iPhone Activation Disasters

Macworld [via PC World] ^ | Friday, June 29, 2007 | Jim Dalrymple, Macworld

[angkor]

iPhone Activation Disasters

Three hours after getting my hands on one, I am ready to drop the thing from the 44th floor of the New York Hilton.

I was so excited flying from my home in Halifax to New York this morning--I was getting an iPhone! But three hours after getting my hands on one, I am ready to drop the thing from the 44th floor of the New York Hilton--and I probably would if I was sure it would hit someone from AT&T. Earlier this week I transferred my Macworld business account to an individual account solely for the purpose of getting an iPhone--I had to since business plans don't qualify for the iPhone. I know for a fact that I'm not the only person who had to do this--and judging from the wait time I'm having on tech support, I'm not the only one having problems.

When I tried to activate my account, I got an error message that said my account couldn't be used with the iPhone. I called AT&T and explained the situation--the service-provider checked the account and said I definitely have a qualifying account. The tech support person checked all kinds of other things and said I should be all set to activate.

No go.

AT&T then said I had to call Apple; I was transferred to Apple iPhone tech support. After explaining the problem, the Apple tech support person asked me to wait while he read some documentation and advised me he would be gone for about four minutes. Four minutes later, we were disconnected without speaking further.

When you get an error activating, a special number comes up. I called it and a recording said they were having technical difficulties and couldn't help me right now and to please call back later.

I decided to call AT&T back again. The person I got said that my account was still listed as a business account--well, that can't be, I changed it. She said I needed to be transferred to another person who would definitely be able to help me.

I explained my problem to the new person who said that my account was most definitely an individual account, not a business account and they didn't know why I couldn't activate it. They needed to transfer me to someone who would be able to help me.

Starting to see a trend here? I explained my problem to the new person who said it could be a business account, and they needed to transfer me. Apparently a password was set on my account when it was transferred and they needed the password in order to check things further.

"But I didn't set a password on the account," I said. AT&T said, for security reasons, it couldn't do anything else until the password was removed.

"OK, remove the password," I said.

Nope, that had to be done at an AT&T retail store where I had to show ID. OK, there is one across the street from the Hilton on Avenue of the Americas in New York.

So, off I went. I explained the situation and said I needed my password removed. The clerk said the store wasn't doing anything but selling iPhones today and that if I needed anything else, I would have to come back tomorrow.

I left in a huff and called AT&T support back again. I explained the situation and they said they needed to--yes, smart readers--transfer me to someone that could help me.

I have been on tech support for a couple of hours, been hung up on once and have been transferred no less than 12 times so far.

And I'm still on hold with AT&T.

If I see that guy from the AT&T Store across the street, this phone is going out the window.

And I see that my colleague Dan Moren is having problems getting his iPhone to work as well. So, Macworld is currently 0-for-2 when it comes to working iPhones; hopefully, our West Coast editors will have better luck.

[rockrr]

OK, this is kinda long, but it's cut from an actual email I wrote to a manager a couple of years back concerning Cingular service (I wanted him to "share my pain"):

I have a work-order to install four wireless laptop aircards.

The first two cards go swimmingly. The software loads up no problemo and Cingular was quick & efficient to activate the cards. Card number three didn't go so well. It took two weeks to catch up with the gentleman. I uninstalled the old software and installed the software for the new card.

Bluescreen!

After a bunch of "round & round" I discovered that there is a revised version of the software that we are using now (but no one bothered to tell us lowly techs).

Uninstall the obsolete version and install the new. Looks much better.

I call Cingular to activate the card - it takes a while but I finally get my turn. They take my info (including the questions that they aren't supposed to ask like billing numbers and qualified billing agent names) and wait while they turn on the card. Problem is - they can't get it to go! Back on hold while they parley with each other. Ultimately they determine that the SIM card is bad.

Another interminable wait on hold. Now the battery in my cellphone is giving out! When they come back on I alert them that I may lose the call and they grab my shipping address. I'm ready to head back to Seattle when I remember that I've changed the configuration of the end user's laptop and I can't leave it this way. So I uninstall the new stuff and reinstall the old stuff (a sizable task when you take into account how monumentally slow these Toughbook laptops are). Four days later the replacement SIM card arrives.

It takes two more days until I am able to coordinate with the end user and go at it again. I do the software razzle-dazzle and go to activate the card. The voice-menu at Cingular has changed and activating aircards isn't one of the options. I call our Cingular Rep to set me up and he accommodates me (I hate bugging him too much but he definitely comes through when I need him!). I get the card activated (finally!) and send the user on his way. The final cost (time-wise)? Approximately eight hours.

