iPhone 3G purchase and activation will be in-store only
by Joshua Topolsky 
posted Jun 9th 2008 at 9:35PM
"There is no question that many enjoyed the convenience of at-home activation, but we also found that many others wanted to complete purchase and activation in one step so they could walk out of the AT&T store with their iPhone up and running. We have decided to take the latter approach and we think customers will like it. It will be especially helpful if any questions or issues arise during activation. They can be resolved on the spot and in-person.
This is the way our wireless phones have been activated for years and customers have been very happy with it.
And, activation should take just a few minutes."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
serg2299 @ Jun 9th 2008 9:39PM
fine with me
Chip @ Jun 9th 2008 9:51PM
in other words, "screw you if you intend on unlocking this one"
Frankie @ Jun 9th 2008 10:10PM
It's there way of saying were not going to lose money on activation anymore.... Whatever... Apple's Dumb anyways they could be makin double on the iPhone than what there makin now... But I'm just a Little guy down here I don't know anything about Marketing or selling....
V Langs @ Jun 9th 2008 10:26PM
it's not a big deal if u planned on just using at&t service, in fact it's much easier because you can resolve billing issues right away (not have to deal with a stupid computer telling you ur employee discount or w.e won't work) and then yes walk away yapping on ur phone.
however,
if you planned on unlocking this phone and using it on like t-mobile or something. sorry. too bad. your not gonna get the phone for 199. and i doubt they'll see it to you for anything else without it being activated. now this leaves the ebay adventure as the only way. i'm sure somewhere in india, the sales reps don't care much as they are pretty crooked and would love making a 4-500 dollar profit on these phones.
marc0387 @ Jun 11th 2008 9:20PM
Come on guys of course they are going to activate them in the store...who do you think pays for the subsidized cost?? BINGO! AT&T does!!!
Why would they subsidize the cost of a phone for retarded people who are going to sell them over seas or use another network?????
Besides the phone is being released in 70 + countries so there won't be a huge need for unlocking and shipping out like there was with the last phone
grundler @ Jun 9th 2008 10:42PM
So purchases no longer take 1 minute, they will take 10 minutes (minimum), This will make release day a nightmare I'm sure. And no thank you dumb ass employee, I don't have any questions. I don't need you to explain things wrongly to me or try to sell me something I don't need. Maybe you didn't notice my account says that my name is "Educated Consumer" not "Dumbass Grandma Technophobe," Give me the phone and let me go on my way. I can click faster than you. I was truly hoping the iphone activation paradigm would spread to other phones so that all the transactions became more self service. Upnext: Apple's iATM has a person counting your money out to you and no you may not have 20s with your withdrawal.
Anyway, I'm still getting one on the first day... :-)
youngcalihottie @ Jun 11th 2008 5:48AM
couldnt agree more! i love self service everything!
im tired of dumb att reps explaining wrong info to me!
let me do it myself
jay @ Jun 9th 2008 10:52PM
hmm it's strange that they are also selling it at the apple store (per www.apple.com/iphone/buy).
are you saying the sales agents will have to activate the phone? that sounds unlikely...
maybe it's just an OPTION to activate in-store vs. having to do it at home?
RobV @ Jun 9th 2008 10:52PM
now that theyre selling this device on the cheap, the dumb asses...I mean less sophisticated gadget collectors will need a real person in front of them to explain step by step how it works. doesnt matter cause no sooner than they leave the store, they will be returning perfectly functioning phones in droves claiming that it doesnt work!!!
Dr. Feelgood @ Jun 9th 2008 10:50PM
This is actually incorrect. Customers will still have the option to activate device at home.
nuno @ Jun 10th 2008 4:51AM
I hope so...
But your opinion its based on... ?
chris @ Jun 10th 2008 1:02PM
wrong, iTunes activation is gone except for iPhone EDGE, which.. is also gone
Zack @ Jun 9th 2008 11:21PM
MacRumors posted that the President of Global Distribution, Glenn Lurie, has stated that -ALL- activations will take place in-store to reduce iPhone unlocking. Users who don't activate their phone within 30 days will be subject to penalties.
K_G @ Jun 10th 2008 12:10AM
Why give the false impression of the ATT way of doing things right at the start with a smooth in home activation....better to know the circle of hell you are entering right at the start.
