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iPhone 4 Pre-Orders Bring Down Servers and Generate Long Lines

Went to the local apple store after a frustrating morning of attempting to preorder with the website. At the store, the employee told me I had to pre-order online and I could use the macs in the store. WTF? The only way to preorder, INCLUDING AT THE PHYSICAL STORES, is to use the online store which is BROKEN.

Edit: FINALLY got through on the phone! Oh wait, they can't take preorders either. Nice! Apple has done it!

Edit again: The guy I spoke with said "all our servers are down. they expect them up in the next couple hours". WTF?
 
i was able to get on ATT's order page..

"If your shipping address does not match your account's billing address and credit card address, you will not be able to order iPhone online. For your security, deliveries cannot be made to a P.O. Box. Please provide a street address."

that absolutely sucks!!
 
i can't go in on the 24th....

Nor do I want to wait in line for god knows how many hours after a 16-18 hour shift in the hospital ...
 
hunan3 said:
Has anyone successfully pre-ordered on a renewing (replace existing phone) account, for delivery on 6/24 to their address?

Seems like all the success has come with reserving for in-store pick-up, which I want to avoid at all costs.
Click to expand...

I was able to do this on apple.com at about 12:20 EDT. I tried earlier that morning and kept getting the "Oops" error when I chose to add it to my cart. I logged in later and clicked on my cart and there it was at the correct price. Checkout was smooth. I received my order number and am just waiting for my confirmation email. How long does that usually take? It's been about an hour.
 
enigmatut said:
Same here, and I assume they'll check in store. A buddy just called me from an Apple Store saying he walked in to make the reservation (for an subsidized-price-eligible upgrade) and they directed him to the app.

In fact, it seems to me that the AT&T check is what's failing on the website. The only people I personally know who have successfully preordered/reserved have all done it via the app or by physically going to an AT&T store.

I don't care so long as I get that iP4 on d-day!
Click to expand...

I got one as well but it is saying $699 :confused:

I know I am eligable for the upgrade so I am not really sure what to do...
 
smarch said:
I was thinking of doing this. Does it say anywhere in the email or anything that this reservation can be canceled? Do you see any reason you will be bound by the reservation (can't cancel) if you do succeed in a pre-order?
Click to expand...

Yep--there's a "cancel your reservation" link in the e-mail.
 
The very least they could do is..

Be honest in their online status':

@AT&T:
Due to a system upgrade the site is temporarily unavailable, please try again later.

should read: Due to massive failure to plan accordingly, our servers are toast and cannot process anything at all for the duration of the day, possibly the entire week.

@Apple:
Your request couldn't be processed. We're sorry, but there was an error processing your request. Please try again.

Should read: It's really not our fault that everyone in the entire world wants this awesome piece of technologically marvellous candy. So Steve talked it up at the WWDC. So what. You should have known this would happen, too. Just wait it out.
 
Jules242 said:
i was able to get on ATT's order page..

"If your shipping address does not match your account's billing address and credit card address, you will not be able to order iPhone online. For your security, deliveries cannot be made to a P.O. Box. Please provide a street address."

that absolutely sucks!!
Click to expand...

it didn't say that for me
 
Just how difficult can it be to add mirrored or internal server capacity for about 2 weeks during the initial release of a known popular product?

The list of folks who cannot accomplish it is long and distinguished!

It's just an online order for goodness sake!

The solution is a cellular voice free, VoIP phone. All the hassles are for signing up for a voice plan. iPad lacks that hassle.

Rocketman
 
Jules242 said:
i was able to get on ATT's order page..

"If your shipping address does not match your account's billing address and credit card address, you will not be able to order iPhone online. For your security, deliveries cannot be made to a P.O. Box. Please provide a street address."

that absolutely sucks!!
Click to expand...

I was able to use a different billing address on apple.com (although, I haven't received my confirmation email yet; maybe they'll reject the order).
 
Apple was able to get me past the eligibility screen and show me my pricing of $199 but went down after I tried to confirm. Seems like I'm getting a little further into the process on both Apple and AT&Ts websites, so maybe it won't be too much longer.
 
App Store confirm e-mail

I ordered mine through the app store and in the confirmation process it gave me the $299 32GB Black iPhone 4G option. When I look at the confirmation email it has all the rate plan information blank with a price of $699 at the bottom. I am eligible for the $299 price.

Has anyone else seen the same thing? I am guessing that maybe the app store app is quicker because they are circumventing the ATT check and just planning on sorting it out in store on launch day?
 
Gulo said:
Has anybody registered on the apple site like me and NOT gotten an email confirmation? I was simply brought to a page that told me to bring my ID. I need to know whether or not to try registering again.
Click to expand...

That happened to me and I called the store. They had no record of my reservation. They told me to reserve it via the iPhone App. I did that successfully and got the e-mail confirmation. It reflected the 699 price and no plan chosen. I just got off the phone with a person from the store where I was told that price and lack of plan was to be expected and that when I arrive at the store, everything will be straightened out to be the correct price and plan.
 
frozencarbonite said:
Did they take your credit card info as well? They wrote mine down. I just hope they do the smart thing and shred the legal pad paper after they put the order through.
Click to expand...

They were going to call me to finish the transaction when the system went through. I wasn't going to leave my CC number because I was concerned they wouldn't shred it.
 
I'm actually going to be in SF on the 24th. Maybe I'll go to the Stockton St store and pick one up. Shouldn't be a line there. ;)
 
Head over to the AT&T website. It's working smoothly now. I had absolutely no errors and got my black 32Gig iPhone 4 ordered in about 5 minutes.
 
went to the AT&T store just to find out they do not accept debit cards. i dont know what thats all about. I just used the Apple Store App and it says my iPhone will be ready for me all day
 
Best Buy

Just came from BB. 4 people in line and was in and out in 10 minutes. Upon launch day, you are given an appointment time and you go to BB to pick your phone. It couldnt have been any easier. And they guy said they have the white available!:D
 
Yea, did a preorder for an existing line a few mins ago on the Apple site. Shipped to my house. It went through without a problem; my order was already in the cart from my initial attempts.
 
Use the Apple Store app on your Iphone.

Quick and easy got my email confirmation in 2 minutes after I submitted my request.

Hope this helps.
 
Pre-Order Through AT&T

This reminds me of when I worked for Apple during the first-generation iPhone launch in '07. The store was the worst place to be in during the activation issues.

If you're recklessly impulsive like myself and you can't seem to wait until Apple's severs unclog, pre-order through AT&T's website. I had an issue with trying to port over my number through AT&T, which is from a different carrier; however, if you choose to get a new number, you should have no problems with ordering the phone. I was advised by someone at AT&T that once the phone is delivered, a number can be ported over through their customer service line.

Something tells me I won't have this phone on June 24. AT&T may not be well-equipped for this kind of volume.


MacRumors said:



101253-japan.jpg


Photo from Businessinsider.com
iPhone 4 pre-orders kicked off today and have been causing trouble for Apple's online ordering system which has been up and down throughout the morning. In fact, we are still receiving reports of U.S. customers being unable to fulfill the order forms online.

In Japan, reports indicate that many physically lined up throughout the country just to get on the wait list. Softbank also found their servers struggling to keep up with demand while hundreds stood in line:Businessinsider also notes lines forming at AT&T stores in the U.S.

Article Link: iPhone 4 Pre-Orders Bring Down Servers and Generate Long Lines
Click to expand...
 
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