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iPhone Activation Issues

12.5 hours so far. Sounds like 15-16 is the magic number.

HOWEVER.... I talked to ATT and they said to leave the phone plugged in, and computer turned on. Sounds weird to me... but... I kind of found that out, after I removed the sim card so I could put it into my old phone so I wasn't stranded all day without a phone.

So, does that mean I'm going to have to start all over again!?!?


... very, very disappointing ...


anyone have the number of a rep that will actually open a trouble ticket instead of making me wait 24 hours first?
 
SNF Mixer said:
Never got an email. I used a dot mac name I use for iChat. I don't get email there. The phone was off for 10 minutes while I looked at an unboxing video, trying to see how things went back in. Then I opened lid and reconnected with my normal iPod cable. It lit right up.

Now sync-ing which seems to take way too long, but we'll see.

Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Thanks, it does... Lucky:)
 
I originally first applied for the service at about 7:30pm last night. It is not 3:30pm the next day and I still don't have service.

AND I was a Cingular (AT&T) customer and just upgraded my phone and kept my old phone number. Still freaking nothing.
 
SpyderFCS said:
I'm dying because I've only received one e-mail that said 'your activation will require additional time' and that's it.....

Going on 21 hours...
Click to expand...

Spyder, hang in there. I'm 20+ hours myself and just got the order number email.

On a totally unrelated note, Apple has changed the videos on their iChat video test accounts to be iPhone ads.

AIM accounts:
appleu3test01
appleu3test02
appleu3test03

Slappy
 
Update on my situation.

My Verizon billing address was in Arizona, although the area code for the number was an Idaho number. Aparently this is a no-no, which is why my first request failed after 4 hours. My second request is on it's way (since 2 am this morning), and all the addresses should be in sync.

Here's to hoping!
 
20 hours and waiting

I'm really not convinced I'm even in a queue.

I've called ATT and I was told that if I pass the 24 hour mark I need to call ba

Has anyone with a 20 hour wait got activated yet???

(and my old verizon phone is still active)
 
nicoleva said:
I'm really not convinced I'm even in a queue.

I've called ATT and I was told that if I pass the 24 hour mark I need to call ba

Has anyone with a 20 hour wait got activated yet???

(and my old verizon phone is still active)
Click to expand...

I'm starting to think the same....
 
nicoleva said:
I'm really not convinced I'm even in a queue.

I've called ATT and I was told that if I pass the 24 hour mark I need to call ba

Has anyone with a 20 hour wait got activated yet???

(and my old verizon phone is still active)
Click to expand...

I'm at about 20.5 hours and still a no go. However I did receive my order number email after the 20th hour.
 
Also

My verizon phone was shut off and rendered useless 7 hours ago. I am without a phone at all. Im sure they will all be closed tomorrow and MOnday I will have to raise hell at the apple store. This is beyond patience, 18 hours and nothing but yet my 2nd Iphone (wifes) became active after 7 hours on the same plan, and switching from verizon also.

Unreal.
 
New Update

After waiting over 2 hours to talk with someone at Apple in Advanced IPhone support, found a very helpful and apologetic guy. He had me try a bunch of things to see if it was a hardware issue or if we could get it going.

First, he had me back set my clock on my mac, then restart my mac, then open itunes, then plug back in my phone - but still "Your activation requires more time to complete.

Next, he had me do a RAM clear or something like that on my computer. I shutdown, then held immediately after powering back up, held the "p", "r", "option", and "apple" keys until I heard a second chime. After starting up, I started itunes again, then connected my phone and the same message showed.

Then, while I was on the phone with the Apple guy, I got the email that was just mentioned, from AT&T, saying thanks for my purchase, AT&T is activating my phone, and I'll receive a later email when it is done.

The guy from Apple said after running through our trials, that he didn't think that there was an issue with the phone, but conceded that "the two companies" had dropped the ball, and it was their fault on their end that things are being held up. Couldn't have been nicer, but said there wasn't much that could be done. Said he understood if I got frustrated and wanted to take it back, but he said he would call me tomorrow, to see if things were up and running by then, and we would go from there.

Still waiting, but thought I'd share the latest.
 
The New AT&T.....

After many calls (most of which were not convincing) I just passed the 20 Hour mark. WTF
 
going on 22 hours

spoke with att apple like 15 times - i am a verizon port - i am convinced they are all clueless - basically been bouncing around - yep i am in que - yeh right - so i had been bounced over to apple and the apple rep suggested we cancel and open a new account without porting and port later - so he puts me on hold to get att on the phone to conference - so the phone clicked a few times - then i hear the apple rep talking with the att rep (they thought i dropped) saying yeah we dont really no what is going on - we are so new on this and didnt receive training - so i listened on - then just about 5 minutes into there conversation the att rep says ok let me get the customer back on the line - so i chimed in and said i am on the line and now dont have a warm fuzzy feeling about this -- they then went on to tell me att is having problems porting from verizon - be patient - f that - i am sick of being paitient - i was patient online last night for 4 hours - dropped 600 beans and cant even turn the friggin thing on - come n guys -
 
How many emails?

For those of you who finally got activated after the "waiting" message... can you tell us how many emails you received (and from who) and what the general content of each was?

