iPhone Activation Issues

[paja]

Thank You Apple

for wasting 24 hours of my life on your brilliant phone or should I say useless iBrick.

It would have helped if I could have at least set it up as a iPod while wating 24 hours for your insufferable iTunes activation.

Packing it in until Monday when I will stop at the AT&T store on my way to work to bitch.

Pathetic experience really.

 

[swindmill]

what do you mean? the activation will not let me finish until i enter a credit check code

I don't remember exactly what that part of the activation process looked like, but I do know there is an option other than entering the code. The only way you could have that code is if you had a credit check done at an ATT store. Otherwise, it does it as part of the activation in iTunes.

 

[Tazzy531]

Update

Latest Update: Called TMobile and they connected me to the number porting specialist. Lady (sounded very nice and has been dealing with this all day long) said that according to their records, my number was released to AT&T at 8:05PM last night. It is now in AT&T's hands.

She mentioned that there were quite a number of people calling about the same problem and it seems like AT&T lost a number of number porting requests from last night.

She gave me the number to the number porting specialists at AT&T (1888 898 7685).

Again, AT&T is dropping the ball and giving me the run around...

[Sigh]

 

[sdotbailey]

Called 877-419 to ask if I could cancel the process right now (porting, new customer) and just start from the beginning as a brand new customer with an AT&T number. He said that the Porting department (888-898-7685) needed to be called - he has me on hold right now while he calls them. The purpose is to cancel the port request.

If the entire process is killed, my plan is to use this extra SIM I received this morning in the phone and begin at the beginning with iTunes.

 

[KHaynes725]

Been waiting 24 hours now...I have been on the phone with AT&T numerous times, and I finally got to speak with a supervisor. She told me that she shows my phone to be completely activated and that it has to be a hardware issue. I asked her why I had not recived an email telling me it was active, something to sort of prove that AT&T did in fact activate my phone. She said the email is automated and she doesn't know why I haven't gotten it. Anyway, she assured me that they manually activated my phone, but if it is still not working I need a new SIM or possibly a new phone (WTF?!). Anyone heard anything similar to this ? Anyone have any suggestions/solutions?

Thanks!
Karen

 

[kemer]

Have an ATT high level activation rep on the phone now. VERY helpful. He said something that wasn't made public beforehand was that, to activate the phone it has to go through a mandatory "24 hour period" (which he also said is sometimes less. Apparently the reason for this is because ATT is uploading a significant amount of information directly to the phone....

... he seems to know what he's talking about.

 

[Undecided]

Almost there...

Update: this afternoon I got two emails about my phone being ready to activate (which could be done by either plugging it in again or if it's already plugged in, which it was, clicking on a link). It works great now and I'm syncing stuff.

My phone number has not yet moved to the new phone, which probably won't happen until tonight. In the meantime, I can make but not receive calls.

 

[AtariAge]

Have an ATT high level activation rep on the phone now. VERY helpful. He said something that wasn't made public beforehand was that, to activate the phone it has to go through a mandatory "24 hour period" (which he also said is sometimes less. Apparently the reason for this is because ATT is uploading a significant amount of information directly to the phone....

... he seems to know what he's talking about.

Sorry, that is one of the most ridiculous things I have heard today from an AT&T rep.

..Al

 

[shelydmb]

temp Go phone

Since all I have is a cell phone and no land lines I got a $15 GO Phone plan for my old phone till my iPhone activates. I can't be without a phone for 24 hours!! Anyway the numbers I had stored in my phone were all there when I put in the new SIM card. Well slowly they are disappearing and in no particular order. I find it strange and I wonder if its just the slow pace that my iPhone is activating at. I'll be counting down for a while yet...I only started activating mine late this afternoon. Can't wait though!!

 

[avkills]

Have an ATT high level activation rep on the phone now. VERY helpful. He said something that wasn't made public beforehand was that, to activate the phone it has to go through a mandatory "24 hour period" (which he also said is sometimes less. Apparently the reason for this is because ATT is uploading a significant amount of information directly to the phone....

... he seems to know what he's talking about.

I think I am going to have to call ******** on this one. What could they possibly be uploading? The SIM card is what is supposed to contain the info that AT&T needs for cell usage. ??

