O2 Offering iPhone 3G Contract Signups Prior to July 11th?

[MacRumors]

Apple is set to launch the iPhone 3G on July 11th in 20 countries. Reports of the mandatory contract agreements at the time of iPhone 3G purchase have many worried about the logistics of executing this plan on launch day. When the original iPhone was launched, users were allowed to activate their phone and choose a rate plan at home.

At least one O2 rep has been telling customers that they will be able to sign up for contracts and rate plans ahead of the 3G launch to help expedite sales on launch day.

The main point he told me was this, From July 1st All O2 stores in the UK will offer pre registration Credit checks, You can come in store, have your contract setup for you, and a unique registration code given to you. The contract will simply be "paused" and wont be activated. No details are taken about which model phone you are going to be purchasing.

You can then turn up on July 11th and quote the registration code and then make a standard purchase of the phone and then the contract will become activated.

Unfortunately, mobile phone reps have been notoriously inaccurate with respect to pre-release iPhone information, but such a procedure would help alleviate long delays on launch day. If true, we would expect Apple to adopt a similar strategy in the U.S.

Article Link

 

[thePhilster]

I think this is true: according to O2 Ireland, the iPhone is available to pre-order from the 1st July: http://www.o2online.ie/wps/wcm/conn.../O2+to+Launch+iPhone+3G+in+Ireland+on+July+11

No sign of something similar on the UK site though. I ordered my PAC code on the 9th, just in case of "immediate availability", so the 11th is a terrible date for me, as my PAC will have expired 2 days prior, and I may not be able to get a new one in time for launch day... unless this pre-registration could make use of the PAC code?

 

[J-apple]

So there will now be lines to pre-register?!

 

[captain kaos]

Marvelous. (can you spot the sarcasm!)

 

[dant19]

So there will now be lines to pre-register?!

Not necessarily, lines would have formed because a large number of people would have gone on the 11th in order to be the first to have an iPhone, and the contract sign up process would have created large lines. I could be wrong, but I don't think being one of the first to pre-register is something that people shout about, and so is not going to cause major queues on the day that pre-registration is launched.

Seems like a good idea to me if its true

-Dan

 

[hugodrax]

What happens when you abuse something that was meant to make it easier for consumers. Apple too corrective steps and now you have to go through the same hassle everyone else has to go when purchasing a phone.


People whine about DRM but then they do stuff to make DRM a reality. Soon OS X will have the same DRM as vista with registrations etc..

 

[/dev/toaster]

AT&T _has_ to do something like this. Otherwise, it is going to be the worst launch of a cell phone ever. The reason the orginal iPhone launch went so smooth was that there was no activations in the store.

Your typical activation can take 20 minutes, I have no idea how they are going to handle this for 2k users per flagship store.

For me activation is going to be a complex process. I need to upgrade my phone over (still using a NJ number when I live in CA now) and I need to port my GFs phone over from a NJ number (keeping the number of course). Not to mention, my credit is really bad so that adds lots of issues.

I am looking forward to the phone, standing in line but not the activation(s).

 

[jstride]

That's not quite what O2 said to me in the UK

Dear Jake

Thank you for your email

As the new 3G iPhone is not due to launch until 11 July. I'm unable to
advise if there are any restrictions on the number of connections to a
new iPhone business account.

We have not been advised as to what time the O2 stores will be open on
the 11 July for new iphone business connections.
I would advise to contact your local O2 store to confirm what the
opening hours will be and if it is possible to pre book and pre credt
vet an iPhone business account prior to the 11 July.

I've included the O2 Storefinder on the link below.

http://www.multimap.com/share/o2/?cm_re=bluepromo-_-leftbox-_-storefinde
r

Further details on the new iPhone can be found on the O2 website
http://www.o2.co.uk/iphone which is being regularly updated.

You can also register your interest on the following link.

http://iphone.o2.co.uk/registeryourinterest/



Kind Regards


Graham Lowery

Business Response Team

Telephone 0800 9777 337



http://www.o2.co.uk



-----Original Message-----
From: Jake Stride [mailto:jake.stride@senokian.com]
Sent: 23 June 2008 19:20
To: iphonebusiness (UK)
Subject: Setting Up a Business Account


Hi,

I want to open a new business account for the new iPhone with 3 or 4
handsets. If I want them on the 11th July I assume I will have to
visit an O2 store to do it. Will there be a limit on the number of
handsets, what details will I need and when will they open. Also is
there anyway I can open the account before hand at the store and just
go in and get the handsets on the day?

Thanks
Jake

 

[66217]

I could be wrong, but I don't think being one of the first to pre-register is something that people shout about, and so is not going to cause major queues on the day that pre-registration is launched.

From the moment I bought my Mac, I have seen the world in a different way. And I've got to see what being obsessed (in an unhealthy way) with something is. Really, don't dare overestimate Apple fans. They are the most crazy, strange and unpredictable lot out there.

It wouldn't surprise me if we see an incredible amount of people there just for registering for the iPhone.

