Should I order from both AT&T and Apple?

[FreakinEurekan]

My AT&T upgrade date was 11/7/2011 - but I have traveling, etc. to do in late November and with the lead times I wanted to get a phone coming ASAP. About a week and a half ago I went into the AT&T store and ordered a 4S 64GB White as an added line on my family plan (we're going to add my mom to my family plan in a couple of months anyway, so I didn't mind having an extra line on the plan). Expected shipping time was 21-28 days, and the status since then is just "Processing" (10 days out now).

Today, AT&T released my primary line as upgrade eligible a week early - so now I'm eligible to order a subsidized phone on my actual phone line. Apple Store is showing 1-2 weeks lead time.

What I'm contemplating, is ordering a 4S 64GB White from Apple - and whichever phone gets here first, I'll activate that one and return the other.

It's a bit of a hassle and I don't like tying up two phones in the process when they're in such limited supply... if AT&T had something in their status update saying "Will ship by XXXX date" I wouldn't do it. But some reports here on MR of AT&T orders taking a long time, where Apple orders seem to ship pretty quickly.

Have people who ordered from Apple in the last couple of weeks seen the 1-2 week lead time being pretty accurate?

 

[ZBoater]

No.

Just order one and go with it.

 

[nfl46]

Honestly, I wouldn't order from Apple right now. You are already 10 days out with your AT&T order. About time your order from Apple is shipped out, you would have had your AT&T order by then.

As for Apple.com orders, its taking longer than one week, so don't expect to order it today then get it next week.

Its pretty much a toss up. If you order from Apple now, you will probably end up getting both orders around the same time.

You should look into reserving an iPhone at 9PM. If you want 16GB, then you better be prepared to go to the website around 8:55PM and open up numerous browsers tabs and hope for the best.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

HYou should look into reserving an iPhone at 9PM. If you want 16GB, then you better be prepared to go to the website around 8:55PM and open up numerous browsers tabs and hope for the best.

I've been contemplating that. Nearest Apple Store is a 4-hour round trip but I could do it.

 

[ucfgrad93]

No.

Just order one and go with it.

Agreed. I wouldn't want the hassle of returning it, etc.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

You should look into reserving an iPhone at 9PM. If you want 16GB, then you better be prepared to go to the website around 8:55PM and open up numerous browsers tabs and hope for the best.

I've been contemplating that. Nearest Apple Store is a 4-hour round trip but I could do it.

I wasn't able to check stock tonight until 10:30, and of course no AT&T phones available. Checked the 3 nearest stores (2-hour, 3-hour, and 4-hour one-way trips). I found only one AT&T phone, at the 3-hour trip store, a 32GB Black (I want 64GB White).

Interestingly, at 10:30 I could have gotten a Sprint phone in anything but 16GB at any of the stores - and all three stores show all 6 models available for Verizon.