Filed under: iPhone
Activate your iPhone from home
For me, the best part of buying my original iPhone was the activation process. After giving the guy at the AT&T Store my money, he popped my unopened iPhone into a bag and sent me on my way.Once I was home, I connected my precious to my iMac, launched iTunes and, about fifteen minutes later, she was up and running. That was the glory of at-home activation. Some say it was only a legend.
Since then, Apple changed their policy to require in-store activations. Meaning, AT&T customers must pick up their iPhones at their stores. Fortunately, that's changing. AT&T is now offering to ship iPhones to customers who have completed an online registration, which includes signing up for a 2-year contract. In fact, if you order your phone before 4PM Central time, you can enjoy overnight shipping.
Happy shopping!
[Via MacNN]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ack154 said 10:10PM on 12-11-2008
What if I port my number from another carrier? Probably have to go in for that one, huh? Anyone know for sure?
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DrWho said 8:19AM on 12-12-2008
You didn't have to for the 1st gen phone so maybe no
Jax said 10:21PM on 12-11-2008
When I bought my 3G they told me to register it in the store but instead I went home without registering (I waited in line for a long time and I was late for something). It worked fine when I got home. Only issue was my old iPhone stopped working in the meantime or something like that. Something to do with my SIM I think.
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Bryan said 10:46PM on 12-11-2008
Apparently doesn't work for upgrades from an original iPhone...
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dhaasgob said 12:44PM on 12-12-2008
Yep, they don't want to you to keep that cheapo data plan of yours on your account. Let them change it to the 'correct one' for you...
YoJIMbo said 10:49PM on 12-11-2008
I like this one better:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/girardi/1562746292/in/set-72157594585973409/
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Jash Sayani said 11:17PM on 12-11-2008
You mean, I could order it online and get it shipped home and activate it...? Like the first gen iPhone.
That would be great !!
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Ben said 11:26PM on 12-11-2008
Just an FYI, they've been doing this in Canada since the release of iPhone 3G since wait times at Rogers have been crazy (their retail stores suck).
I as well as family members activated our phones this way. Just set everything up in-store or over the phone first, so its all on your account, pop in your sim, plug it into iTunes, and it says iPhone activated, pretty much it.
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sean said 11:44PM on 12-11-2008
Wish mine had been that smooth. I was first in line at an AT&T store for the first gen launch. Walked out of the store at 6:14 Friday afternoon ready to go home and activate. Activation wouldn't go through until Sunday evening. The Apple forums were filled with people having the same issues. I've never seen it reported though. If in-store activations work better than at home ones, I say just do it in the store.
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Dave Barnes said 12:01AM on 12-12-2008
I bought an iPhone at my local AT&T store this afternoon and the experience was not pleasant.
I posted this on the Apple Discussions and it was removed within 2 minutes.
"Went to the local AT&T store to switch from Verizon to AT&T because my wife had the hots for an iPhone.What a painful experience.
How do we get these people to:
1. pay attention to prospects when they walk in the door?
2. set up the service plans correctly (I had to call 4 hours later and change/correct the plans for our 3 phones)?
3. have some knowledge about what they offer?"
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Jeff said 1:42AM on 12-12-2008
How many times does it have to be said. Apple products = Apple store.
We'll assume your geography prevented that as an option.
Now that you can purchase online, there is 0 reason to ever go into an AT&T store, thankfully.
VelociRapido said 1:55AM on 12-12-2008
@Jeff
I know a couple of Apple Stores where the service would be just as bad.
Jack said 1:18AM on 12-12-2008
What does the "that's no moon" quote mean under the graphic?
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Jack said 1:20AM on 12-12-2008
Oh wait, I get it. The Death Star. Funny! ;)
ShiggyMozart said 5:58AM on 12-12-2008
...This sounds like a hoax or something untrue nonetheless to me. I was able to get my (original non 3G) iPhone at an Apple store, take it home, and use iTunes to activate it. I don't see why they're making you freakin' get it "preactivated" when they've offered to allow you to do it so you can do it in the privacy of your own home.
I'm calling bullshit.
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Jason said 7:44AM on 12-12-2008
I got my iPhone 3G in Italy at a Vodafone store. I did not have to get a plan or activate my iPhone. I got home and activated it on iTunes, after that I have been able to put any SIM card into my phone and it works. I wonder if this is just a European thing.
I hope when I go to the States I can also put any SIM in.
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oliver said 8:43AM on 12-12-2008
not exactly what the fuss is here. i'm in London UK and i lined up for 3G model on launch day, and along with every other person who'd bought went home with it unopened unactivated. we were supposed to have it activated instore, but the network's general servers (nothing to do with iTunes or Apple) went down because of the volume of access it was trying to cope with. i just plugged it into iTunes at home and was fine. if it was 'actually required' to activate instore via a particular method we wouldn't of been able to do this. they're just leading you all on.
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Bruce said 9:35AM on 12-12-2008
Here in Canada, in addition to Rogers, Fido (Rogers' discount brand) also allowed in-home activation of my iPhone 3G.
Just pulled the SIM card out of my Razr, popped it in the new iPhone and plugged it into my Win XP SP3 box running a current iTunes.
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Josh said 5:10AM on 12-14-2008
I got my O2 Pay & Go iPhone 3G from the store unopened and was able to activate it at home.
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