then left, right and center since they know we will complain and to shut us up just give a little bit more, instead of giving us competitive plans similar to our neighbours South.
It's a shame, to see how many many Canadian will jump on this so called "deal" and will eventually kick themselves for signing up for 3 year, only to tell they friends they have an iPhone. Sad affair indeed on both Rogers/Fido and the Canadian customers who want to be taken for all they are worth.
Actually is a marketing strategy on
part. They already know that the demand is there, however what looks better than to not have enough for the demand only to ratchet up more artificial demand, by saying, "We tried keeping up with the demand, however it was more than we could have anticipated," this will boost its stock price and give free publicity.Since its human nature to want something that is in short supply, regardless if we need it or not.
like i said 3 weeks ago
there is going to be about 200 iphones per apple store for the first few weeks
get in line early
the shortages will make the media jump
there is going to be about 200 iphones per apple store for the first few weeks
get in line early
the shortages will make the media jump
Can we really go to the apple store?
I got off the phone yesterday with the 5th Ave NYC store and they said that I will have to go to an AT&T store when I told them that I am a current non-iphone customer and not eligible for an upgrade. I called another local apple store on long island and they told me that as well. Has anyone called an apple store and actually found out that if you are not eligible for an upgrade that you can purchase the 3G at the higher prices? I would really like to go to the apple store rather than an AT&T store...
I hope you're not right!!!!
I really don't know how to judge this. Do I risk going to an O2 store or do I risk Regents Street? Regent Street may only be selling to new customers (if at all) and that's bound to be an overnighter. Even if I am first in line at my local London O2 store, what if they have no 16GB models?
Well a step in the right direction but none of the 3 DC area Apple Stores I called could tell me with 100% certainty that those who are AT&T customers and are NOT eligible for an upgrade can purchase the iphone at the retail stores. They told me it was an AT&T issue and not an Apple issue but after talking to AT&T and having them tell me I can buy one at an Apple Store then take it home and activate it I don't know who to believe!
Pwned
PwnedIt was the Hereford O2 store (which is a long way from london; just on the welsh border); sorry but she didn't elaborate; i guess i should have asked but she wasn't the most talkative person in the world! It was like getting blood out of a stone... I am guessing it's just my O2 store as it's tucked away in a small place; as an example when i picked up my gen 1 iphone, there were 3 people in the store at 6:02 and that's including me....
Honestly, this is the worst product roll out that Apple has ever done. So much confusion, not a simple process, and more expensive in the long run.
Just think, we are going to go through this, on average, every year during the product upgrade cycle. What's that? You want video iChat? That's going to be another $10 a month for that feature.
A few of my friends work at the Apple store, and even with the 8hrs+ training they have received so far, they say upper management still doesn't know what's going on with plans and upgrade eligibility with existing iPhones and all this other stuff. Everything is still back and forth with AT&T.
Just think, we are going to go through this, on average, every year during the product upgrade cycle. What's that? You want video iChat? That's going to be another $10 a month for that feature.
A few of my friends work at the Apple store, and even with the 8hrs+ training they have received so far, they say upper management still doesn't know what's going on with plans and upgrade eligibility with existing iPhones and all this other stuff. Everything is still back and forth with AT&T.
I'm going to have to agree with you on that for sure. Both companies aren't really being clear but I would place the majority of the blame on AT&T, any chance your friends that work for the apple store can give some clarity to my predicament? I would much rather go to an Apple store than AT&T but if I can't get any resolution I will be forced to go to AT&T.
PwnedFamily Plan
Pardon the individual situation, but I've read through several threads and haven't found any answers.
I'm in a family plan and am NOT "upgrade eligible". However, there is one line on the plan that is "upgrade eligible". Is there any way to use the other line's upgrade eligibility but activate the iphone on my line? Thanks in advance.
Pardon the individual situation, but I've read through several threads and haven't found any answers.
I'm in a family plan and am NOT "upgrade eligible". However, there is one line on the plan that is "upgrade eligible". Is there any way to use the other line's upgrade eligibility but activate the iphone on my line? Thanks in advance.
Why would you rely on the answer you get here when you could make a simple phone call to AT&T and get the right answer?
I'm going to have to agree with you on that for sure. Both companies aren't really being clear but I would place the majority of the blame on AT&T, any chance your friends that work for the apple store can give some clarity to my predicament? I would much rather go to an Apple store than AT&T but if I can't get any resolution I will be forced to go to AT&T.
It'd like to nominate O2 to be added to this list too....
