Yes, I do... the proper precautions being waiting to try to activate the thing for a couple of days (or weeks). All this weeping and wailing and rending of garments could have been avoided.
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iPhone Activation Issues
- Thread starter iamhammill
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Came back from jogging, checked mail, got my third "Thank you for your recent purchase" email
We are currently processing your order. Your order number is XXXXX
You will receive an additional e-mail when your order is complete that will provide further instructions to activate your iPhone.
I've gotten Four emails saying that exact thing. Three with the same activation number, one with a different number.
What number did you call? I'm a new customer, not porting a number, and I have received the "your activation takes additional time to complete" message. I called an ATT number listed above and they gave me my new #, but said it would be 12-24 hours before it would be activated.
Important Update!!!!!
As you may know my phone was "actvated" at 10am PST after waiting 15 hrs.
Well the iphone could do everything, sync play videos etc.. but i still got the no service message and could not make callls.
I am transfering from tmobile so after 6 hours of not "getting service"
I called 1-877-419-4500 and spoke to a nice lady.
I think my itunes step by step activation got stuck somewhere because I had to pick a plan again.
Then she asked for the IMEI # which is on the bottom of the iphone box.
THEN i had to pop out the sim and read her a 20 digit number.
after about 10 minutes I was able to get ATT service. (take that tmobile. i hvae more bars now then I did with you!)
so i can call out now.
She then called porting and they told me it would be about 6 more hours for my tmobile # to come over. Not a prob. for me.
I would say to those waiting for 20+ hours to do as I did. Also get a paper clip handy and your box handing since you will be need both.
hope this helps.
As you may know my phone was "actvated" at 10am PST after waiting 15 hrs.
Well the iphone could do everything, sync play videos etc.. but i still got the no service message and could not make callls.
I am transfering from tmobile so after 6 hours of not "getting service"
I called 1-877-419-4500 and spoke to a nice lady.
I think my itunes step by step activation got stuck somewhere because I had to pick a plan again.
Then she asked for the IMEI # which is on the bottom of the iphone box.
THEN i had to pop out the sim and read her a 20 digit number.
after about 10 minutes I was able to get ATT service. (take that tmobile. i hvae more bars now then I did with you!)
so i can call out now.
She then called porting and they told me it would be about 6 more hours for my tmobile # to come over. Not a prob. for me.
I would say to those waiting for 20+ hours to do as I did. Also get a paper clip handy and your box handing since you will be need both.
hope this helps.
I received this email:
Your current AT&T rate plan is not compatible with the iPhone.
They forced me to take on one of their current plans: 450 minutes etc. instead of being able to use my old AT&T plan (850 minutes for $39, weekends starting at 7pm, etc.)
It was a complete sham that current customers would be able to carry over their plan. I was apart of the old AT&T (before Cingular merge)...either way I've been a loyal customer for 4 yeras and I was still forced...
It's been a really really long process with this iphone, one I'm not sure has been worth it.
Your current AT&T rate plan is not compatible with the iPhone.
They forced me to take on one of their current plans: 450 minutes etc. instead of being able to use my old AT&T plan (850 minutes for $39, weekends starting at 7pm, etc.)
It was a complete sham that current customers would be able to carry over their plan. I was apart of the old AT&T (before Cingular merge)...either way I've been a loyal customer for 4 yeras and I was still forced...
It's been a really really long process with this iphone, one I'm not sure has been worth it.
Disgusted
My friend and I, who are both Windows user's thinking of switching, stood in line from 1:30PM to about 8:30PM on Friday. Very excited about Apple, Bootcamp, Leopard etc.
Have waited for activation for about 22 hours. Received one email. I am already a Cingular/AT&T customer simply adding the data plan for the iPhone. My old phone is now deactivated. I have no phone, period. I have no land line. Just had cell.
I am just a bit pissed off.
My friend and I, who are both Windows user's thinking of switching, stood in line from 1:30PM to about 8:30PM on Friday. Very excited about Apple, Bootcamp, Leopard etc.
Have waited for activation for about 22 hours. Received one email. I am already a Cingular/AT&T customer simply adding the data plan for the iPhone. My old phone is now deactivated. I have no phone, period. I have no land line. Just had cell.
I am just a bit pissed off.
I've been on the phone with various departments of AT&T (and Apple) all day. Literally...about 6 hours today.
First of all, do not believe any support rep who tells you this is Apple's fault. It is not. The fault lies squarely at the feet of AT&T.
I got up high enough in AT&T's iPhone Activation Center hierarchy to be told, "We weren't prepared. The system is automated, but it is overloaded. We have had staff (at the aforementioned Indian call center) helping out with manual processing of activations."