Big A @ Jun 9th 2008 11:44PM
Alrighty I want to speak on behalf of my fellow RSC yes sometimes the process could be a pain in the butt but there are customers unfortuntaley that are unable to activate the IPhone and at home cuase sorry to say not all of our are computer literate. Not to Mention not all have access to a Mac or PC. Is that there fault?? No!! I don't think so. Then what happens they come back to the store and guess what who wants there phones to be activated for them us the sales reps becuase i'm sorry sometimes the activation process using itunes is not very user friendly. Also we loose alot of revenue having customers buying iphone claiming that there going to activate it at home finding out that there unlocking there iphones using it with T-Mobile lol come on!!. Don't get me wrong i believe in the power of total freedom with your handset but we got mouths 2 feed 2 and i believe this is a great idea and customers will walk out the store knowing that there iphone is activated and ready to use and also they have support. And will learn how to use the device and we will happly walk them through the process of using an iphone. But this is my opinion and i'm standing up for my Fellow AT&T RSC's!!!! And no i did not get paid for this lol Thanx everyone!!
Beanie @ Jun 9th 2008 11:52PM
You're computer literate? I have yet to see an example.
,,,,,, .... Those are periods and commas, feel free to borrow them.
Zack @ Jun 10th 2008 12:07AM
Then why not have the choice be to activate it in-store or at home? That'd cover both bases, but since Apple wants to stop people from unlocking it, they should end the damn exclusivity agreement with AT&T. It doesn't help that their coverage area isn't that great...
Alex @ Jun 10th 2008 12:32AM
honestly, if you dont' have a computer, why get an iPhone?
Anton Wahlman @ Jun 10th 2008 2:49PM
Is there a grammar and spelling checker somewhere? "There" vs. "their" and how about punctuation such as commas and periods. Oh Lord...
Having said that, AT&T clearly became tired of subsidizing phones making their way to T-Mobile USA and foreign lands. I would too! It's like paying for hospitals and schools used by non-taxpaying illegal immigrants. The better way AT&T could have fixed this would simply be the option of buying a non-subsidized, unlocked phone in the store for $600, $800 or whatever at a defensible hardware profit margin. AT&T would still get out way ahead, without the negative feelings and publicity.
keithwwalker @ Jun 9th 2008 11:54PM
Now I remember why I purchased an HTC phone. I went into a store and purchased an unlocked version, and put my SIM card in. No 2 year contract...what's that pan out to with the data plan? $1600 for the contract period? Yeah, that's only for the EDGE version, the 3G will probably cost more and take this '$199' phone over the $2k mark - what a bargain....
lolwhat @ Jun 10th 2008 12:07AM
lots of people will buy the phone, proceed to 'lose' it about a dozen times and buy a replacement for 400 or so each time
(the lost phones will be sold on ebay for 600-800 dollars)
Jeff @ Jun 10th 2008 11:39AM
Uh yea...thats why there is a 3 iphone limit rule.
Bring that down from a dozen to just THREE
Griffon @ Jun 10th 2008 12:12AM
Translation, "We wanted a bigger selling opportunity to try to cram stuff down peoples throats while we have a captive audience. We also felt a 3 minute ring up period failed created a long enough line around our buildings at the last launching and we actually want people camping out for days while we perform credit checks and exhaust people, who will then buy more in their weekend state. Yes it's true we learned everything we know from users cars dealerships and not Apple or any other business that takes it's customers time seriously or tried to treat it with respect."
So k' though, they lost me with the price jack up, I'm fine with my old one. Looks like apple lost it's leverage and the AT&T we all know and loath is rearing it's ugly ass head again.
Alex Lau @ Jun 10th 2008 12:45AM
They definately shud just have a unlocked version for the masses so we don't have to restart our contracts. STUPID AT&T. thank god i didn't sign up with them yet for the 1st gen... damn now i have to for the 2nd.
igotserv3d @ Jun 10th 2008 1:06AM
No sense in lowering the price at face value if you're just gonna rape the customer in the ass while they're not looking.
So I don't even have the right to buy an iPhone now because I don't qualify for an upgrade. Go kill yourself Apple/AT&T.
Dr. Feelgood @ Jun 10th 2008 1:52AM
I think the price point is very reasonable to attract new customers. The point of running a business after all is increased revenue. I understand that people that don't have AT&T don't like the fact that its locked, but live with it. AT&T coverage is pretty good in comparison with the competitions. This is coming from a person that has had all carriers at some point. Coverage is relative to where you live too. So basically stop complaining...if you don't like it, don't buy it. The other thing is that the phone will still be available for people that aren't upgrade eligible. The price point for them will be similar to what it is right now with the 2g iphone.