To install an AirCard.

But I'm not done. I still have one more to go.

Luckily, the last end user is available and going to be in a meeting for two hours. "Plenty of time" I say to myself (when will I learn?!) Out with the old - in with the new.

Call Cingular to activate.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait some more.
My turn!
I give the nice lady all my info (including the aforementioned "not supposed to be mentioned" billing info). Wait.
Wait.
She comes back to tell me that the SIM card number I gave her is already in use.
Phooey!
She checks some more (which gives me an opportunity to review the Muzak) and finally says; "Yes, your SIM card is already in use. As a departure from previous AirCard adventures, this particular rep suggests that I could obtain a replacement SIM if I go to one of their retail stores. I remind this Rep that I am a Corporate Customer and that trying to get service from a retail store won't work (a lesso I learned the hard way!), but she insists. A quick scan of their website reveals a store a couple of miles away.

So I bundle up the laptop and the Aircard stuff and venture out in search of the store. Easier said than done, but I eventually find it.

The nice man behind the counter tells me that he cannot replace a SIM card without charging me $25 (refundable, but that means purchasing it, expensing the purchase out of my pocket, and hoping that I can get my money back).

So I return to the customer, sans a working SIM, reverse razzle-dazzle the S/W and give the laptop beck to my now definitely disgruntled customer.

I do have another SIM card on order and hopefully I will receive it before the field serviceman retires.

Now I realize that my saga was long, boring, and more than a little painful to read. Believe me - it was anything but boring to experience. The better part of two days doing two 20-minute jobs. And I'm not done yet!

Two interminable days later the Cingular store calls. They have my SIM! Happy happy!

I high-tail it to the store and stand around for the better part of an hour waiting my turn. Finally I get the attention of one of the sales clerks.

"Hi, I'm Charlie and I'm here to get a replacement SIM card that I ordered".

"Hmmm. I don't usually do that. Lemme see if I can find someone to help you."

A half-hour goes by before that happens.

"Hi, I'm Charlie and I'm here to get a replacement SIM card that I ordered".

"Did you order one from this store?"

"Yes. Here's my paperwork"

She peruses the paperwork with an increasingly serious look.

"Are you sure you ordered it here?"

"Why yes, I am. You'll notice your store number on the bottom of that workorder."

"Well I'll have to check this with my manager."

And away she goes.

Another twenty minutes flies by.

Her manager comes out from the back, holding my paperwork. Seriousness seems to be the order of the day. I knew what was coming next, but sometimes it's hard to deal with it..

"Hello, my name is Larry. How can I help you?!"

"Hi, I'm Charlie and I'm here to get a replacement SIM card that I ordered". I repeat with a dogged determination.

"Yes. Hmmm. I see. Well, the thing of it is, well, we don't have your SIM card."

"Then can you answer a question for me?" I inquired.

"Why the hell did you call me and tell me that you did!"

"Well, er, ahem, I don't know. But we don't have your SIM card."

"However, if you'd like, you could pick one up from our Bellevue store (17 miles away).

"No thanks. I do believe that I've had enough. If you'll please return my $25 dollars, I'll be on my way."

"Well, We don't have your $25 either!"

"Nevermind, I'll take it up with my Cingular Rep."

All told, it took over a week of downtime, a half-dozen trips from town to town, and direct intervention from our Corporate Rep in order to get my customer up and running.

Good thing I don't get paid piece-rate!

[July 4th]

So far so good on my Verizon Blackberry, which I just got today...so I'll hope that things don't change for the worse.

But with regards to the inconvenience that comes with being available all of the time, I would never answer when I'm talking face to face with someone. All you have to do is remember one simple thing: the cell phone is a convenience for others to be able to get a hold of you. Don't think of it in any other terms, and you don't feel so bad if you ignore a call.

[tophat9000]

I was so excited flying from my home in Halifax to New York this morning--I was getting an iPhone

Halifax? as in Canada... if so he might be in for more disappointment... iPhone is limited to US use only (an Apple requirement)... AT&T will deactivate after 3 month out of country roaming ...at least that my understanding

[afnamvet]

I'm sure you and I would be happy to take those iphones from the 1 - 2%.

[packrat35]

T-Mobile was great. Contact is up now on my Cingular, who bought At&t, so I am looking to switch some time this month. Maybe back to T-Mobile.

AT&T is NOT an option. Just bringing it up will get my wife cussing a blue streak. The account was in her name, when we had trouble so she was the one who had to call when the many troubles came.

[packrat35]

I really don’t want to have to list all the troubles I had with AT&T, but they shut me off after just 2 weeks. Tried to make me pay a reconnect fee for both phones, then sent a bill the next 3 months for the ENTIRE 2 year contract.

