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iPhone Activation Issues
- Thread starter iamhammill
- Start date
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My activation story - 36+hours, still not working
With no help from AT&T or Apple, I just emailed Steve Jobs about my experience.
So disappointing.
With no help from AT&T or Apple, I just emailed Steve Jobs about my experience.
So disappointing.
42 hours and still nothing.
im on the phone still with someone and we are trying to sort it out. apparently, they were supposed to generate an email with an activation code, or it was supposed to be on my receipt, but there are no codes. My CSR thinks that somehow my activation got lost in the process, which is what i've been trying to tell them for a full 24 hours now.
she also thinks she can help me, but that remains to be seen.
its a pretty colossal ****up, but when it works im sure it'll be worth it.
im on the phone still with someone and we are trying to sort it out. apparently, they were supposed to generate an email with an activation code, or it was supposed to be on my receipt, but there are no codes. My CSR thinks that somehow my activation got lost in the process, which is what i've been trying to tell them for a full 24 hours now.
she also thinks she can help me, but that remains to be seen.
its a pretty colossal ****up, but when it works im sure it'll be worth it.
I forgot to mention before, the representative also said that it could take "...at the very least 5-10 days to port a number via the iTunes method." That's why he recommended that I get a new SIM card. He said--and he couldn't stress it enough--to set up a new account through AT&T, DO NOT PORT YOUR NUMBER THROUGH ITUNES, then call the AT&T porting department to port the number: 1-888-898-7685. Here's to hoping.
are they seriously charging for new sim cards? if so, how much? if it's their fault, why would they make you pay for one?
If I were to go into an AT&T Store right now with my iPhone and my Old Phone....is there anything they can actually do besides dick me around. Im approaching the 24 hour mark, and I know its not as long as alot of other people...but im about to jump out a window.
Excellent! I think that there is probably enough legal ground at this point for a nice class action lawsuit. Apple really deserves it for this one. So much hype for such a bunch of B****IT!
Someone at Apple needs to be fired
for this nightmare. Going on 36 hours and very Pissed Off!
What was the point behind getting the iPhone authorized through iTunes? Was it some sleazy marketing thing to get customer info? Well it's Backfired! Nice way to piss off your customers!
for this nightmare. Going on 36 hours and very Pissed Off!
What was the point behind getting the iPhone authorized through iTunes? Was it some sleazy marketing thing to get customer info? Well it's Backfired! Nice way to piss off your customers!
Finally!
Finally Activated!!!!
12 hours after restarted activation
41 hours after initial activation
Advice for the rest of you:
* Cancel the porting request and start a new activation
* Don't call any of the CSRs other than 3701. They don't have access to activate the phone and they will only tell you to just wait to go through the automatic process. Call 3701 and they will manually activate on the spot.
Finally Activated!!!!
12 hours after restarted activation
41 hours after initial activation
Advice for the rest of you:
* Cancel the porting request and start a new activation
* Don't call any of the CSRs other than 3701. They don't have access to activate the phone and they will only tell you to just wait to go through the automatic process. Call 3701 and they will manually activate on the spot.
Update
Yesterday, I finally gave up and went to the beach for the afternoon without a working iPhone. Came back around 6pm and had emails:
2:40pm - "Congratulations, AT&T is transferring your number to your iPhone..."
4:26pm - Second AT&T email thanking me for my purchase and telling me that AT&T was "currently processing my order."
5:40pm - "Activation complete" email telling me to reconnect my iphone to my computer to complete the process. There is a link to click but I didn't click it, just went into itunes.
At this point I was able to start playing with my phone but was still receiving calls from my other phone. Went out to a friend's house, playing with my new iphone.
Received my first call around 11:30pm.
Very unfortunate that it was such an awful process, but I do have to say that the phone is cool enough that I'm glad I didn't take it back, it is worth sticking it out to wait for.
Also, I'm finding that I don't mind the Edge speed as bad - Edge has picked up in speed, but the wi-fi really makes up for things. Also, the wi-fi antenna is so strong, I can poach wi-fi signals all over the place so it is well worth it.
Just to tell you how my iphone has already made my life easier:
1) Got the address to the pool party last night, which I looked up in google maps, and got directions in about 10 seconds - good thing because the house would have been impossible to find, and my friend's directions were not helpful.
2) We ordered pizza late last night, had a race with someone who had a laptop connected to wi-fi and a landline phone to get ahold of the pizza place. I used my iphone and beat him hands down.
3) Got lost finding my way out of the crazy winding neighborhood streets on my way home, looked up the intersection on google maps, and was back on my way in seconds.
4) Looked up the traffic online, figured out they had shut down one of the freeways for construction, so I took, an alternate route, would have been stuck in traffic for over an hour had I not had my iphone with me.
SO far, definitely enjoying it! Good luck to all you out there still waiting - it is worth the wait!
