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Did your AT&T service activate right away on your 4S?

I went by the AT&T store after calling them. They say they've had no problems whatsoever activating new phones for customers. They were unable to activate mine, but they didn't do anything except what I'd already done. I think it's probably my grandfathered data plan that's holding me up.

Interestingly, the AT&T representative recommended disabling location services and wi-fi (use the 3g connect instead) while you're registering. Apparently, they were all told that's been working better. Just an FYI, still hasn't helped me yet.
 
3 hours and counting

I got my new phone just before noon and have been trying to activate ever since. I've tried from both the phone and from itunes with the same result.
 
WOOT! Been trying to activate (w/ AT&T) since I got it from UPS at 10 am CST. Finally got through and restoring via iCloud Backup. I tried both through iTunes and the iPhone 4s. I finally got through via the iPhone. My advice, is just to keep on keep it on....
 
As stated before this is a bottle neck problem with the Apple server FOR AT&T authentication through iTunes. The other two carriers have their own "iTunes" authentication servers they just aren't as swamped as AT&T's. Do not wait for an email though, you need to keep trying to get through. Eventually you'll get through.

Keep trying and eventually you'll get through. It doesn't matter if you do it through Itunes or over Wifi. But if you do get though you'll have to restore from backup via computer, iCloud or setup iphone as new and you'll want to be around a computer when that happends as I would not choose the iCloud feature right now.
 
Mine just activated first try...

I did use the Activation page AT&T sent me prior to setting up my iPhone though.
 
NYY FaN said:
so, not really sure if someone asked this already... but has anyone taken their iP4 sim and put it intop the 4s? since they are the same size sim there shouldnt be any problems. I have my 4s waiting for me at home so I'm trying to find out if anyone was able to just swap sims without problems.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I did because I am using my mothers upgrade. It still thinks the phone should have her number though so i have to activate on her number first then call to swap back...
 
LilGator said:
What exactly is the activation process? I had no trouble earlier this morning other than an initial timeout after providing my Apple ID. I restored from backup, and the initial wizard after turning on the new phone finished everything. I never got service though, and still don't. So I've used my old iPhone 4 sim and everything works great.

Do I need to activate with the new sim? Is it already activated and I'm just waiting (hence no service with that sim in and service with the old sim)?



This is exactly what happened to me, everything synced and restored from backup fine, but it didn't recognize the phone number in iTunes, just showed blank.
Click to expand...


AT&T told me to keep trying....I guess that means we keep plugging into iTunes? I'm not sure what else to do. I didn't get any type of message saying activation failed. Just restored and showing N/A as my phone number in iTunes.
 
Finally have a time estimate for when the restoration will be complete -- switches wildly between 30 min and 41 min and 10 min, but it seems to be getting there... C'mon, 4S!
 
there are thousands of people activating their phones today...its a lot of band width for any carrier....
Same thing happened to me when i got the 3GS and the 4, did a reset and once i turned it on again it was up and running....the one drawback of getting the phone on launch day. No new phone for me this time....
Good LUCK!
 
How I got mine to work

I disconnected WiFi and turned of location services and the phone activated via cellular connection within 30 seconds.

This is after about 200 tries via wifi and via iTunes.

YMMV...
 
on technical support chat with AT&T. One thing, she says old phone must be off to activate. will update.
 
dakotahawkins said:
Interestingly, the AT&T representative recommended disabling location services and wi-fi (use the 3g connect instead) while you're registering. Apparently, they were all told that's been working better. Just an FYI, still hasn't helped me yet.
Click to expand...

I'm on my first try disabling location services. Thanks for the tip. Wish me luck!
 
I don't think it matters whether you try iTines or the phone via wireless or 3G. The overload is at the Apple activation server for AT&T accounts. That is what AT&T told me and that is what Apple says too. I have a hard time believing they did not anticipate this and wonder what it will be like next release with more carriers in more countries. Jobs is probably spinning in his grave right now. That data center they built in NC is the size of Delaware. You'd think they have the capacity somewhere to handle this.
 
It just worked the first time (in a few hours) I plugged it in to do it through iTunes. I've been trying repeatedly to do it over 3G and wi-fi.
 
I got a different error a couple times regarding the wrong Sim card or something along those lines
 
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