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iPhone Activation Issues

My problems

I had a problem with my activation. My phone was working, and I could access the Internet through WiFi, but I couldn’t make and receive phone calls. I had to spend hours over phone with AT&T and Apple customer support. I spoke with at least 10 different representatives and most of them had no idea why my phone was not working. I was told to hook up my iPhone to a computer and wait for 48-72 hours; to go to Apple store and ask a Mac Genius for help; to send my phone back to Apple and change a SIM card… I've used all possible troubleshooting techniques described in the iPhone User Guide.

Luckily, I’ve decided to call AT&T Customer Service at 1-877-419-4500. I’ve received this number in email with my activation confirmation. Finally, one of the customer support representatives was able to help me. He performed different troubleshooting tricks: sent me updates, verified phone information including the SIM card number, and, at last, he found that my personal information wasn’t properly entered at one of their databases. He restored it and instantly my cell signal bars appeared along with AT&T and E (EDGE network) symbols.

I posted iPhone activation and troubleshooting tips at http://www.cybernaut.com/2007/07/iphone-troubleshooting-101.html
I hope this will help you to avoid troubles with activation :)
 
The saga ends...

Finally got the email that I was all activated with my new SIM card. Docked the phone, but iTunes still gave me the Begin New Account Screen... once again...

I called ATT again, they took my number in case we were disconnected. After checking they said it should all be working. I asked them to make sure that the new SIM card is on the account... disconnected... she never called back.

I called again, and I got this lady who rocked. I gave her the new SIM number and she said that this new SIM card was disconnected... she figured out that they put the new SIM number in, but then the old SIM number somehow got put back in and deactivated the new one, and basically I was screwed, because once deactivated, they can't be reactivated. I would have to get yet another SIM card from the ATT Store. I told her the whole story, and she said "That's Brutal", I loved that! She told me to get another SIM and just go into the setup and transfer the existing ATT account through the iTunes setup.

After another visit to the ATT Store, it took minutes to activate and I'm finally all set.

So everybody who said get a new SIM, and go through the normal Start Up procedure in iTunes was totally correct. When it works, it sure seems so easy. But when you spend 4 days, 3 SIMS, and about 20 hours on the phone it kind of sucks.

So after all this activation pain what do I think of the iPhone...
Well I think every cell phone manufacturer and every cell phone company is screwed, because this is hands down the coolest thing I have ever seen.

My wife sync'ed some music, photos, and her address book... we were playing tunes through the speaker, and scrolling through photos... zooming them..., landscaping them. it was just fun. The finger control is so accurate and perfect I can't believe it. Maps rock. The whole thing rocks... I would get it just for the iPod features... Paging through your music is so cool. You Tube does look better than when I watch it on my computer. Paul Gilbert Scarified is bookmarked... for my wife to enjoy ;-}

Would I go through this again for the iPhone... YES. And through it all, I have to say everyone at ATT was super nice, and I'm sure they were getting yelled at hour after hour.

out,
strum ( Glad to see I had my own ringtone )

Apple please add a Theatre - Movie Times widget. And a Zagat type widget.
 
my activation

I was a prior cingular customer, and i told them that at the store. i don't know if they used this information to help me activate more quickly, but I was using my phone within 2 minutes out of the box.

I was horrified going through the prompts thinking that my account information was not current with at&t and that my zip code might not match up, but everything went very smoothly and the phone worked almost instantly!!!

I feel really bad for people who had to sit there with this incredible phone, only to find that they could not use it!! I would have been VERY angry after waiting months to have that happen!!!!

As far as the phone. All of us owners know that it is revolutionary. We have our hands on something that will eventually become the standard and made available to the masses... and we are VERY lucky!!!
 
jj28 said:
I'd also like to say that we recieved zero training for this. We were told that we'd have to fix one of two issues; invalid addresses and invalid SSNs.

As it stands now we are expecting to resolve every kind of technical issue that arises during the activation process, and learning as we go along.

We didn't even know we'd be working with the iPhone until two days before launch.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the answer jj28 about the servers; I was on the phone with one of the good CS reps and they told me the same thing.

iWeight, the At&t stores have been told not to help customers with iPhones; however, if you explain to them that you know how to change the SIM card, they should give you one for free. Just be polite and explain that you've been waiting forever and that you've read on forums about the SIM replacement working. The guy in the store I went to was very nice and even said he would give me another SIM if I blew the first try.

Apple should have known better as to not have spare SIM chips in store. That is something they need to learn about. SIMS can die, so Apple will learn soon enough to start stocking them.