-mark

 

[Cybergypsy]

Just got off the phone with 877-777-4192. I was told to leave the iPhone connected and that I should receive a confirmation email within 30 minutes to 24 hours. Since my IMEI and ICCID are already in my account, it should happen "soon" supposedly.

Mine 2 iphone took 10 minutes no more

 

[Cadence]

I'm another former "blue" plan member that is stuck with the activated phone, but it says not activated and stuck in itunes. I may try to call and cancel and restart? But what about my plan that I negotiated?

 

[k8glenn@mac.com]

Talked to Apple

First of all, the particulars:
I've been a Cingular/AT&T customer for about 6 years now.
I do have a family plan & was adding on the 1500 sms plan.
I received my "Will require additional time to activate" email at 7:18pm Eastern Friday night.
I am now waiting on hour 26.

I actually got through to someone at AT&T that was extremely pleasant & helpful. She couldn't solve the issue, but suggested that I could put the iPhone sim in my other phone if I needed to make calls in the meantime. She suggested that if I do that, to put the sim back in the iPhone every few hours just to check on the activation.

I also spoke with someone at Apple. He said that a lot of the sales from Friday night were placed on this one particular AT&T server that couldn't handle the information & crashed. So, he said that a lot of people that have been waiting as long as I have are not stuck in the queue somewhere. He said that the orders are in limbo because of this server that crashed. He said this is definitely AT&T's bad, and suggested taking the iPhone back & exchanging it for a new one. He said I should activate the new iPhone & then call AT&T and cancel the activation on the other phone. I just wanted to post in case this helps others. I'll post again once I've tried this out.

 

[thejoshu]

Sprint Progress

When dialing my number from another phone, I get the 'voice mailbox not set up' message rather than the call being routed to my Sprint phone. This is hour 25. Similarly, outgoing calls no longer work from my Sprint phone.

Edit - 5 minutes later, I have received both the e-mail and the text message, and my iPhone has been activated. Good luck, everybody.

 

[avkills]

First of all, the particulars:
I've been a Cingular/AT&T customer for about 6 years now.
I do have a family plan & was adding on the 1500 sms plan.
I received my "Will require additional time to activate" email at 7:18pm Eastern Friday night.
I am now waiting on hour 26.

I actually got through to someone at AT&T that was extremely pleasant & helpful. She couldn't solve the issue, but suggested that I could put the iPhone sim in my other phone if I needed to make calls in the meantime. She suggested that if I do that, to put the sim back in the iPhone every few hours just to check on the activation.

I also spoke with someone at Apple. He said that a lot of the sales from Friday night were placed on this one particular AT&T server that couldn't handle the information & crashed. So, he said that a lot of people that have been waiting as long as I have are not stuck in the queue somewhere. He said that the orders are in limbo because of this server that crashed. He said this is definitely AT&T's bad, and suggested taking the iPhone back & exchanging it for a new one. He said I should activate the new iPhone & then call AT&T and cancel the activation on the other phone. I just wanted to post in case this helps others. I'll post again once I've tried this out.

Umm, couldn't they just get the info off the current iPhone and make a new order and cancel the other one? I swear to God these AT&T service reps are lazy, stupid and did I mention lazy.

-mark

 

[macenforcer]

Your SIMS are broken!

Here is what happened.


The sim card waits for a response from the ATT servers for activation. Thousands of people tried to activate all at the same time and the ATT activation servers crashed. Upon reboot the system lost all the pending activation codes. ATT servers are up and running fine now but your sim is waiting for the code. There is no way to clear the sim by yourself.

The only way to fix it is to go to ATT and have them give you a new sim. Activation will be immediate after you have a new sim installed.

STOP WAITING FOR THE EMAIL. It will not come.

 

[basicfiend]

Two hours for me

Opening new account. Not transferring number. I got the message that activation needed more time to complete. Took two hours for email to come. Activating now!

 

[AtariAge]

I think I am going to have to call ******** on this one. What could they possibly be uploading? The SIM card is what is supposed to contain the info that AT&T needs for cell usage. ??

-mark

It is bull, simple as that. So much for a "high level" AT&T rep. being knowledgeable. The amount of bandwidth used by a typical voice cell phone call is obscenely more than anything they might "upload" to the phone in order to activate it.