More troubles followed and the knuckleheads made it hard every step of the way. We’re not talking just one issue but many.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Rodgers communications will be involved with the Iphone Canada rollout.

I’ve heard that Vodaphone is front runner for European rollout.

[cryptical]

I thought I was the only one who didn’t like my razr. I will stick with it because it cost too much money and i was stupid enough to buy it.

I've got a razr through Verizon, and I didn't know how much I hated it until I got to fondle an iphone yesterday. I've still got some contract left, but I'll be looking at the v2 iphone in January.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

I live in Seattle and Cingular/AT&T service has always been over subscribed and many, many calls are dropped. Their service is abysmal up here.

I used to be with T-Mobile, and I will be switching back to them when the Cingular contract is up in two months which was forced upon me by my last employer. Had to deal with Cingular’s 2 year contract, but thankfully that is near the end.

[taxed2death]

“No way would I go back to AT&T, Cingular, or whatever they choose to brand themselves next month. After they royally screwed up their billing systems then sent their customer NoHelpWhatSoEver desk to India, forget about it.”

I just went 62 days without my business phone number that I had for 13 years that was “ported” from a land line to a AT&T cell phone. I called it the AT&T “put you out of business plan”.

That mishap cost my business tens of thousands of dollars.

[Bogtrotter52]

“Three hours after getting my hands on one, I am ready to drop the thing from the 44th floor of the New York Hilton.”

Anyone who thinks the that their life cannot be complete without a iphone should do the world a favor and jump with it.

[mad_as_he$$]

Actually Cingular bought AT&T. Not much left but the name - they got it cheap.

[TheLawyerFormerlyKnownAsAl]

Wahhh-wahhh-wahhh. I work for MacWorld. Wahhh-wahhh-wahhh. I worship Steve Jobs like a god. Wahh-wahhh-wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I’m going to pout in my hotel room all weekened because my jesus phone won’t activate properly. Oh the humanity. Wahhh-wahhhh-wahhhh

You'd be pouting too if you just bought a $700 doorstop. As for me, when I get rich I'm going to buy one of those ipod things I've heard about so I can listen to music at all times and wherever I happen to be.

[TheLawyerFormerlyKnownAsAl]

Anyone who thinks the that their life cannot be complete without a iphone should do the world a favor and jump with it.

It's one thing to fight to buy any electronic gadget when first introduced and another thing to broadcast the fact that you did. Me, I'm waiting for what I hear will be the next breakthrough product, something I hear is called an iNewton.

[The Duke]

Perhaps the author should abandon the 'iPhone' religion in favor of the 'Global Warming' religion?

Related question: How does a global warming adherent know where to bow twice a day when Al Gore is traveling so so much in his private jet?

[Lovergirl]

Only thing I LOVE are my rollover minutes. I HATE AT&T.

[Bernard]

From the article, it sounds like AT&T tested their delivery service in production. An unfortunate but common occurrence. And the author making a switch from a business account to personal probably made the chances of failure stronger, since Telegence does not react well to change.

Still, I suppose if you spend $600 (or whatever) for a TELEPHONE, you expect luxury service. This experience sounds like finding out that the luxury car you just bought includes a pair of expensive gloves in the glove compartment just in case it's cold outside when you have to push the thing to the repair shop.

[Wilhelm Tell]

Who in the hell pays $700-1K for a phone and 1.5k a year for service anyway?

I still have the telephone I bought in 1989 (the type that plugs into the phone jack in the wall). After years of resistance I finally bought a $30 cell phone. That is all the "connectivity" I could ever want. Sure, I really need a $1,000 phone that plays video games or whatever. I am no technophobe but I just do not understand how I could talk better on a $1,000 phone than I can with a $15 land line phone or a $30 cell phone. Do people buy $1,000 phones so that they can call up their friends and talk about their phone? Should I call everyone I know every time I buy a new lightbulb? To me a telephone is a utilitarian (read, dull) thing and I do not understand what all the fuss is about.

[longtermmemmory]

The problem is that ATT has better customer turnover than the OTHER cell carriers.

I think t-mobil has the highest churn rate. Sprint and Verizon are a bit better.

the fact is a GSM system is REALLY convenient because all you have to do is swap chips after unlocking your phones.

[longtermmemmory]

The problem is that ATT has better customer turnover than the OTHER cell carriers.

I think t-mobil has the highest churn rate. Sprint and Verizon are a bit better.

the fact is a GSM system is REALLY convenient because all you have to do is swap chips after unlocking your phones.