At about 18 hours now, I've been told to expect activation within 7 more hours. They put an extra flag on my account to expediate processing, but I don't believe it will do any good. And only at the point of activation can the porting process from Verizon even begin. So don't believe any support rep who tells you there is a delay because you're porting your number. They don't know what they're talking about. Activation is completely separate process, and entirely internal to AT&T.
Anecdotally, when I called the Verizon port center today, a very peppery woman told me that AT&T has been experiencing outages in their port transfer system for a couple weeks now. Her tone did not appear scripted, but instead the result of many dealings with them.
I've been buying/using Apple products since 1986. This has been the worst "Apple Experience" I've ever had. I suggest that everyone involved in this fiasco let Apple know what you think of your experience. And that you ask for your pound of flesh in return for the inconvenience. Apple knows that AT&T not only dropped the ball, but kicked it into the sewer, and so they will more than likely go to bat for you.
First of all, do not believe any support rep who tells you this is Apple's fault. It is not. The fault lies squarely at the feet of AT&T.
I got up high enough in AT&T's iPhone Activation Center hierarchy to be told, "We weren't prepared. The system is automated, but it is overloaded. We have had staff (at the aforementioned Indian call center) helping out with manual processing of activations."
At about 18 hours now, I've been told to expect activation within 7 more hours. They put an extra flag on my account to expediate processing, but I don't believe it will do any good. And only at the point of activation can the porting process from Verizon even begin. So don't believe any support rep who tells you there is a delay because you're porting your number. They don't know what they're talking about. Activation is completely separate process, and entirely internal to AT&T.
Anecdotally, when I called the Verizon port center today, a very peppery woman told me that AT&T has been experiencing outages in their port transfer system for a couple weeks now. Her tone did not appear scripted, but instead the result of many dealings with them.
I've been buying/using Apple products since 1986. This has been the worst "Apple Experience" I've ever had. I suggest that everyone involved in this fiasco let Apple know what you think of your experience. And that you ask for your pound of flesh in return for the inconvenience. Apple knows that AT&T not only dropped the ball, but kicked it into the sewer, and so they will more than likely go to bat for you.
"No Service" in the top left?
So, I've gotten all the emails, including the one telling me I should now be able to make outgoing calls, but my wife's phone is saying "No Service" in the upper left corner where the signal strength should be. Has anyone else seen this?
AT&T swears that my phone should be activated and that my number porting from Verizon is completed, but the phone doesn't want to see the network. Apple tells me I need to keep waiting, but I'm about half convinced that they're only telling me that to keep me from returning it to the store for a replacement.
My other iPhone worked essentially instantly after I got the email telling me that I should be able to make outgoing calls, and the port of it's number from Verizon finished up this afternoon, so I'm at a loss.
Anyone else seeing the "No Service" in the corner?
So, I've gotten all the emails, including the one telling me I should now be able to make outgoing calls, but my wife's phone is saying "No Service" in the upper left corner where the signal strength should be. Has anyone else seen this?
AT&T swears that my phone should be activated and that my number porting from Verizon is completed, but the phone doesn't want to see the network. Apple tells me I need to keep waiting, but I'm about half convinced that they're only telling me that to keep me from returning it to the store for a replacement.
My other iPhone worked essentially instantly after I got the email telling me that I should be able to make outgoing calls, and the port of it's number from Verizon finished up this afternoon, so I'm at a loss.
Anyone else seeing the "No Service" in the corner?
Ok, long story short, I'm an existing ATT customer from the old "blue" days.
After 9 hours I finally received an email from ATT saying there was a problem and to call 877-800-3701. I did that and was told my old plan was incompatible, I needed to switch to the new plan. Told them fine, just do it.
Ok, so now my old phone/sim has been deactivated and I have no cell phones. Called back ATT... they checked my sim, told me my iPhone has been activated - but it's NOT! So they told me to call Apple, it's a "tech issue". I'm not buying that...
It's been 18 hours total for me.... no iphone activation yet.
I'm back on the line with ATT AGAIN and they are looking into it... on hold and she keeps coming on every few minutes, telling me she's STILL looking into it.... Ok, finally she is the first person with the sense to ask me for the IMEI number on the back of iphone.... now on hold again....
Ok, she's telling me the system shows my phone is activated, and that the phone should update with a few minutes up to 2 hours. She's trying to make a "test call" to my iphone now... Says everything is fine, but found *should* be activated in 2 hours max..... So time to cross my fingers and WAIT... again...