It'd like to nominate O2 to be added to this list too....
Nomination accepted! Sorry you guys have to deal with that stuff.
UPDATE:
Just spoke with the Bethesda, MD Apple store and the guy I spoke with said they are getting information in right now regarding people not eligible for an upgrade but are current AT&T customers and he informed me that people in my situation will be able to purchase the iphone 3g for the unsubsidized price tag of 399/499 at the Apple store but to call back to verify tomorrow.
Pwned
Just spoke with the Bethesda, MD Apple store and the guy I spoke with said they are getting information in right now regarding people not eligible for an upgrade but are current AT&T customers and he informed me that people in my situation will be able to purchase the iphone 3g for the unsubsidized price tag of 399/499 at the Apple store but to call back to verify tomorrow.
PwnedI have. And I've been given a different answer every time I've called. I've also visited the store on several occasions. I was trying to see if anybody has a similar situation and what their strategy is going to be, but thanks for nothing.
I went to the AT&T last weekend and got pre-approved for the iPhone. When they say you need your SS #, you really don't need the actual card. It is like it always has been when you go to a store and get credit. Here is what you need:
- driver's license, Id or passport
- A credit card to make the purchase
- SS number or Tax ID number
Then you ask to speak to the manager and take down his name. If you're not able to do what he told you, then you ask for him on Friday.
Really, if you can't get a straight answer from AT&T, just what good do you expect an answer from anonymous people with no credentials on a web site to be? Do you really think it carries any weight when you tell the store clerk on Friday that someone with a fake name on MacRumors told you such and such? Sheesh.
Sadly we're all having to deal with a lot of corporate BS, i honestly think that just like the O2 online debacle, friday will just be a case of being lucky...
There's an english phrase that comes to mind with all companies involved in this launch (inc. apple sadly); "They couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery!"
You seem slow, so let me explain this more clearly: I am looking for feedback from anyone who may be in a similar situation. You are clearly not, so don't bother offering your helpful "advice". Again, I want to know what other people in similar situations have heard from AT&T because I haven't been able to obtain a clear answer.
I've done that several times with Verizon. I want to buy a new phone, but I am under contract, so I add a new line and then I instruct Verizon to switch numbers and now I have the new phone with my old line.
I think this works even easier with AT&T since you buy the new iPhone and then instruct the AT&T sales person that you want your old line with the new phone and the new line with the old phone, and they will go ahead and do it for you. The bottom line is that the contract is tied to the telephone number not the phone. In fact I did this last year. I bought an iphone on June 29th added a new line to my account and then 2 weeks later I walked into an AT&T store and told them I want them to switch the line from one to the other and did it with no problems.
That is a tricky situation. My advice would be to go to an AT&T retail store with whoever else is on the family plan and talk to them face to face tonight or tomorrow so you don't have any surprised on Friday. I have had nothing but problems talking with AT&T on the phone regarding my situation. Not sure if this helps but if they tell you you can upgrade the way you want to at least you can have a store number and employee name to lean on if you need to contact AT&T corporate if they don't honor what they say.
PwnedI think it's becoming pretty clear that in the Apple stores, the only interface available to the Apple employees for setting up plans and activating the phones is going to be the iTunes interface and whatever changes they have made to that. It doesn't sound like they're going to have access to the AT&T system directly.
Now I think in the old one on launch day, the only types iTunes could handle were new AT&T customers, people buying the iPhone as a current AT&T customer on a contract (with no new subsidy) or just adding it to a family plan, and people who passed the credit check with no deposit. Other people it would send to the store or offer the prepaid.
So I guess it depends on how much they have changed the iTunes interface- how many new situations they have programmed it to handle. It sounds to me that if you don't fall into a real easy upgrade situation, i.e. a new customer, a current contract customer just upgrading one current iphone to one 3G, or just adding a new one to a family plan, that you should just plan on going to AT&T. At least that sounds like the safe plan to me.
Now I think in the old one on launch day, the only types iTunes could handle were new AT&T customers, people buying the iPhone as a current AT&T customer on a contract (with no new subsidy) or just adding it to a family plan, and people who passed the credit check with no deposit. Other people it would send to the store or offer the prepaid.
So I guess it depends on how much they have changed the iTunes interface- how many new situations they have programmed it to handle. It sounds to me that if you don't fall into a real easy upgrade situation, i.e. a new customer, a current contract customer just upgrading one current iphone to one 3G, or just adding a new one to a family plan, that you should just plan on going to AT&T. At least that sounds like the safe plan to me.