..Al

 

[Jsimon9633]

Here is what happened.


The sim card waits for a response from the ATT servers for activation. Thousands of people tried to activate all at the same time and the ATT activation servers crashed. Upon reboot the system lost all the pending activation codes. ATT servers are up and running fine now but your sim is waiting for the code. There is no way to clear the sim by yourself.

The only way to fix it is to go to ATT and have them give you a new sim. Activation will be immediate after you have a new sim installed.

STOP WAITING FOR THE EMAIL. It will not come.

I dont buy that

I was one of those who tried to activate last night at 7pm and mine was MANUALLY ACTIVATED by them.

It can be done, they are lazy and hope they dont hav eto. thats all

 

[aimfire]

I also spoke with someone at Apple. He said that a lot of the sales from Friday night were placed on this one particular AT&T server that couldn't handle the information & crashed. So, he said that a lot of people that have been waiting as long as I have are not stuck in the queue somewhere. He said that the orders are in limbo because of this server that crashed

This makes the most sense...
Seems that you need the activation process to be restarted... either on ATT's end or by getting a new sim. I've been on hold for 30 minutes, going to request they cancel the activation and let me start from scratch.

Been over 19 hours for me... ATT keeps insisting the phone is activated, but not so

 

[avkills]

Here is what happened.


The sim card waits for a response from the ATT servers for activation. Thousands of people tried to activate all at the same time and the ATT activation servers crashed. Upon reboot the system lost all the pending activation codes. ATT servers are up and running fine now but your sim is waiting for the code. There is no way to clear the sim by yourself.

The only way to fix it is to go to ATT and have them give you a new sim. Activation will be immediate after you have a new sim installed.

STOP WAITING FOR THE EMAIL. It will not come.

Ummm, ok, that sounds feasible. But AT&T says my phone is activated, but I still have not received the email nor has iTunes unlocked my phone.

But I may do just what you suggest tomorrow.

-mark

 

[wstohner]

This makes the most sense...
Seems that you need the activation process to be restarted... either on ATT's end or by getting a new sim. I've been on hold for 30 minutes, going to request they cancel the activation and let me start from scratch.

Been over 19 hours for me... ATT keeps insisting the phone is activated, but not so

I'm in the same boat, although it's been over 26 hours for me. They said my phone was activated (they allegedly did it manually), and that I should expect any time now. I am going to forget about porting my number next time. Does anyone know, can I got into an AT&T store in a week or so and have them port my number then?

 

[AtariAge]

I also spoke with someone at Apple. He said that a lot of the sales from Friday night were placed on this one particular AT&T server that couldn't handle the information & crashed. So, he said that a lot of people that have been waiting as long as I have are not stuck in the queue somewhere. He said that the orders are in limbo because of this server that crashed. He said this is definitely AT&T's bad, and suggested taking the iPhone back & exchanging it for a new one. He said I should activate the new iPhone & then call AT&T and cancel the activation on the other phone. I just wanted to post in case this helps others. I'll post again once I've tried this out.

This is interesting. If by tomorrow morning I still do not have an activated iPhone (and I'm pretty pessimistic at this point), I will drive to the AT&T store where I bought my iPhone and get another SIM card.

..Al

 

[jbomber]

I don't think it's possible

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

I just waited on hold for 30+ minutes before getting thru to them and INSISTING they manually force it thru, but they said they were absolutely unable to do it. I even escalated it to managers and supervisors. They said it wasn't possible.

Right now i'm on a 2-hour wait, because according to them, it's all set up. If it doesn't happen for me, iIll have crossed the 24 hour mark, and I swear on all that is good and holy- ATT will not only pay for the 2 days I've gone without a phone, but somebody high on the foodchain is going to send me a hand-written apology and pay for half my service.

I am livid in ways that I can't even begin to get into....

 

[AtariAge]

I dont buy that

I was one of those who tried to activate last night at 7pm and mine was MANUALLY ACTIVATED by them.

It can be done, they are lazy and hope they dont hav eto. thats all

I've called AT&T several times today and every time I've asked about manual activation the reps have said that it's not possible.

..Al