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Activation Problems in iPhone Paradise

Posted by Zonk on from the long-wait-short-celebration dept.

Thomas Hawk writes "Unfortunately it appears that some activations of Apple's new iPhone have gone badly. After waiting in line 36 hours I'm still unable to activate my phone. I'm documenting the AT&T circus call by call on my blog. I've had my hold calls dropped, been patched into other users unable to activate their phone instead of AT&T customer service reps, been told that my wife must get a new phone and that the family plan can't work for me. I've been told that the problem is that I'm not putting a new chip into my iPhone in the slot on the left side of my phone when no slot there exists. PR Blogger Steve Rubel has also been documenting his problems on his Twitterstream. According to an unscientific poll being conducted by Engadget about half of the people who bought iPhones have had activation trouble with about 38% of problems still unresolved." Even the folks at MacWorld weren't immune to these issues.

3 of 434 comments (clear)

  1. Link to resolution of problem by scooter.higher · · Score: 5, Informative
    The summary fails to mention one of the (I believe) more informational parts of the story...

    http://thomashawk.com/2007/07/hot-donkey-after-36- hours-we-just.html

    Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Haaaalllleeeeejuuuuuahhhhh!

    We just did it. After probably 20 or so phone calls to numerous departments all over Apple and AT&T we finally found the *right* department who can actually activate iPhones with you online, on the spot.

    The magic number, and you will want to write this one down, is 877-800-3701. A special shout out and thanks to Scott Francis who left us a comment with the key to getting this whole mess solved. Apparently this is the one place at AT&T where they can actually activate your iPhone with you online. It was about a 20 minute hold and about a 10 minute process but the iPhone is now activated.

    Thanks to everyone who spent the last day plus with us on ZooomrTV while we got it activated. It's been a fun ride. Now time to play with the phone and figure it out.
    --
    Ramen
    1. Re:Link to resolution of problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      The summary fails to mention one of the (I believe) more informational parts of the story...

      Oops, you quoted the wrong part, from the comments:

      you are an idiot. i saw several ppl trying to help you in the zooomr chat and you ignored their suggestions, choosing instead to milk the story. how funny that the solution you eventually was the same as the one they suggested. if you had spent more time trying to solve the problem and less time on a broadcasting ego-trip then maybe you wouldn't have wasted so much of your weekend on hold and could have spent it with the children instead.
  2. Re:i don't think "vast" is the right adjective by mr_matticus · · Score: 5, Informative

    You don't have to care about Apple at all to know that 38% of people aren't having problems with activation. Just ask Reuters. They say 2%, and I trust their sources infinitely more than an Engadget poll with roughly the same number of responses as every other Engadget poll and absolutely no mechanism to restrict responses--two clicks to a vote is an easy target.