I just bought my IPAD 3 will not activate says activation server cannot be reach. How to fix this and should I take it back and get a different one.

I have never had anything apple before and I just bought this IPAD 3rd gen. I begin doing the process of starting it up. I get to activation and it wont go any further. I have tried numerous times. Says "Your IPad cannot be activated because the activation server cannot be reachrf. Try connecting you iPad to iTunes to activate it, or try again in a couple of minutes." I am lost. Not a tech guru... Any help is wonderful. And is this a good model?

Thanks. Crystal