Jason Peterson @ Jun 10th 2008 1:46AM
As a retail sales consultant for AT&T, all I can say is thank God. There are a lot of people that have trouble activating their phone in iTunes. Plus, this will keep people from buying the phones just to ship them to their family in the Middle East, Europe or China.
Whoever said that they should end the exclusivity agreement with AT&T should give it a rest. All the big carriers have exclusive phones. Besides, the only other network this is compatible with the iPhone is TMobile, and their coverage is crap, and they have little 3G.
Jakob @ Jun 10th 2008 9:52AM
Ahh, Nice Jason. If you work at AT&T, then you Gotta know that all over Europe, you have to sell the phones without contract as well.
Sorry you lost a lot of revenue to people using it all over the world - but blame Apple for making a deal wit YOU and not consumers wanting to use the best phone ever. Just be happy you got all that media coverage.
Now, stop telling the consumer what they want and how they wanna do it. We, as consumers, have a mind of our own, and would like to decide for our selfs.
Ohh, and if people don't wanna make a contract with you, then fix your network!
Jakob, Copenhagen, Denmark
Very Happy Jailbroken User!
dontmatter @ Jun 10th 2008 11:47AM
i am an RSC too and i too am glad that this is happening! I agree with Jason. And the Activation process became too hard for some customers. At&t is offering a service! one that the likes of Verizon did not want to offer just because of the revenue agreement with apple. What happens in other countries...HAPPENS in OTHER countries!
At&t is a business, and it makes its decisions for the overall majority of the customers that appreciate the service, and not the few that wish to bend a rule just because the oppurtunity is there.
Big A @ Jun 11th 2008 2:42AM
Finally someone agree with me. You guys are missing the whole point stop worring if my spelling is wrong or if i use ("There" vs. "their" and how about punctuation such as commas and periods.) jesus christ lol we have a bunch of school teachers in here this is not a test or midterm paper lol. Jason Peterson I agree with you 100% it makes sence. And this is a buisness.
Kesha @ Jul 1st 2008 4:30PM
so if i but this new iphone 3G i can still use it with tmobile?
Matt @ Jun 10th 2008 1:56AM
Hmmm...what is everyone bitching about. First of all I'm an iPhone hater. I deeply hate Apple for brainwashing people's brains with the garbage that this is a smart phone. iPhone is just an inflated web browser with crippled phone functionality. Most of its so called "applications" are web based and not native programs (God forbid according to Jobso's previous comments allowing users to run their software on the phone would bring at&t's network down... LMAO...so far my N95 has not crippled T-Mobile's network in any way). With the subsidized price of $299 for 16GB version just sign up for whatever plan they will require and then next day call them to cancel and pay up etf of $175. It'll cost $475 (plus tax and whatever monthly plan you had). One will end up paying about $550 which will not be that bad after all. Years ago when Apple was entering the market, they wanted to innovate, (remember the first Apple II commercial? )...well..now they changed their tune and want everyone to have an iPhone and be branded with it the way Nazis were doing with "Non arians" during the war. Thank God for the freedom of choice...the choice to stay away from an overhyped device that wants to be a smart phone (yes..with a space between) but simply ends up being a pretty but dumb one
steve @ Jun 10th 2008 11:35AM
...First of all I'm an iPhone hater. I deeply hate Apple for brainwashing people's brains with the garbage that this is a smart phone...
I find it very interesting that you hate an inanimate object. As to brainwashing people, that's a bit extreme.
...Most of its so called "applications" are web based and not native programs...
Do you know what an SDK is?
Zack @ Jun 10th 2008 8:43AM
Something tells me they're going to make you return the phone or face deeper penalties...
burton1976 @ Jun 10th 2008 2:20AM
Looks like my 1st Generation unlocked iPhones (yes plural) didn't lose any value today. Those still hanging with the T-Mob will be buying those up like Charlie Sheen at the hooker trough.
By the way, what the f**k is up with the post from the dude Matt above? Comparing an Apple logo on a phone to the atrocities inflicted on persons by the Nazi's in WWII is simply pathetic and irresponsible.
lakersin2025 @ Jun 10th 2008 11:40AM
He's talking about the old Apple commercial from the Super Bowl many years back.
Virtuous @ Jun 10th 2008 3:26AM
The 3G iPhone won't work on T-Mobile's upcoming 3G network. Edge should work fine, but not high-speed.
Virtuous @ Jun 10th 2008 3:30AM
It's great that the new iPhone and software update will come out on my birthday.