Yesterday, I finally gave up and went to the beach for the afternoon without a working iPhone. Came back around 6pm and had emails:
2:40pm - "Congratulations, AT&T is transferring your number to your iPhone..."
4:26pm - Second AT&T email thanking me for my purchase and telling me that AT&T was "currently processing my order."
5:40pm - "Activation complete" email telling me to reconnect my iphone to my computer to complete the process. There is a link to click but I didn't click it, just went into itunes.
At this point I was able to start playing with my phone but was still receiving calls from my other phone. Went out to a friend's house, playing with my new iphone.
Received my first call around 11:30pm.
Very unfortunate that it was such an awful process, but I do have to say that the phone is cool enough that I'm glad I didn't take it back, it is worth sticking it out to wait for.
Also, I'm finding that I don't mind the Edge speed as bad - Edge has picked up in speed, but the wi-fi really makes up for things. Also, the wi-fi antenna is so strong, I can poach wi-fi signals all over the place so it is well worth it.
Just to tell you how my iphone has already made my life easier:
1) Got the address to the pool party last night, which I looked up in google maps, and got directions in about 10 seconds - good thing because the house would have been impossible to find, and my friend's directions were not helpful.
2) We ordered pizza late last night, had a race with someone who had a laptop connected to wi-fi and a landline phone to get ahold of the pizza place. I used my iphone and beat him hands down.
3) Got lost finding my way out of the crazy winding neighborhood streets on my way home, looked up the intersection on google maps, and was back on my way in seconds.
4) Looked up the traffic online, figured out they had shut down one of the freeways for construction, so I took, an alternate route, would have been stuck in traffic for over an hour had I not had my iphone with me.
SO far, definitely enjoying it! Good luck to all you out there still waiting - it is worth the wait!
I canceled my activation this morning, and restarted around 9:30am. What did you do to speed up the second activation? Did you call? I chose to not port or go with any SMS package the second time around. I plan to port later in the week, and add SMS when all is said and done.
Solution:
If you live near a At&t store, go in, get a new SIM and if you can bring a laptop and get WiFi, activate the phone in store. I just did and it went through in like 2 minutes.
I am at Heidi's Deli, eating a sandwich, since I used their wifi to do it, I felt obligated.
The guy in the store was very nice and gave me a new SIM for free.
-mark
If you live near a At&t store, go in, get a new SIM and if you can bring a laptop and get WiFi, activate the phone in store. I just did and it went through in like 2 minutes.
I am at Heidi's Deli, eating a sandwich, since I used their wifi to do it, I felt obligated.
The guy in the store was very nice and gave me a new SIM for free.
-mark
Still waiting here...
Still waiting here, at the 36 hour mark. What I don't like is AT&T telling me "lots of people are activating their iPhone's right now, we're doing the best that we can". That's an explanation, but not a a valid excuse. It doesn't excuse this, what would is "we're going to give you the first month free for this inconvenience."
Still waiting here, at the 36 hour mark. What I don't like is AT&T telling me "lots of people are activating their iPhone's right now, we're doing the best that we can". That's an explanation, but not a a valid excuse. It doesn't excuse this, what would is "we're going to give you the first month free for this inconvenience."
THIS IS HOW TO FIX THE VERIZON PORTING...for now..
I was on hour 30... waiting for my verizon # to be ported.. waiting waiting.. I couldnt even start over from scratch on my iphone, until the email told me it possibly failed...
anyway... I went to the AT&T store in Manhattan 3-4 times the last few days for all sorts of issues and questions... and this last time (about 30 minutes ago.. I asked them to give me a NEW SIM card..)
they didnt understand, but they gave me a brand new one for $0 and filled out a $0 receipt for it through the register
I came home, put the new sim card in my phone... i went through activation process again but instead chose NOT to port.. but activate a new AT&T account, with NEW number..
in 3 minutes literally.. i have my iphone working, syncing, surfing web on the new #.. i am on hold with at&t now.. to port the number over, the right way... now that the iphone is working and able on their network
-p
I was on hour 30... waiting for my verizon # to be ported.. waiting waiting.. I couldnt even start over from scratch on my iphone, until the email told me it possibly failed...
anyway... I went to the AT&T store in Manhattan 3-4 times the last few days for all sorts of issues and questions... and this last time (about 30 minutes ago.. I asked them to give me a NEW SIM card..)
they didnt understand, but they gave me a brand new one for $0 and filled out a $0 receipt for it through the register
I came home, put the new sim card in my phone... i went through activation process again but instead chose NOT to port.. but activate a new AT&T account, with NEW number..
in 3 minutes literally.. i have my iphone working, syncing, surfing web on the new #.. i am on hold with at&t now.. to port the number over, the right way... now that the iphone is working and able on their network
-p
activated!!!
