I ordered my phone with Apple because Verizon store said, I would get it quicker. I received confirmation of my order, on December 4, stating it would ship in 3-5 business days. Then very next day (12/5) I received another email. I was happy thinking, this is going to tell me it shipped, but no. I received the exact same email from Apple email the others have been posting.."the credit application that is linked to your order has been canceled...blah,blah, blah" I called Verizon very confused, I did not apply for credit..payed for phone outright...how could a credit application with Verizon effect a product I bought directly through Apple. This made no sense to me...no one at Verizon could answer me three simple questions: "what the **** is the credit application for?" They acknowledge that yes I was buying phone outright and that a credit application wasn't "really" a credit application. OK...so the next logical question. "What is a credit application EXACTLY?" All I could get for a answer is tell me it was "re-instated" (as the woman kept repeatedly TALKING OVER ME!!!). Would this allow me to purchase a phone I asked??? They "THOUGHT" so...but no one could give me a definitive YES. After two days and about 1-1/2 hours on the phone total...MOST of it with Apple by the way, trying to convince them that yes the credit application was "reinstated"...even though my call was forwarded by a VERIZON rep..I did not even dial in directly, the Verizon rep called and explained the situation to the Apple rep. I spoke with one person at Apple, sweet nice woman who was trying to help...second guy (manager level I think) was a rude SOB! I ended up having to reorder, not reinstate original order..which puts me at the beginning again..and waiting..they would not consider expediting the phone for my trouble, etc...etc...Couple points for any Apple reps bothering to read this: It may not happen "all the time" but it happens enough, that its on this forum and I have spoken with two other people in my small sphere of the world that have received the exact same email...so clearly it is an issue. The problem may be Verizon's...maybe a problem with communication between the two companies...I don't really care, but Apple MUST know its a repeated problem by now and it is their product we are buying and they show NO desire to help the customer out who is STUCK in the middle of this CLERICAL ****!. The same can be said of Verizon, they were not being very helpful. Even IF this is 100% Verizon's problem, it effects an Apple product...and Apple customer service should step it up..BIG TIME!! I have been a customer of Verizon's for approx 20 years and this is the first time they have annoyed me and delivered sub par customer service, so I am going to give them a pass. But I am an Apple customer for about two years and this has been the third incident of crappy, rude customer service. If this product was not a gift, I would tell you to keep your phone. I personally will NEVER own an Apple product. I know you are riding high now, but eventually you will need to improve your customer service if you want to retain market share.