I cannot believe how F'ed up this situation is...
After 9 hours I finally received an email from ATT saying there was a problem and to call 877-800-3701. I did that and was told my old plan was incompatible, I needed to switch to the new plan. Told them fine, just do it.
Ok, so now my old phone/sim has been deactivated and I have no cell phones. Called back ATT... they checked my sim, told me my iPhone has been activated - but it's NOT! So they told me to call Apple, it's a "tech issue". I'm not buying that...
It's been 18 hours total for me.... no iphone activation yet.
I'm back on the line with ATT AGAIN and they are looking into it... on hold and she keeps coming on every few minutes, telling me she's STILL looking into it.... Ok, finally she is the first person with the sense to ask me for the IMEI number on the back of iphone.... now on hold again....
Ok, she's telling me the system shows my phone is activated, and that the phone should update with a few minutes up to 2 hours. She's trying to make a "test call" to my iphone now... Says everything is fine, but found *should* be activated in 2 hours max..... So time to cross my fingers and WAIT... again...
I cannot believe how F'ed up this situation is...
Jesus this process is ****ed. Since Apple in there infinite wisdom asked for an Apple ID when I went through the process, it decided to use that as the email for all this **** to send to. I don't have .Mac, so all those emails are going nowhere basically.
-mark
-mark
I've been a customer continually singe '91. at&t doesn't give a ****. I used to be able to push the guys at cingular around cause they respect custmer loyalty, but these at&t goons suck.
You whined about that yesterday. Maybe you should have signed up with a real e-mail address, or changed your apple account like I did before the iPhone was released.
too tired
I'm just too tired... I've had my sake, am reasonably numbed to this extraordinarily painful process, and will now turn in and pray that I get the magic emails while I'm asleep (hours 25-33).
Good luck everyone.
I'm just too tired... I've had my sake, am reasonably numbed to this extraordinarily painful process, and will now turn in and pray that I get the magic emails while I'm asleep (hours 25-33).
Good luck everyone.
You are not alone, I also had a blue account and when I called them earlier today they told me, "Oh, yeah, that account won't work, it's a good thing you called or this would have been delayed even further". Of course, that was at 11am and it's now 8:30pm and STILL NO activation. I just called the 877-800-3701 number again and spoke with someone who said that my account had been flagged because there was some issue with the data portion of my calling plan and that it was in the queue in the "Processing Department", whatever that is. And that it would take up to 8 hours for them to get to it (who knows if that is from now or from earlier today).
Absolutely freakin' ridiculous. I had been somewhat patient up to this point and now I'm getting livid. I get different answers every time I call up AT&T. It's ludicrous that they cannot activate these phones faster and I'm sick of the bullsh*t that their systems are backed up. This is incompetence I have not witnessed on such a grand scale before. I'm about to the point where I'm going to create a website detailing how botched up this whole activation process is and make sure it gets heavily indexed in Google.
..Al
Members over at everythingiPhone.com, alerted me to having great success in activating another sim card. Try and go to your local AT&T store and tell them you need another sim. Go through the same process in iTunes, and hopefully this time it will work. I'm just passing along the information, as this happened to me last night and I was ABSOLUTELY livid! Thankfully, my activation email came in a few hours but my friend wasn't as lucky. My friend went and picked up a new sim and he was activated in 5 minutes. Good luck!
Well it was kind of tough to know there was a problem considering all of Apple's "new music Tuesdays" spams were coming to my proper email account just fine. Hindsight is 20-20 though, and yes I probably should have checked that.
AT&T has assured me that the email is just a confirmation and not critical, but I don't know if I believe them or anyone at this point.
-mark
877 800 3701
THATS THE NUMBER I CALLED
THEY CAN MANUALLY DO IT, IF THEY DONT ITS CAUSE THEY ARE OUTSOURCED EMPLOYEES WHO ARE LAZY
PLEASE!!! Was he porting or just activating as a new customer???? This would be so freaking helpful to me!!!
I have a lady on the phone that said she has activated my phone but now she is trying to figure out why when I connect it to my computer iTunes isn't seeing that it's activated. I think I need an e-mail with iTunes link but I'm not sure if she can send that or if Apple sends that....
877 800 3701
THATS THE NUMBER I CALLED
THEY CAN MANUALLY DO IT, IF THEY DONT ITS CAUSE THEY ARE OUTSOURCED EMPLOYEES WHO ARE LAZY
Yes they are lazy and I had a woman laughing at one point. Apple needs to have an all afternoon ass whooping with the AT&T **** heads about the art of customer service.
-mark