omg it finally worked. Right now its restoring. Hallelujah! I did it connected to iTunes. I looked down and saw the options to start as a new phone, restore from iCloud, or restore from previous back up. Unfortunately like everyone said the best method is to keep trying.
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iPhone 4S Activation Problem
- Thread starter strausd
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Pull my hair out
What a miserable day. 7 1/2 hour to get my phone connected and setup. Then I had to deal with the cloud, forget that I shut it off. My calendar and address book had two of every entry on my computer, my iPad and my phone. I had to start from scratch with time machine got my calendar working but the phone is only taking 1/2 my address book. Wish I never upgraded
What a miserable day. 7 1/2 hour to get my phone connected and setup. Then I had to deal with the cloud, forget that I shut it off. My calendar and address book had two of every entry on my computer, my iPad and my phone. I had to start from scratch with time machine got my calendar working but the phone is only taking 1/2 my address book. Wish I never upgraded
Rumor has it that Apple's servers are to blame today. Apparently Apple gave each carrier a separate channel for activations through iTunes and since AT&T has so many iPhone users, their channel is getting overrun. It has been said that people activating service today on non iPhones are having no trouble on AT&T's end.
As a side note, my father works for AT&T corporate and for every other iPhone launch hes been on a conference call all day long but today he had a half day so maybe AT&T is doing okay.
Anyway, this is the longest 3 minutes ever.
As a side note, my father works for AT&T corporate and for every other iPhone launch hes been on a conference call all day long but today he had a half day so maybe AT&T is doing okay.
Anyway, this is the longest 3 minutes ever.
Can one activate through AT&T even if we ordered the phone directly from Apple?
If yes, how?
The activation page gave me an error saying iPhones were not eligible to be activated via that method.
The activation page gave me an error saying iPhones were not eligible to be activated via that method.
I think it is because I ordered directly through ATT rather than through Apple, or it was because my account is a Premier business account - I couldn't say which.
I recalled some snafu activating through itunes back when the 3g came out, so I went through ATT instead.
At&t says not us . .
I spoke with AT&T and they told me their servers are going through fine, this is an apple issue.
I spoke with AT&T and they told me their servers are going through fine, this is an apple issue.
My guess is device registration/linkage between your Apple ID and all of the online services. Just a guess.
When I called about my brother's 4s, the first thing that the automated system asks me to do is put the number in im calling about. So when I punched in the number, the system knows we had ordered an upgrade and asks automatically if we want to activate it. You guys cant get to that menu?
I dont get why some people get it done fast and others dont, i wonder if it has anything to do with the situation (whether or not the upgrade is on your own line or an upgrade swap, changing sim cards, etc)
FWIW,
AT&T/Pre order/West Coast
Tried to activate every 1/2 hr for the past 5 hours
alternating between WiFi and iTunes with the sim card that shipped with the phone.
No activation yet.
No "activation e-mail" yet.
If tomorrow, AT&T states that they had to activate 1M phones today, I'll understand.
Otherwise.....
..............
Activation via WiFi finally worked.
Geez, that was almost as bad as the 3G launch.
AT&T/Pre order/West Coast
Tried to activate every 1/2 hr for the past 5 hours
alternating between WiFi and iTunes with the sim card that shipped with the phone.
No activation yet.
No "activation e-mail" yet.
If tomorrow, AT&T states that they had to activate 1M phones today, I'll understand.
Otherwise.....
..............
Activation via WiFi finally worked.
Geez, that was almost as bad as the 3G launch.
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I called AT&T, and the rep went through the process of activating my 4S. She said that she had to remove my unlimited data plan and then reapply it. She assured me that she restored the unlimited data. Long story short: my 4S isn't activated, and my 4 now shows that I have the 200MB plan.
I called back, and a rep was working on restoring my data plan, but I was cut off 30 minutes into the call. Frustration.
I called back, and a rep was working on restoring my data plan, but I was cut off 30 minutes into the call. Frustration.
Still no luck!
Well... I've been working on this problem since 9:30am (as of now, nearly 8.5 hours).... and still no resolution.... Now AT&T says I have to go to the closest Apple Store (50 miles away) and get a new phone. Below is a high-level view of what happened.
- Couldn't activate my upgrade from iPhone3G to iPhone4S... SIM card issue noted in previous replies.
- Called AT&T, couldn't get it to work, try again in 1-2 hours.
- Called AT&T again, still couldn't get it to work. AT&T transferred me to 1-800-myiPhone... which sent me to the iPod department, transferred to iPhone department, on hold for 45 minutes to talk to rep, no response.
- Went to AT&T store, they tried for 1.5 hours, finally said 'Since you bought it through Apple.com, you have to go to an Apple Store to replace the phone, we cannot help you.'
- Scheduled an appointment with the closest Apple Store for tomorrow morning (soonest time).
- Called 1-800-myiPhone, put on hold to speak to a rep, but no hold music, just silence... now for 30+ minutes.
I guess I'll have to drive the 100 miles round trip to Apple.... if they tell me to go back to AT&T I will be PISSED!!!!
Well... I've been working on this problem since 9:30am (as of now, nearly 8.5 hours).... and still no resolution.... Now AT&T says I have to go to the closest Apple Store (50 miles away) and get a new phone. Below is a high-level view of what happened.
- Couldn't activate my upgrade from iPhone3G to iPhone4S... SIM card issue noted in previous replies.
- Called AT&T, couldn't get it to work, try again in 1-2 hours.
- Called AT&T again, still couldn't get it to work. AT&T transferred me to 1-800-myiPhone... which sent me to the iPod department, transferred to iPhone department, on hold for 45 minutes to talk to rep, no response.
- Went to AT&T store, they tried for 1.5 hours, finally said 'Since you bought it through Apple.com, you have to go to an Apple Store to replace the phone, we cannot help you.'
- Scheduled an appointment with the closest Apple Store for tomorrow morning (soonest time).
- Called 1-800-myiPhone, put on hold to speak to a rep, but no hold music, just silence... now for 30+ minutes.
I guess I'll have to drive the 100 miles round trip to Apple.... if they tell me to go back to AT&T I will be PISSED!!!!
I went through pretty much the same thing.. AT&T store told me it was an Apple issue & I needed to go to an Apple store to replace the phone. I kept trying when I got home & finally got it to activate through iTunes.
Before you drive 100 miles round trip, just keep trying over & over again. I know it's frustrating, but it will eventually work.
You need to take a chill pill and relax. If you stop and use your brain for a second, you'd realize that the servers got slammed when all the iPhones were delivered. If you give it a few minutes to an hour like those of us who are rational adults did...you'll get your precious phone activated and you can sass back and forth with Siri all night long...
