iPhone activation hell
Day two, as far as I know we now have 2 successful activations out of 8.
The newly successful activation was blocked from doing anything last night and so was essentially a first try this morning. The rest of us who tried early seem to be locked in some sort of iPhone activation queue of doom.
News of the activation problems is spreading:
- This Digg thread, AT&T Activation Clumsiness hurts iPhone, says nothing, but it will have a zillion diggs by lunch. If things don’t get better the entire Digg top ten will be iPhone woes.
- Tuaw: While some sit in raptured bliss, others await activation
- Massive thread on MacRumors forums: iPhone Activation Issues
- Engadget: iPhone activations hosed until morning?
- Plenty more here: iphone activation – Google Blog Search
- Apple support is lit up: Apple – Support – Discussions – Phone
I’m trying to figure out who this is worst for. I’m thinking AT&T, who should be spinning furiously about how the activation problems are the fault of other carriers, the number transfer system or whatever. Their market value is going to get hammered on Monday. Have fun with the brand rebuilding since you’re going to be fondly known as the POS that kept us from using our new iPhones.
I just called the iPhone Activation Line, 877-800-3701, got a recorded message and disconnected. Nice. Also tried 877-419-4500 which put me on hold, I’ll try calling again later.
It is sort of funny how the communal joy of this experience has turned into communal frustration for so many. No, it’s not really funny at all. I want this very expensive, beautiful and fully useless thing to start working.
I’m past 19 hours for my activation wait time, and all AT&T and Apple can say is that I may have to wait as many as 48 hours total. And having been an AT&T customer who simply wanted to switch phones on my current plan, this seems absolutely ridiculous.
You can follow my Odyssey at http://macademic.net
I am shocked that these problems have not been resolved yet. Nothing like a bad user experience to put the breaks on the hype. The phone is beautiful. Not being able to use it is not!!!!!
incredible to hear that this is happening to ATT customers.
ATT should give everyone a free trip to Hawaii for their troubles.
I want to go to Hawaii
I want to go to Hawaii
I want to go to Hawaii NOW.
I am a long time ATT customer. I had the charter 1500 plan with the first ATT. That gave me unlimited minutes for $99 a month. I suffered years with low coverage but because I was an early adopter. As a result they gave me this great deal. Well, apparently, the iPhone can’t be used with an old ATT plan. They told me point blank that if I wanted the iPhone to work that I needed to change plans. What ATT did was in total violation of all their advertizing, which stated that existing customers simply needed to add an iPhone data plan. I told them that I thought it was wrong and illegal but that I still wanted to try the iPhone so they signed me up for a new plan. The Apple representative said earlier that it was no problem and that I would likely be given the exact same plan. Totally untrue!
That was probably my first mistake because the stupid phone still does not work. As soon as they did that my old ATT phone stopped working! The iPhone does not work either. So now I have NO PHONE. No one can call me. My family and friends are starting to wonder where I am? I am in iPhone activation “hell”, as I have heard others it put.
I have been on technical help called for at least 6 hours (keep in mind that I am a long time customer). ATT told me that I was all ready to go on their system. ATT said, “it’s Apple’s fault.” ATT told me to take the sim card out of the iPhone and put it in my old phone. They actually told me to stick a paperclip in a hole of the iPhone to get this done.
So I called Apple. I got a prerecorded message. So I call the local Apple store. They set me up with an Apple “genius”, who was actually very nice. The Apple Genius checks and says that the problem is with ATT. He checks with his supervisor to make sure. He says that the sim card should NOT be changed. He told me to wait overnight and see what happens in the morning.
I am now in my second day of “activation hell.” I call ATT. I have been on the phone two hours +. I am writing this while I am on hold. ATT confirms that it is not their fault. They tell me everything on their system is “perfect.” They put me through to Apple. Apple tells me that I need to wait 48 hours. I explained to Apple that I don’t have a phone that works. They offer to put me back to ATT. I ask for a supervisor.
The supervisor does some checking and says, “we have activation specialists that can get your phone working right away. I am not sure why they did not put you though before now.” Wow.
I am still on hold waiting for the person that Apple says can help me, if they exist.
In summary: ATT is a dirty rotten contract breaker. They had no interest in honoring their contract with me. The activation problem for me is CONFIRMED to be with Apple, even though previously Apple denied it. Therefore Apple is lying.
I believe that someone ought to start a class action lawsuit for denial of service, false advertising and unfair business practices. Unless the government can do something on the regulatory side, this might be the consumer’s only hope of justice. So far, the only thing “revolutionary” I see is an unprecedented “activation hell.” Steve Jobs you got it all wrong. I pray that the competition comes out with a competing phone so that we can all leave ATT and mark Apple as a footnote.
I can’t believe people expected this to go smoothly at all.