News
Apple: iPhone 3GS activation may take up to 48 hours
Following a relatively smooth morning roll out of the iPhone 3GS, reports are beginning to surface suggesting that early morning West Coast sales and pre-order deliveries are beginning to put strain on Apple’s servers as larger numbers of users try simultaneously to activate their new handsets. According to AppleInsider, Apple is now providing a warning message through iTunes to affected users, stating that their activation needs extra time to complete, and may take up to 48 hours to go through. The message states that an email will be sent to the customer’s email address when activation is completed, apologizes for the inconvenience, and suggests the user try out some of the phone’s features that don’t require a cellular connection. The situation recalls memories of last year’s iPhone 3G launch debacle, when thousands of users were left waiting for hours in- and outside AT&T and Apple stores while employees tried in vain to activate their new phones.
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41
SOLUTION: To put an end to this thread: call the number 866 895 1099 and enter the information. If that does not activate it you will be connected to an operator. Give them your SIM and IMEI number and he/she will activate your phone in 5 minutes. End of your troubles. Do not wait 48 hours…
(this posted Staurday June 20th, 12:30om California time)
Posted by medic on June 20, 2009 at 12:28 PM (PDT)
42
medic - THANK YOU! This worked for me.
Posted by thankful on June 20, 2009 at 1:17 PM (PDT)
43
Although I did not get my phone activated, the operator did reassure me of what is happening, what will happen when I get my iphone activated, and basically educted me on the process.
Another words, information Apple should post to quell anxieties and impatience.
You can give 866-895-1099 a call, but you will still have to wait until Apple activates the iPhone and tells you via email and/or iTunes.
Posted by flyte44 on June 20, 2009 at 2:40 PM (PDT)
44
No, you don’t have to wait for an email from Apple or anything like that. Call again! I NEVER got that famous e-mail from Apple that I was supposed to get. Just call and have the operator activate for you (if you get a useless one…call back
)
Posted by medic on June 20, 2009 at 5:58 PM (PDT)
45
Thank u medic
i was already mad that i had to wait 48 hrs i been waiting sinces yesterday with that note `waiting for activation” i call the # and it worked thank u so much !!!
Posted by Carolina on June 20, 2009 at 8:33 PM (PDT)
46
Got the 3G S yesterday. all went well with itunes but when came around to activating phone, nothing. Started at 7:45pm Friday and now 11pm Sat. night and still nothing! Patience is a virtue im lacking at this point. Called ATT to see if there were issues b/c of everyone activating, and that was the problem. However, 27 hours later and still nothing is unacceptable. Ive tried the SIM card trick and that didnt work. My older iPhone took all of 7 min last year!! Grrrrr…
Posted by Melisa on June 20, 2009 at 11:04 PM (PDT)
47
The instructions posted by medic above worked for me. I had to specifically ask the support person to activate my new phone. Gave her the IMEI number (back of the iphone box) and the sim card number.
She was able to activate my new iphone immediately.
Posted by Bruce on June 21, 2009 at 5:42 AM (PDT)
48
Cool! Restart worked for me. I started activation at the Apple store on a 3Gs, “Waiting for Activation, this may take some time…” I powered off, powered back on, and I’m on the network!
Posted by Sean on June 24, 2010 at 6:28 PM (PDT)
49
i tried popping the sim out and back in but it didn’t work. is the iphone meant to be on or off when taking the sim out?
Posted by Shakira on December 28, 2010 at 6:40 AM (PDT)
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