Comments on: Big problems between AT&T and Apple at iPhone 3G launch

Apple screwed up my iPhone 3G purchase today. For a company that makes excellent products, the buying experience couldn't be worse, says Matt Asay.

[pbbrooks]

"Apple, you wasted three hours of my time this morning. "

Really? You put yourself in that line.

[gsmiller88]

AT&T destroys the iPhone. Their service is garbage and I don't know why such an awesome phone as the iPhone would be tied to such a horrid company! That'd be like forcing iMac owners to use AOL dial up.

[BAD DEAL]

Well I too spent 2 hours in line and got into the store only to find out that I had a code on my account and could not walk out of the store with a Iphone. I am not happy - but I think of it like this, " things happen for a reason" Maybe it is best to wait and let all the glitches get ironed out. I will love my Iphone when I get it....

[MCOjerry]

Ugh....You all wasted you OWN time. Have some patience next time and this won't happen.

[CardDawg]

Here's a warning. I was told this morning at 11 that the code had been removed from my account and should show up at the Apple store immediately. Apple told me it could take up to 24 hours. This evening at 9:30, I logged into my AT&T account and say the corporate account information. I called AT&T to ask when it would come off. Turns out that the manager at the AT&T store hadn't removed the corporate code; the wonderful lady on the phone did it instantaneously. Wish I had known that 10 hours before!

If you, too, have been told to go back tomorrow when the changes to your account will have occurred, you may want to double check before you go!

[techgirl03]

this was 100% apple's fault, they purposely shorted the att stores (you know the people who know cell phones and can actually do something with your account). i work there and its the biggest pain cleaning up after apples poor launch, att was flawless (suprisingly) with this execution, we were ready apple wasn't...But of course what does everyone expect when an entire nation is trying to use one system?

[FormerPCwonk]

I don't follow this piece at all. I mean, if you want to blame the problems on the iTunes servers, hey, go right ahead. But to blame it on Apple-AT&T communication, and then fault only Apple, is ridiculous. They're both at fault here.

Also, I think the piece oversimplifies the reasons the phones were heavier stocked at Apple Stores. The buying experience (activation this morning/afternoon aside) is simply better there than at AT&T. To me, the AT&T stores are like Radio Shacks without the gold-plated RCA cables. . .right down to the pushy, desperate sales staff wearing ties. I mean, if the author just wanted the phone, he could've gone to an AT&T store himself.

[gt13]

Is this really an article? It sure reads like someone's personal problems getting an Iphone today. If your picture didn't prove otherwise, I would swear you were a twelve year old who just walked out of the room stamping his feet.

[discern]

@jadams:

Seriously... all whiners. I have had excellent experiences with all of my Apple products and, for the most part, services. However, I never ever bought one the second it came out. I wait for the second generation, and give it some time for the kinks to be ironed out. It has worked for me. I also realize that they are ONLY TOOLS. However much I love my MacBook Pro, it's a computer/machine/device/tool with sensitive electronic parts, some of which get very hot, or move... they could break. The services (mac.com/me.com/whatever) are on hosted by other machines over the Very Popular Internet. They could be unresponsive/unavailable at times of high traffic. Same with Google cloud apps. Let's get real. Apple is not infallible. They do seem to have been unprepared for this launch. But with time they have every incentive to work out the bugs and deliver a great product.

[samuraidy]

The release was very messy. I had the PLU issue and the Apple Genius Bar person had to work with AT&T to get the proper changes to take on my account in order for it to be seen by the Apple store systems 6 hours later because of server replication. I drink the Apple Kool Ade. I have a MacBook, iPod, and until it became MobileMe, .MAC. This release should have been smoother. I think the ball was dropped by both Apple and AT&T. No way they did any kind of proper load testing to ensure their systems did not crash on launch.

I think the frustration was that for people who waited for the 2nd generation iPhone , we expected that Apple & AT&T had their ducks in line and had some lessons learned from the previous, problematic iPhone launch.

[ljj1_98]

You had the same problem I had. Here is my short version.. and I am ticked...
Went to Apple store, stayed in line for 3.5 hours. Apple told me they could not sell me a unit because I had a business discount. Told me the only thing I could buy today was an Iphone 3g case. Now I am ticked.. wasted 3 to 4 hours. Left cause they told me I had to, so other could get in. Called ATT. They said Apple lied to me. All they had to do was call and it would be ok. (This is the second day, the apple folks should have known this) ATT told me to call the store back and to sell me a unit, Apple says ok, but you have to wait in line again. Line is now 4 to 5 hours or longer. Called ATT back, told them, they told me to wait till next week and go to an ATT store or an Apple store when the lines die down. No help. I even offered for them to order and ship me a phone next week. No go. Current state, Iphone 3g-less. Hating apple and Att for the back and forth blame game.

[rashinal]

Im an IT consultant and I bought an iPhone a year ago..
when I had a problem with the phone itself (the home button stopped working) I waked into an Apple store, showed the 'genius' and walked out with a new phone in less than 5 minutes. It was fully activated and working. quick, pleasant effective
When I have had trouble with the phone service (ie, ATT) Ive spent HOURS on the phone in frustrating and angry conversations with people who have no clue, no service skills and no apparent desire or ability to help.
Like when my voicemal stopped working.. ATT kept blaming it on Apple..
I asked in the first minute of a call to reset the mailbox, but it took over TWO HOURS and seven different people telling me that was not the problem until someone actually tried it and guess what... it came right up.
Right now I have a bill where I added a 9.99 line to my "family plan" and for some reason it cost me $170. Ive spent well over three hours on the phone with nearly a dozen 'reps' over four different calls and have NOT resolved it. NO ONE can tell me exactly why all these charges are there (there are several for a number I don't even own !) and no one can actual DO anything about it.
EVERY single one of my clients that have iPhones (about 10 so far) have similar stories.
(about a surprisingly good experience with apple and a typically horrifying one with ATT)
So who's fault is this whole fiasco ? You know my guess !

[kishkisha]

Well i waited a whole year before i decided to buy an iphone. I didn't go out and buy it the first day it was launched because i figured that i would let the dust settle and then buy it maybe two weeks later. Well i went to the apple store about 3 times only to find they had no more phones. Then i went to the AT&T store and decided to order it . AT&T told me that the phone would take 7 to 10 days to arrive so i purchased it. AT&T also told me that i could track my order online. None of this was the case. I not only couldn't track my order online and had to call at&t to only find out that the phones are out of stock. This means no one knows how long it will take them to make more and who knows when they will arrive. I asked at&t for a refund and they told me no and that i have to wait until the phone arrives to the store in heaven's know how long in order to get a refund. Apple and AT&T were both ill prepared to handle this launch. If this is the way they treat their customers i don't want anything to do with either company!

[impromptu19]

I recently bought the new iphone. The first iphone I bought had a problem recharging the battery. Apple was able to immediately replace my iphone. I waited in line for several hours and read the disclosure statement regarding not having any corporate discounts on your AT&T account. I had a 17% discount and called AT&T to have it removed while I was in line. When I went into making a purchase I was able to glide thru. the purchasing process. Several days later I went into the AT&T store showed my business card and they added my discount back on. The iphone in terms of function and utility works great......the battery life is my only concern. Keep your iphone charger handy. The consumer should conduct there own research prior to waiting in line for endless hours. Apple and AT&T have done a great job taking care of my specific needs.