I received one email immediately after going through the iTunes activation process last night, from Apple, stating that AT&T is now processing my activation. That's it...

What's the general sequence of emails preceding activation?
 
first post on the boards.... figured i'd contribute to the amazing view and post count to this thread since i too waited in line yesterday for an iPhone only to be plagued by a horrible activation process..... i too want my activation fee refunded!!!

purchase time: 7:00cst
1st activation email stating it was in process: 7:40cst
after calling at around 9:15pm to find out why my phone still hasn't been activated i was also disconnected several times with att tech and iphone activation specialists

after talking to at least 6 people and still no progress i recieve another email from iPhone_Activation_Support@att.com saying my rate plan was not compatible with the iPhone (i had an old att plan with SMS and a company discount.. which the first lady i talked to said she went in and removed all of that stuff)

this one had another phone number and an 'activation id'... when calling this number the guy didn't know of any activation id.... i guess its an order number? anyway he said everything looked good and it could take up to 24 hrs

its now going on to 20hrs and still no final activation confirmation... this is rediculous... i haven't called since last night at 11pm-ish .. but will it do any good?? probably not
 
So after 19 hours and 3 minutes, I got the magic email. Click the link, and iTunes opens, connects to the iPhone, and all works.

So my guess is the email itself is the activation mechanism, if you have the "wait more time" message. No physical link to Apple from AT&T is required; the code to turn on your iPhone via iTunes is in the link you are sent. The link is to an apple.com server, with a WebObjects URL that contains, among other things, your iPhone serial number, ICCID, and your mobile phone number. That server connects to your iPhone via your iTunes account, and turns the damn thing on.

Bottom line, IMHO, the problem is a backup at AT&T getting the email out, not Apples servers.

For what it's worth (and it could be pure coincidence), the email showed up right after I got the AT&T rep to put me over to the Synchronos department. These are the technical folks who make sure everything is actually correct on your account for SIM and service activation on AT&T's network.

Now to actually get to play with my new toy :D
 
Why do they even bother asking for your phone number in the even you get disconnected. The past *2* calls didn't call me back, after 45 minutes waiting each time, 10 minutes to explain it, and 5 minutes trying to transfer me to the porting department. Would make my life a lot easier if they just gave me the damn direct number.

If this is not activated by 4pm ... I am going to the AT&T store and I am going to raise serious hell until this is solved. I am prepared to make an ass of my self in order to get this solved, which includes raising my voice loud enough that the entire store hears it.

I am not happy at all right now ... they are wasting more time delaying me then actually transferring me to someone who can fix the problem.
 
gcrowell said:
The link is to an apple.com server, with a WebObjects URL that contains, among other things, your iPhone serial number, ICCID, and your mobile phone number. That server connects to your iPhone via your iTunes account, and turns the damn thing on.
Click to expand...

I would love to see the url without all of your personal info in it.
 
ok after talking with a nice lady at ATT and than getting handed over to apple. after 20 hours i am up and running just like that no emails or nothing.

my moms phoneis dead... but thats ok need to get a new sim.

good luck to you all that dont have it setup yet.
 
finally.

Here's the run down.

I was on T-Mobile.
I was transferring my number to the $59.99 plan on AT&T.
No add on SMS package.

I called 1800-826-7356 and asked if the number had been transfered.
After being on hold for about 10 minutes. She returned and said it has been ported over from T-Mobile to AT&T, then said I was in the cue to be activated.

She said the activation servers are backed up so it might take 2 to 3 hours.

So, from last night it's been about 17 hours.
From the second phone call, about 1 hours 45 minutes.


I have to admit, I was pissed I had to wait 17 hours, but now that I'm playing with the ex-iBrick, it's absolutely amazing and worth the wait.

Hang in there, people!
 
What would be really helpful is if people who have been successful with their activation could list out the steps which were involved, so others could have something to manage their expectations against. For example, order of emails received, approximate wait times for each step, etc. Alas, those who have activated are no doubt enjoying their new toy instead of reading this thread. . .

I used to work in product marketing for a major cellular carrier & appreciate that the activation process can be derailed by a number of factors: business plans, family plans, data plans, specific features, etc. It would would not surprise me if certain carriers are also indirectly obstructing the number porting process in order to malign public perception of the iPhone launch. While none would admit to it, there are numerous complexities where it is possible to inject the operational dysfunction people are currently experiencing. In the same manner, the iLECs pretty much put most CLECs out of business as they tried to launch competive offerings for residential DSL service.

I waited until the hubbub died down before going to the Apple store late last night before picking up my phone, I was in & out of the store in about three minutes. I am now waiting until tomorrow to attempt activation. I will be porting from Verizon and there are already a couple of strikes against me ( a number they won't want to release and a block on my credit reporting due to an identity theft issue). Hopefully the load on the activation process should die down by tomorrow. While I can hardly wait to activate my shiny new object of desire, it's ridiculous to think everyone can run into the arena at the same time without a few people getting trampled.

Anyhow, I'm very curious how widespread the Verizon activation issue is (35 pages of comments here suggests a lot) It would be helpful for a lot of people if someone documented the steps involved and others chimed in with any similarities or differences.
 
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