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Level 1

0 points

Here is why the activations are delayed.....ATT nor APPL to blame.

i work for att. i got an iphone last night as well and mine activated instantly...but i live in oklahoma, fewer people, fewer activations, fewer problems. okay whenever a new cellular phone is activated it is programmed through a computer and then sent to a piece of hardware called a "switch." think of a switch as a turnstall at a fair or a revolving door at a hotel. only one actication can go through the switch at a time, any other activations behind it are waiting in line like people at a ticket counter. activations aren't the only things that have to go through the switch. anytime you call in to your cell provider and make an account change such as adding/removing a feature, changing a rate plan, activating a new sim, anything like that, it goes through a switch.

sometimes, there are natural switch delays. it doesn't happen daily because in a matter of odds, thousands of people won't be making account changes simultaniously everyday. however, sometimes this happens and it creates a delay in the switch. when this happens, we alert our customers of the delay and advise them to wait a few hours, power cycle and try again. switch delays aren't a daily occourence, but not rare. now, lets talk about the iphones and switch delays.

the iphone is undoubtedly THE biggest thing to ever happen to a cellular industry. last night, hundreds of thousands of people purchased iphones at the EXACT same time, rushed home and tried to activate their phones asap. what happened was a massive bombarding of activations to switches that generally don't handle anything near last night's load. since the phones were sold at 6:00, everyone got home at about 7:00 and most likely overloaded the switches to the point of near exhaustion! it would be like 30,000 or so people throwing basketballs at one hoop and hoping to make it in! theoretically, larger metropolitan areas would have more problems due to more switch activity. granted our switches in new york city are heavy duty, but there are no switches in existance designed to handle that kind of load because with the exception of this weekend, there would never be that much activity!

is it apples fault? no, i think that their activation through itunes is ingenious. it keeps people from having to call into att and it was FAR less painless than in-store account set up! is it att's fault? no. they can't be blamed for overloaded switches due to iphones WILD success. our switches are adequate, it's just that this weekend was a rare-bird exception that would have dang-near blown out any switch. it was like christmas day X 100! i think that i got mine activated so soon because we got from the store to my house in about 20 minutes and completed the activation before the swarm began to get into full swing. so those of you who are still waiting, just hang in there! just think of your activation as being in line for a rollercoaster. you are 3/4 closer to the front than you were last night! having had over 24 hours to mess with this phone, i can assure you that it is well worth the wait. it's the most marvelous piece of technology i've ever had the pleasure of using.

i'm sorry to all of those who aren't active yet, but hang in there! your hour will come. i bet those switches are like hot stove-tops right now begging for a chance to breathe. it's like pouring liquid thorugh a funnel, pouring faster will just cause an overflow, gravitiy has to take it's course! it's not att's fault, it's just the hundreds of thousands of activations fighting for the chance to make that first call! hang in there.

24 imac Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Jul 1, 2007 1:34 AM

155 replies

BrianH

Level 4

1,836 points

Jul 2, 2007 1:44 AM in response to anitas anger

The truth of it is that next week activations will be going through as designed and this will be a small blip on the screen to ATT. not saying that it was right, but it won't be as big of a event as it's made out to be right now.

SBC/ATT has a history of doing this, they rather put something out and get flooded with troubles, then fix it/prepare before hand.... they did it with DSL, the did it with IPTV

Wall Street doesn't care about these things at first, as long as revenues are increasing from the efforts. it's when it causes major declines in revenue that issues like this will really hurt large corporations...

Jul 2, 2007 2:56 AM in response to anitas anger

Some people are blaming Apple, others AT&T. There has been talk about firing agents for trying to assist customers that have activation issues. These agents, both from ATT and Apple are trying to do their best. If you do not like the support, do not call the support line. Customers who call in 20 times a day DOES NOT HELP SPEED UP THE ACTIVATION TIME! I do not understand how a customer can be "extremely busy" and be like "i am an very important person" that does not have time to waste... call in 20 times a day and stay on hold for 12 hours trying to figure out "why isn't it activating?" If you have the time to speak to 20 agents in a day, visit 2 applestores, call another 10 agents from another company and get the answer "Just wait it off until the server is fully functional" from almost every agent, the answer is simple. WAIT YOUR TURN.

eduman

Level 1

0 points

Jul 2, 2007 3:45 AM in response to tnook

You disagree because you don't know how the system works.

