This morning I talked to an associate at a AT&T store, seems even if you get the phone at the apple store you will STILL have to make a trip to the AT&T store to get everything set up, and that also goes for those who already have an AT&T account.
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For those waiting at athe apple stores...
- Thread starter Uptown710
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First, any "associate" does not know **** about anything iPhone. Trust me, my local att store fortunately has honest employees which politely told me many times "we do not know anything, anyone who tells you we do is lying to you". Simple as that.
Second, why would you be required to go to two store???? This would essentially create double-sized crowds at att stores. Customers wating to purchase phone and contract + customers from apple waiting to set up plans = DISASTER
There is absolutely no way Apple Stores will be hooking up iPhone service for new or existing At&t customers. Why? Apple is not At&t. It won't be happening.
I'm calling bravo sierra on this one. Why would you need to go to two stores? You wouldn't. You should be able to get your phone set up at an apple store, just like if you buy a regular phone from a vendor like walmart.
I think iTunes is going to play a larger part in the activation process then people think. Remember, it has already been said the you will need an iTunes account in order to complete activation of the iPhone. It may not make a difference whether you buy from Apple or at&t in regards to activation...we'll all just have to wait and see.
I'm with applehero. I think that wherever you get your iPhone, the AT&T service activation will be through iTunes on your first sync. This would be far superior to the normal "read me the number on your SIM" process.
Apple doesn't want its users to have to bother with such technical details. Let the phone tell AT&T the SIM info through iTunes. Clean, easy. Note that Apple makes zero mention of SIM cards or slots on their site. Who needs to know?
The big 'but' here... remember how the iTunes Store balked and even went down under the pressure of all of those new iPods on Christmas Day last year? That will be nothing compared to the 'I just got my iPhone' surge!
Apple doesn't want its users to have to bother with such technical details. Let the phone tell AT&T the SIM info through iTunes. Clean, easy. Note that Apple makes zero mention of SIM cards or slots on their site. Who needs to know?
The big 'but' here... remember how the iTunes Store balked and even went down under the pressure of all of those new iPods on Christmas Day last year? That will be nothing compared to the 'I just got my iPhone' surge!
Gosh, there should be a ban on talking to employees at AT&T stores. Those guys barely know what they're talking about when it comes to phones and plans they've been selling for months! Let alone something they haven't even seen yet.
And that's assuming this particular employee wasn't just trying to push traffic back to his store rather than the Apple store.
Apple would not sell this online if you had to wait for the package and then take it back to the AT&T store to get it turned on. Worst case, you would have to call AT&T. But I think it won't even require that. I think everything will be done through iTunes.
And that's assuming this particular employee wasn't just trying to push traffic back to his store rather than the Apple store.
Apple would not sell this online if you had to wait for the package and then take it back to the AT&T store to get it turned on. Worst case, you would have to call AT&T. But I think it won't even require that. I think everything will be done through iTunes.
Nothing in the PDFs that AT&T sent to their stores mentioned anything about how to handle the crowd of people who purchased their phone at the Apple Store but were showing up at the AT&T store "just for activation".
Considering how detailed those PDF files were (telling the stores exactly how to handle everything on launch day), my vote goes with everyone else who says iPhone activation will be done via iTunes (which is why the Apple email told people if they didn't have an iTunes account already created, they'd need one when they got their iPhone).
It would be a logistical nightmare for people purchasing their iPhones to have to sign-up with a plan in the store. That process takes at least 15 minutes (on a good day). There's no way AT&T could handle the rush of people if they had to do it all at the time of purchase.
Considering how detailed those PDF files were (telling the stores exactly how to handle everything on launch day), my vote goes with everyone else who says iPhone activation will be done via iTunes (which is why the Apple email told people if they didn't have an iTunes account already created, they'd need one when they got their iPhone).
It would be a logistical nightmare for people purchasing their iPhones to have to sign-up with a plan in the store. That process takes at least 15 minutes (on a good day). There's no way AT&T could handle the rush of people if they had to do it all at the time of purchase.
I believe, like you guys, that we will be activating our iPhones through iTunes. But the sheer influx of users last Christmas Day on iTunes was crazy - I can't imagine how crazy the iPhone activation procedure for iTunes will be.
coolosxapps
coolosxapps
My guess is that they will have iPhone equipped employees at the Apple Stores (or Genius Bar phones available with Apple employees) who will be calling special AT&T #s set up for Apple to get customers' phones and accounts activated over the phone before they leave the store. Same thing has to happen at a kiosk or store when you get a phone, they call it to set it up after putting stuff in their computer. Here, everything will be handled by AT&T on their end over the phone.
Setting it up on the phone? I'm not saying it won't happen because I don't know, but that would be the stupidest thing ever.
iTunes activation at home all the way. For those too impatient, activation on store computers - it's not like they'll be using them for anything else at the time anyway. Good luck to those who walk in at 6 PM that Friday wanting to buy a Mac.
Anytime I've ever bought a cell phone or seen someone buy a cell phone the dude at the kiosk/store has to call in to corporate to get it all going. Same for Apple as for AT&T. Not from the new phone, but to get it working with its #, etc.
I think this is primarily because AT&T customers walk in expecting the purchase to be a giant pain in the ass, and AT&T has no incentive to do it any better. It's obviously a retarded system.
Again, I don't know how they'll do it, but I know Apple will fight tooth and nail to make the purchase at the Apple Store no different than buying a computer with Apple Care.
hi. Im new, but this kinda seems absurd, I switched to at&t last week, now they told me all i had to do was switch out the sim card and it would work fine...so i have no doubt that is the way it will work, it seems to easiest and simplest way, and we all know apple likes to make things easy!!!
iTunes activation is what would be logical if you put the pieces together. I really cant imagine sales reps fondling boxes, unpacking them, dropping them, not being familiar with their use, etc....it would be a logistical failure! THe whole iTunes concept make perfect sense....you need an iTunes account, that is known. Credit checks could be given in under 30 min., your creditcard info is there....what else could there be
That is how you can switch phones for most cell phones (GSM) but the iPhone is not shaping up to be compatible this way. Also, your sale rep was lying to you because the exact details on this are still unknown.