 

[berkleeboy210]

I was able to do this last year in the states without a problem. I went into the ATT store a week prior to launch they did a credit check, (no deposit!) and gave me a code, when I came back for the launch gave them the code, my credit card and was out the door.

This is nothing new at least here in the states anyway.

 

[amusiccale]

While the lines make good publicity fodder, having reduced lines would be much better.

 

[philgilder]

i had a similar question (without the number of handsets) and result as jstride has, simply linking the "register your interest" links

 

[bigmc6000]

Isn't the real backlog caused by people who aren't already with the company? I mean, you don't need to do a credit check on someone who's already with the company (at least you shouldn't) and further more if the person already owns an iPhone shouldn't you just be able to get their number, register the IMEI and call it a day?

I still have 1 question tho - what about my current iPhone? Can I give/sell it to a friend and have them get the $20 a month data plan?

 

[ziggyonice]

Um... coming from a guy in America...

O2 > AT&T

 

[J-apple]

Not necessarily, lines would have formed because a large number of people would have gone on the 11th in order to be the first to have an iPhone, and the contract sign up process would have created large lines. I could be wrong, but I don't think being one of the first to pre-register is something that people shout about, and so is not going to cause major queues on the day that pre-registration is launched.

Seems like a good idea to me if its true

-Dan

I'm hoping that's the case, but the way I read it is (stating this is true and happens in the US) if you pre-register ahead of the 11th, you reserve an iPhone for yourself on July 11th.

There's still a lot more to hear from AT&T/Apple, but if that's the case the lines will move from the 11th to the day of pre-registering, so they can reserve their phone.

 

[adom]

True

It makes sense...though it's nothing exclusive to the iPhone launch. When I worked at O2, we could regularly run a credit check on a customer, take down all of their details etc, and then suspend the application if required.

The customer had 30-days to come back and complete the transaction (e.g. show his/her ID, choose the phone & plan etc) - from which we could simply press "Resume" and go on as normal.

So yeah, I think this story is totally true...it isnt as iphone exclusive as it sounds. They can / could do it for anyone and for any stocked phone.

Edit: The 'code' they will give you, will probably be the credit check code which shows up on screen after the staff member has ran through the whole checking / id process and the system has made a Accept / Refer or Decline response. It used to be something like "o2-xxxxxxxx".

 

[razorianfly]

If this is true, I'll be waiting outside my local o2 shop at 9am GMT, July 1st.

R-Fy

 

[philgilder]

I still have 1 question tho - what about my current iPhone? Can I give/sell it to a friend and have them get the $20 a month data plan?

yes, you can. although you could unlock it and put it on eBay, and make more money

 

[salvatorereda]

Each Apple store and ATT store will only have about 100 iphones each
on July 11. Best thing to do is get there really early and stand in line.

 

[dant19]

I'm hoping that's the case, but the way I read it is (stating this is true and happens in the US) if you pre-register ahead of the 11th, you reserve an iPhone for yourself on July 11th.

There's still a lot more to hear from AT&T/Apple, but if that's the case the lines will move from the 11th to the day of pre-registering, so they can reserve their phone.

No, your not reserving a phone. Your setting up a contract. If you re-read the article, it says that they take no details about the type of phone on which you are planing to get. That therefore presents you with 3 possibilities and I doubt that they are going to get 3 iPhones in per pre-registered contract

But what this means is that that for each pre-registration, your not reducing the total available iphone count by one. Therefore, say they do pre-registration a week before 11th of july, you can go in any time and set up a postponed contract and then activate it when you have bought your iphone.

This therefore assumes that you can set up your contract, and then not get a n iphone for a couple of months and then activate it.

Just how I understood it anyway

-Dan

 

[sunfast]

Really hope this is true - great idea if it is! Will make life a lot easier.

 

[J-apple]

No, your not reserving a phone. Your setting up a contract. If you re-read the article, it says that they take no details about the type of phone on which you are planing to get. That therefore presents you with 3 possibilities and I doubt that they are going to get 3 iPhones in per pre-registered contract

But what this means is that that for each pre-registration, your not reducing the total available iphone count by one. Therefore, say they do pre-registration a week before 11th of july, you can go in any time and set up a postponed contract and then activate it when you have bought your iphone.

This therefore assumes that you can set up your contract, and then not get a n iphone for a couple of months and then activate it.

Just how I understood it anyway

-Dan

Ahh, gotcha Dan. I re-read it and that does make more sense now. If this pans out for the US, I think it'll be a great benefit!

 

[L3X]

Each Apple store and ATT store will only have about 100 iphones each
on July 11. Best thing to do is get there really early and stand in line.

Umm, I doubt the NYC stores will only have 100 iPhones...

This story is good, though if it's true. I hope AT&T can confirm this. I like many others have a rather complex activation process so it could take around 30 mins.

 

[starnox]

Went to Fulham Broadway O2 yesterday and they said the same thing. They said they would be able to do all the credit checks and everything beforehand. He didn't say I had to wait until the 1st of July however. Plus he said they were opening 7:02PM on the 11th.

 

[Le Big Mac]

Why not? Have the fedex packages ready to go, just like apple does.