I'm working in the Telecoms industry and I can tell you that there isn't a way that you can do that temporary solution of providing more capacity. It's technically possible BUT it isn't worth the try since it's not a sound investment. Why build a house that can accommodate a thousand people when you know you'll only hold one grand celebration in it for say 10yrs or so.

Do remember that switches are physical hardwares that need to be setup (location, cabling, connection, etc). I tell you setting these things up isn't one of the easiest things to do and you will have to setup not just one switch for this but most likely all the switches where the concentration of subscribers are, which is well, LOTS. If the they're not using fiber optics cable, they will most likely need to install and layout fiber optic cables just to accommodate the mega increase of bandwidth.

Since this launch is a one time thing -- v2.0 will surely be a hit but i don't think it will be as huge in terms of day1 engagement -- it is not wise to upgrade your system just for it when you know you won't be using the additional capacity after day10 or so.

eduman

Level 1

0 points

Jul 2, 2007 3:52 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

The only real way I can see that this could have been
avoided is if Apple would have sold in limited areas
of the country in a slow release, such as starting in
Boston one week, San Francisco the next, and so on.
How many people do you suppose would be howling over
that?

==> This wouldn't even be possible. if people lined up hours to get this magnificent phone, what will keep them from lining up in a neighboring state? And yes, not only will people howl over it they'll curse Apple and AT&T for that making the wannabe buyers more agitated.

You have an iPhone in your hands, I take it? Well,
LUCKY YOU. Where I live, AT & T is NOT AVAILABLE. I'm
not complaining, but count your lucky stars. In a few
hours or a few days you will have a working gorgeous,
spiffy, awesome iPhone. Lots of people WON'T.

==> I understand people's frustration -- saving, the excitement, queuing up only for them to be told to wait for hours to use the phone -- but hey still count yourselves as lucky. I'm sure it will be resolved pretty soon. From where i'm coming, I don't even know how it will roll or even if it will ever roll out. hehehe.

Jul 2, 2007 4:33 AM in response to eduman

what will keep them from lining up in a neighboring state?

Yes, there is a report that one person flew in from Norway to buy one. What he thinks he's going to do with it, I don't know.

However, not AS MANY people would have shown up at once as showed up all across the country on Friday.

I'm sure it will be resolved pretty soon. From where i'm coming, I don't even know how it will roll or even if it will ever roll out.

That was my point, exactly. I'm in the same boat. We have had cell phones available in our town for 10 years or more, but still no AT & T. We may never have AT & T, for all I know. (Very rural area; not a lot of customers here.)

By the way, for those of you outside the country, AT & T stands for American Telephone and Telegraph. (It's a very old company, obviously.)

jamesob5

Level 1

0 points

Jul 2, 2007 6:12 AM in response to anitas anger

After 61 hours of waiting I really don't care what the excuse it. Just get this $600 iBrick to work!!!!

siu-85

Level 1

8 points

Jul 2, 2007 6:29 AM in response to anitas anger

I'm sorry but your answer doesn't fully wash because it could have been avoided. I work for Alcatel-Lucent who provide switch hardware to the telcos.

If AT&T had planned properly they could have asked us to develope a SU (software update) to have the switch "batch job" the activations instead of using the existing procedures.

MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.10)

romad

Level 3

895 points

Jul 2, 2007 7:01 AM in response to anitas anger

What kind of cheese do you all want?

Friday I got in line at 5:30 P.M., walked out of the store about 7, stopped and had dinner, then went home. I spent the rest of the evening preparing: download/install of iTunes 7.3, imported the contacts from Thunderbird, Palm Desktop and AOL into Address Book. I then went to bed. Saturday morning I got up, had breakfast, and then OPENED the iPhone box. I went into the iMac, disconnected the cable from the iPod Universal Dock, and connected the iPhone Dock. Inserted the iPhone, followed the instructions and by 7:30 A.M. was making my first call on the iPhone. Of course I'm 58, so I have a different mindset than these Gen-X whiners.

Jul 2, 2007 7:17 AM in response to anitas anger

It is now been over 63 hours since I have attempted to activate the phone, I have spend over 8 hours on the phone talking to 9 different service center help lines, speaking to 22 different representatives from around the country including upper management, and I have been to 2 malls 20 miles apart to speak to dozens of people in person for another 6 hours about my issue. If you can understand my patients is running a little thin.