Geir @ Jun 10th 2008 6:11AM
I don't buy a locked mobile phone with any plans. I buy unlocked phones and then I choose a plan that suites me. If Apple can offer a 3G iPhone satisfying that, then I'll get one. If not, then I get another --likely a HTC phone like the Touch Pro.
sparty @ Jun 10th 2008 10:18AM
does anyone know if it i will be able to use my bt stero to take calls on this?
greekjgg @ Jun 10th 2008 10:53AM
I just got off the phone with an apple iphone rep. He said you can buy the phone without a contract for the $199/$299 price if you buy it at an Apple store. Sounds to me like they are just killing the option to buy online.
My concern is that I'm using this on a business account and we are already using ATT so I can't sign a contract I would just transfer my number to the new phone.
Clizzster @ Jun 10th 2008 12:22PM
I'm excited about the new iPhone, it's a lot better than the first generation. However, I probably will not purchase it until I see a few more things I think are important. Not sure why there was no mention of the iPhone recording live video, maybe they are trying to perfect it??? I know that most phones have that function and we all know that the audio is crappy! So maybe that's why it is not on the iPhone yet...wish is was though. Also I use the Slingbox Mobile player everyday, it's much better than Mobi Tv or any other crappy Mobile television. It's because with the Slingbox, you are actually slinging your home cable with all channels!! I would love to see that on the iPhone! One last thing, on my current AT&T Tilt I'm using the Skyfire Beta, it is the full Internet! It is similar to the Internet on the iphone (with the double tapping to increase the size) but it has one up on the Safari browser..it actually plays the audio on the websites! I really want the iPhone but I'm going to hold out....well try and hold out!
Jim @ Jun 10th 2008 3:25PM
I have a question about the "Business" plan. Do you need to get this in order to have Outlook Exchange support? I would like my Gmail pushed to this phone and I think it'll be handled with the 2.0 software but do I need the special $15-more expensive plan to have my work e-mail pushed to my phone? Thanks.
rambo6 @ Jun 12th 2008 12:04AM
I am currently with AT&T only because they simply have the best data network in the U.S. However, I do not like 2 year contracts and won't enter into one no matter how good the network is. I typically buy a new phone every 6 months. I pay more for the phone but I don't have to play any games for ending any contract early. I like to know what my phone costs and what the service costs.
I'm on my 4th HTC smartphone. Currently, I'm using the HTC TyTN II. I chose it over the 1st I-Phone because it had so many features which the I-Phone did not have such as 3G data, Bluetooth with A2DP, GPS, and the list goes on.
I was going to break down and try the I-Phone now that they have 3G and GPS. However, the 2 year contract is a deal breaker. I hate shopping and hate dealing with the sales reps at the stores who know much less about their product that I do.
I hope Apple and AT&T will listen to this and come up with a non-subsidized price. Otherwise, it looks like I'm going with the HTC Rafael (MDA Vario IV) or perhaps the Sony-Ericsson Xperia. They may be more but at least I can unlock them and load whatever software I like.
The only reason one should stay with any carrier is because they're the best carrier. Requiring a two year contract should be illegal.
Right now AT&T has the best Data network. That's the only reason I'll stick with them.
MRichards @ Jun 11th 2008 8:32AM
Stoked about the new phone, but mostly about more games and applications. Did you see that monkeyball vid? Sweet. Anyone have any ideas for places to check out the latest apps?
tomlev @ Jun 11th 2008 9:37AM
Just check out iTunes, they should be up with an extensive list. There's also a video up for one developer on youtube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=irXCMdRprfw
LoneGunman @ Jun 24th 2008 7:45PM
This is so typical. They're trying to reduce customer service calls by serving the lowest common denominator. How about this? How about offering to help people activate immediately and still allow someone with a brain to respond "No, thanks, I can take care of it myself." ?? Is it that hard to trust the fact that SOME consumers actually can take care of this?
I'm sorry it costs you money to have someone sitting in a call center to serve your customers but...wow...you're operating a business, right? Maybe I'm stretching here but there is a cost of doing business no matter what you do. Give people the choice, not too many choices...just two. Trust me, the people that need to will flock towards the choice that suits them best.
Oh, and no, the people here complaining about your illiteracy aren't school teachers. They're the 10% of the population that's actually literate wishing you'd participate in literacy rather than bang on your keyboard. Maybe we should just mispell your name...I mean, chill out, it's just a name...
TechieType @ Jun 24th 2008 8:45PM
"And, activation should take just a few minutes."
SURE!!! It usually takes about 20-30 per phone, because (for some odd reason) the activation process never seems to go smoothly, and you usually have to sit there while the store rep calls a call center rep to "resolve your issues".