-mark
 
I went to the ATT store yesterday with all of the stuff I've been though documented and printed out. As soon as I walked in the security guard sez "oh boy here he is" I gave him the "don't f*** with me motherf***" look and that shut him down real quick. I basically had to strong arm them to fix the problem in the store and when they re-ran the credit it came back saying I needed a 300 dollar deposit. I told them and I quote, "someone is going to get on the phone with someone to make this right. When you tell me I'm pre approved on friday I am pre approved from that point on." Anything else you're saying to me is a lie at this point." they were shaking and did everything they could to get the deposit taken off. After running it through an analyst 25 minutes later I had my pre-approved credit code and my phone activated in 10 minutes. It pains me that I have to get ghetto to get results but i'll be damned if I'm going to be treated like a sucker over a stupid cell phone contract. Netdoc wins!
 
theNEOone said:
woohoo, finally!!!!

I called the 877 419 4500 number, spoke to someone and explained that i had been waiting since friday to be activated, but had issues with mediamax, the fact that i was a blue customer, etc....

they took some additional information from me and needed to change my address. apparantly the fact that i had a p.o. box as the mailing address on my account may have been an issue......


=|
Click to expand...

Were you able to keep your AT&T blue plan?
 
cirby said:
So, after several calls over the last couple of days, I finally got a gal who told me that my ancient AT&T plan was on the "blue" side of the network, and the iPhone needs to be on the "orange" side.

I ended up going into he AT&T store nearby, and after a number of attempts, they managed to, effectively, "give me a new phone" (activated a SIM card without the phone). They also, after a few tries, got he computer to shove me over to the "blue" side.

By the time I got home, my ancient cell was turned off, but the iPhone wassn't working. A couple more calls to the "sync" department, and the iPhone came on - I got the magic email and everything.

Got my Wi-Fi on and everything.
Click to expand...

Were you able to keep your AT&T blue plan?
 
Since there aren't too many posts here recently, I'm assuming the activation issues have been cleaned up over the last few days. Or people just got tired of talking about it. :)
 
A friend of mine is trying to activate as I post. He's getting a "technical difficulties" message and is on the phone with ATT.
You'd think no more problems at this late date. ???
 
I just got the dreaded "Your activation takes additional time to complete" message. VERY VERY ANNOYING since I know I could have walked out of the ATT store with a blackberry that worked on the spot.

I had a pre-approved credit code too, and it still says this.

I'm getting on the horn. I'm frustrated. This is 2007. Why is it so complicated to activate a phone? seriously.. can someone speak as to what is so technically difficult about activating the iPhone?
 
AT&T was having system problems on activation again tonight (7/17). It took four tries over a two hour period to get my iPhone activated. Thank goodness it worked and I don't have to go to the AT&T store in the morning!
 
netdoc66 said:
I went to the ATT store yesterday with all of the stuff I've been though documented and printed out. As soon as I walked in the security guard sez "oh boy here he is" I gave him the "don't f*** with me motherf***" look and that shut him down real quick. I basically had to strong arm them to fix the problem in the store and when they re-ran the credit it came back saying I needed a 300 dollar deposit. I told them and I quote, "someone is going to get on the phone with someone to make this right. When you tell me I'm pre approved on friday I am pre approved from that point on." Anything else you're saying to me is a lie at this point." they were shaking and did everything they could to get the deposit taken off. After running it through an analyst 25 minutes later I had my pre-approved credit code and my phone activated in 10 minutes. It pains me that I have to get ghetto to get results but i'll be damned if I'm going to be treated like a sucker over a stupid cell phone contract. Netdoc wins!
Click to expand...


HA!

Congrats. Ya gota do watcha gota do. ;)

I'm dealing with my very own activation problems, after receiving the phone in the mail today. In addition to the slow servers, "iPhone activations are not available at this time", they're having trouble porting my number. Seems it'll take 48-72 hours. So the slow server thing isn't so bad right now. Joy. More on this later.
 
Dr. Mac said:
not one to jump on the techno train too soon, i've always made it a point to wait a few months for all the dust to settle. seems, in this case, i've made a wise choice! :p
Click to expand...

You've saved yourself possibly a day or two of frustration and a few months of enjoyment. Life is short.
 
oogje said:
You've saved yourself possibly a day or two of frustration and a few months of enjoyment. Life is short.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

I was up and ready the following morning. Just enough time to charge up and handle the activation process (the servers were fine after an hour or two). Luckily enough, there wasn't a need to wait the 48-72 hours I was given for porting my number.

Just get one already! ;)

edit: I should also add that despite these initial problems, the staff at AT&T handled things quite nicely.
 
it took me a day and a half to get mine activated.

when i called ATT, they said they've been experiencing technical difficulties and that my phone will not be activated for another 2 days. i was pissed but when i woke up in the morning, the phone was activated.

it seems ATT isn't on top of their ball at all. i wish Apple had gone with Verizon instead...
 
Restart To Finalize Activation

Trial and error -- helped others out too since my fault.

Turn off iPhone 4 and turn it back on to finalize activation of your new phone!!

Let me know if this helps! :D
 
Just got my 4S from apple uk. interest my 02 sim from my old iPhone 4 and this message came up:
insert a valid SIM with no PIN lock to activate iPhone.
why the phone is unlocked?
there is also no SIM Lock on the phone.
 
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