Windows XP

Jul 2, 2007 7:41 AM in response to Erictesch

Im still waiting, and in response, yes, I did go to the lake and I did enjoy my weekend. Unfortunately everyone who calls me gets send to my voicemail which isn't set up, then they ask if I got the new iPhone, I have nothing to show them but an iBrick. This is the least of my worries though. See, agents call me. One called me last night while at the lake and was eager to resolve my issue (which I might add, wont solve itself by waiting). They told me to go hurry and find an internet connection so i gan get it to work. And there I was in my car, zipping around a strange neighborhood in my car desperately searching for someone's wifi to piggy back onto. I finally found one! And you know what message I got? "Your activation requires additional time to complete. The lady that was so excited to help me had no clue what to do again. I appreciate her effort, but neither AT&T nor Apple informed me that 1-my business discount will freeze the activation, 2 my ICCID# was entered incorrectly, 3- My "Blue" service must be switched to "Orange" service, 4- My data plan was never added, and a whole gauntlet of different things that I would only find out by calling in and getting an "oh- well this is why nothing is going through" from the person on the other line. So no, waiting would have kept me waiting until I died. Patience is a virtue, but eternity is forever.

Jul 2, 2007 8:26 AM in response to Erictesch

MSNBC is reporting that 500,000 iPhones were sold over the weekend. This is twice the anticipated number (according to their report).

In MY day, we didn't have no newfangled cell phone of ANY kind, Sonny.

Now, of course, you will post back and tell me that you are a crotchety octogenarian, and don't have TIME to wait, dadgumit, what with one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel.

To paraphrase:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage (and perseverance) to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

This WILL be resolved. Don't get all excited and slip on that banana peel.

Jul 2, 2007 9:14 AM in response to edznyc

i'm sorry, but it's undeniably both apple and att's
fault. to not preempt a larger than ever influx of
activity via 10s of thousands on simultaneous
activation requests is unfathomable

let's play on your bs excuse about how it would be
silly for att to not upgrade hardware for a 'one time
event'

Man, you're right. In fact, we should take this approach to everything...

Know what, I'm sick of waiting in airport lines at Thanksgiving. That's a YEARLY event and not even a once in a decade one. It is unforgiveable that PANYNJ haven't constructed two additional runways in each direction at EWR/LGA/JFK for Holiday air travel.

What about those roads? I mean that 9 lane wide toll booth on the NY State Thruway is just insane. It works great for like 359 days of the year, but that's unacceptable. I think we need to just double the size of every highway and airport in the nation and then shut that new half down for those 359 days and then open up the extras we build for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Labor, Memorial Days and the 4th of July.

Forget about paying for it, maintenance, etc. We'll worry about all that "nonsense" later.

*rolls eyes*

jw20000

Level 1

5 points

Jul 2, 2007 12:16 PM in response to anitas anger

This explanation may apply to those where the activation software system works. In my case it does not work and I am locked out indefinitely. I have learned every phone number at ATT and Apple and nobody can activate my phone. One rep suggested I cancel the whole process, return the phone and start over.

markdr

Level 1

91 points

Jul 2, 2007 12:23 PM in response to Munitalp

yes, but the thing is as with all good companies, you need to be PREPARED for a release of this magnatude. They knew it was going to happen, they should have added switches. Working as a network admin for a large company in the northeast (worked for AT&T too), its obvious that the failure to handle the activations is a failure on BOTH AT&T's part for not expecting it and APPLE's fault for releasing it as they did. The flow of new users was obvious from anyone, and I mean ANYONE who read, saw, or knew about the iPhone.
Yes, indeed, it is AT&T's fault as well as Apples.
Fortunately mine went fine. The others, well, those companies are the ones to blame for sure.

When you release a product to market, you need to be prepared for teh consequences on the backend. You cant sell 500,00 units of software, hardware, or anything if you KNOW your systems cant handle it, without upgrading those systems first.

Definitely, beyond a doubt, AT&T's fault primarily, with Apple as the runner up making sure that AT&T had the necessary backbone to handle the influx.

markdr

Level 1

91 points

Jul 2, 2007 12:28 PM in response to Ronda Wilson

hardly unreasonable. It should be EXPECTED. Or they should have not released them as they did.

Its very simple. AT&T was FULLY aware that there would be problems and did not care that the end user would be effected. Very poor business tactics.

Apple probably knew AT&T could not handle the immediate influx, as anyone with a brain would realize was going to happen, and still went forward with the way they released it.

No way can this NOT be blamed on the 2 companies. Sure, its probably a one time thing, but dont misplace the blame.

Here is why the activations are delayed.....ATT nor APPL to blame.