Reader Jaci writes:
I have eagerly awaited the release of the iphone. Read every article, watched the tv spots…waited with great anticipation for the new gadget that was going to be the most revolutionary product ever. As a loyal PC user for years, it is only through the ipod that I have come to accept Apple products in my life. I made sure to be on of the first people buying an iphone yesterday. Thought that it was odd that the AT&T clerk told me there would be a 10% restocking fee – why would I ever want to return it?
Now I know why. The way that AT&T has classified my account makes it not compatible with the iphone. WHAT?!
Anyone with an account that AT&T calls a business account can’t activate an iphone. After hours of talking to call centers last night and this morning, it is unanimous. Unless my phone number is an “IRU attached to an FAN” it won’t work. Okay, fine. I don’t even know what that means but I really want this almost $700 phone to work so just change my account. Nope, according to the 14 different AT&T people that I spoke with, only one office that is only open Monday – Friday can make this change to a business account.
Then why would AT&T wait until after the office is closed to even start selling the phones. I am shocked that AT&T won’t activate any iphone user that has a business account. A supervisor told me that it is my fault for buying it because I should have known that the iphone was only for individual users. I have been through every article and promotional literature I can find and NO WHERE does AT&T provide that information before the buyer gets home to activate it.
I think that Apple has made an incredible product and I can’t believe that AT&T won’t let most of us turn it on.
Has anyone else see this? Is this a widespread problem and how did you solve it?
My favorite iGoof so far: Brad Feld (a fairly well know VC) couldn’t get his iPhone activated because AT&T didn’t like his credit “It got hung up trying to check my credit and told me I had to go to an AT&T store to get a pre-authorization code.”
Smooth. Real smooth. Serves Apple right for jumping in bed with AT&T. They should have known better.
More of Brad’s troubles here:
http://www.feld.com/blog/archives/2007/06/ibrick.html
My AT&T rep repeatedly told me no iPhones were being sold to enterprise/business channels. So if you bought one as a business user scream at your rep. Basically business accounts are used to some kind of discounting scheme, and probably based on the FAN you’re in the iPhone plans won’t be allowed in them
Why doesn’t a business acount work? Pretty easy to figure out:
Business Account:
$60-$90 for the Cell phone minutes.
$50-$70 for the data plan
———-
Minimum $110 for business user.
Iphone:
$60 gets you 450 minutes plus ulimited data.
AT&T gets a $50 premium from business users who do email/browsing (like on the popular Samsung Blackjack).
When business users move to the iPhone, AT&T loses money. So… they’ll make it hard for that to happen in hopes that you buy it for personal use.
At the company I work at Business accounts are billed directly to the company. People using “personal” cell phone accounts can submit the bill monthly on their expense report (an added pain that sales guys don’t like).
Apple – Customer focused.
AT&T – 100% Profit focused, customer’s be damned.
How do i know my account is Business Account (in my account overview..it says nothing about it being a business account) but when i call 611 they say “Welcome to Business Costumer Service” …does that mean i have a business account?…my brother is the account owner and there are currently two lines on that account…let me know becuase i ordered my iphone and i should be getting it by the end of this month (July)….thanx