FINALLY!!!!!!!! 40+ hrs and finally go through to someone on the 3701 number that could manually activate my phone.... she said my rate plan was incompatiable (like i heard 2 nights ago and thought i spent my night on the phone with a CSR getting that cleared up) anyway... she fixed me up and had me on hold for maybe 3 minutes
came back and said to turn of the iphone - wait an hour turn it on and dock it - i'd recieve an email w/in 5 minutes
what really happened is i got off the phone with her and i already had the email... so of course i docked my iPhone and ACTIVATED!! but now i have no service??? is this why she told me to wait an hour?
FINALLY!!!!!!!! 40+ hrs and finally go through to someone on the 3701 number that could manually activate my phone.... she said my rate plan was incompatiable (like i heard 2 nights ago and thought i spent my night on the phone with a CSR getting that cleared up) anyway... she fixed me up and had me on hold for maybe 3 minutes
came back and said to turn of the iphone - wait an hour turn it on and dock it - i'd recieve an email w/in 5 minutes
what really happened is i got off the phone with her and i already had the email... so of course i docked my iPhone and ACTIVATED!! but now i have no service??? is this why she told me to wait an hour?
first post from the not so iBrick!!! Thanks to all the support on here... Way better than any support I got on the phone... Keep hanging in there if you haven't been successful yet
I'm convinced the best bet is to cancel all pending activations, activate a new number, and then port later.
Whoa Baby I'm Syncing
Okay ... if you are still having issues call the 3701 number NOW! When you get the recording dial 0 - that'll dump you into the queue. I only had to wait on hold for about 20 minutes and a got a remarkabley helpful gentleman who went back and forth between me an customer service and he activated my phone ... took about 20 mins of hold time, but I'm up and running now. I'm so happy I could cry. Now I have to text my boss and tell him I don't hate him anymore (he was able to activate on Friday).
Okay ... if you are still having issues call the 3701 number NOW! When you get the recording dial 0 - that'll dump you into the queue. I only had to wait on hold for about 20 minutes and a got a remarkabley helpful gentleman who went back and forth between me an customer service and he activated my phone ... took about 20 mins of hold time, but I'm up and running now. I'm so happy I could cry. Now I have to text my boss and tell him I don't hate him anymore (he was able to activate on Friday).
My scenario ... 8:30 Friday activation ... hours and hours on hold with ATT ... ATT assured me the e-mail would come any minute ... at 42 hrs, went to local ATT store (they hadn't heard of any of these problems yet - small market) and got a new SIM card ... walked over to Panera ... was activated in less than 5 minutes.
I ported a number from a Verizon business account. ATT assured me everything was done. I agreed because the iPhone SIM worked (with my number) in a RAZR. So when I went back through iTunes activation with the new SIM card, I just picked "changing a line to the iPhone" to avoid all the porting garbage. Worked like a charm.
I'm sure your frustration will fade after you get it activated ... it is so FREAKIN' NICE!!! Nevertheless, this is a black eye that should have been properly anticipated and avoided.
The only way Apple will lose me is to stop making the best products in the world! ATT has a long way to go to gain my trust and long-term loyalty. They're lucky to be riding Apple's coat tails on this one! Honestly, I already can't wait for the next one!!!
I'm sorry if you're still not activated. Don't give up ... it's worth it!!!!!
I ported a number from a Verizon business account. ATT assured me everything was done. I agreed because the iPhone SIM worked (with my number) in a RAZR. So when I went back through iTunes activation with the new SIM card, I just picked "changing a line to the iPhone" to avoid all the porting garbage. Worked like a charm.
I'm sure your frustration will fade after you get it activated ... it is so FREAKIN' NICE!!! Nevertheless, this is a black eye that should have been properly anticipated and avoided.
The only way Apple will lose me is to stop making the best products in the world!
ATT has a long way to go to gain my trust and long-term loyalty. They're lucky to be riding Apple's coat tails on this one! Honestly, I already can't wait for the next one!!!I'm sorry if you're still not activated. Don't give up ... it's worth it!!!!!
I am seriously thinking that Apple's iTunes servers crashed and all of us that had been (and still are) waiting activations disappeared. I only say this because I did the exact same process with the new SIM and it activated the phone in under 1 minute.
Apple ****ed up, plain and simple.
-mark
Apple ****ed up, plain and simple.
-mark
Still nobody who opend a website?
Guys,
open a website that you can fill in where you bought it, when you activated it, what steps you take and how long it took.
Gather data from as many people as you can in a simple interface...
that will help you getting at&t or apple to help faster i guess with something like saying 'sorry'. Bundle all your complains!
Guys,
open a website that you can fill in where you bought it, when you activated it, what steps you take and how long it took.
Gather data from as many people as you can in a simple interface...
that will help you getting at&t or apple to help faster i guess with something like saying 'sorry'. Bundle all your complains!