There is no fact in that article... Its based on posts of users here. No one has actually seen their phone yet, or can say for certain that it will be arriving early.
**** On the matter of activating your phone, I recently spoke with Apple:
You are chatting with John T, an Apple Expert
APPLE: Hi, my name is John T. Welcome to Apple!
ME: Hello
APPLE:Hi... How are you today?
ME:Great, thanks
APPLE:How can I help?
ME: I purchased the iPhone 3G S yesterday (monday) and I was curious about two things.
APPLE: Sure.
ME: 1) When I receive it via pre-order will I be able to activate it from my home? Or will I need to go to AT&T or Apple?
ME: 2) Will it arrive to me by the 19th still, as advertised?
APPLE:Yes you can activate at home, and it will be there on the 19th.
There you go. Activate from home.