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I'm at 2 1/2 hours and counting.

Always someone ready to complain...

I refuse to believe that they did not think they would be swamped.

This is bad planning, and bad publicity.

Hope they fix this VERY soon.

AT&T;-- the weakest link in the iPhone chain

although I suspect any other wireless telecom would be just as inept, some even worse

Eh, relax guys. At least you got one. I have to wait 2-4 weeks........

worked perfectly for me.. migrated from sprint, the entire process took like 1/2 hour, *including* moving all emails, movies, music, etc.

So get a new phone number, BFD.

this is only a delay, and it's shorter than the message claims.

most people that received that message have an active iPhone by now.

i think it's not AT&T;or Apple's fault, but other carriers that are not fully prepared.

Man, this sux. Two staffers at MacWorld are having issues too. One seems to have a DOA iPhone, and the other is getting an activation error, possibly related to changing his business plan to an individual plan last week.

Then again, all this is not that surprising. Anyone expecting AT&T;'s activation service to not be slammed is probably being naive. Still, one would thing AT&T;would have planned better.

Yes it's true - I got the 2nd to last iPhone in my local store today and my excitement has turned to excrement. I was already an AT&T;(Cingular) customer and did not have to change or transfer numbers. 2 and a half hours later, I'm still waiting for activation to complete. I keep playing with the thing hoping it will arise from the dead soon.

Guys relax.... we al know you can't wait to have your first iPhone orgazm.... but the is the real word and when 100,000 people try to activate their iPhone at the same time....

...now take a deep breath and you'll have your new toy very soon working...

It's understandable that the number transfer process is causing problems. Why would the competing carriers go through extra efforts to expedite helping AT&T;gain their customers?

It is interesting that there are so many customers switching carriers. This may be an ongoing problem for Apple and AT&T;, if a high percentage of customers are trying to transfer their phone number.

I'm typing this from my iPhone but my friend has had his activating for about 3 hours now. Needless to say he is very disappointed.

Took 2 1/2 hours but it finally activated. Syncing up now.

@David

I wasn't complaining just putting a time on it. I know these things take awhile sometimes.

no problems here - west coast, existing AT&T;account. And I'm sending this on my iPhone. I'm wishing all y'all satisfaction!

Mine was a brick but it just went through!!!! WOOOHOOO!!! Hopefully things have been fixed

Gawd, what a bunch of babies. Dry your tears, change your diapers, grow up, and wait a day or two. Think about how you'll be bragging next week about how long you waited in line and how long it took you to activate.

Yeah I am pissed. AT&T;has completely screwed this up for me. I have somehow been classified as a corporate customer in their system so I can't switch my phone over. AT&T;is swamped right now, don't even try calling.

I'm in Chicagoland ... no problems here. Best of luck to everyone.

Bandwidth can only hold so much at the same time...I had problems downloading the latest iPod software after getting an iPod on Christmas Day. Later, everything was super speedy.

man, what the hell is all this talk about ACTIVATION PROBLEMS?!!!!

I literally came home, unpacked my iPhone..sat @ my Mac, fired up iTunes and within 5 minutes! I was playing!!!!!!!

This sounds like the work of trolls itching to find fault on the phone..

It took me no more than 5 mins to activate my phone and another 5 mins to synce the stuff i wanted on it.

I had no problems at all!!

"I'm typing this from my iPhone but my friend has had his activating for about 3 hours now. Needless to say he is very disappointed."

I'd be very disappointed as well. It must be a serious energy drain, just sucks all of that juicy hype right out of your system. It's a terrible way to begin a relationship.

People should get that box home, open it up, sync it up, activate it up and in minutes stare amazed at the power they hold before them.

That's how I'd want my iPhone experience to be. At the very least let me load all my shit on there and play some movies/music, get to know the interface more intimately while I'm waiting.

Thanks alot for putting iBrick in the title...this article will be in the news section of Bloomberg on Monday morning...the naysayers will see to it.

Martin: "this is only a delay, and it's shorter than the message claims.

most people that received that message have an active iPhone by now.

i think it's not AT&T;or Apple's fault, but other carriers that are not fully prepared."

Not to be an ass, but how do you know this inside info? Do you work at Apple or AT&T;, or was that just your speculation?

Less than 2 minutes here...

ah, an unlocked iphone with a sim tray.. pop the sim card in.. good to go.

Moo-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

Total respect for MDN for this report.

I was tearing my hair out - I waited 10 hours for an iPhone and it's still not working after 4 hours of trying to activate!

Couldn't get a straight answer from anyone - except MDN.

Perhaps Apple and AT&T;should have staggered the released by time zone, region or even state. For example, California on day one, the rest of the West Coast a few days later, the Mid-West, a day after that, and so on.

I hope they get this figured out before the man on ebay who bid $99,999,999.00 for an iPhone gets his. I just tried to get the link for you all but it looks like ebay just removed it. I lie to you not, it was one dollar under $100M!

i had no problems activating two phones and i am currently typing this on my iPhone

i think it's not AT&T;or Apple's fault, but other carriers that are not fully prepared.

...or perhaps not fully interested in helping with Apple's image.

"You wanna switch your current number to your new iPhone? Suuuure we can help. Give us a week. Maybe two. Pity your iPhone will be useless until then...".

Well, you know, you can wait an extra few weeks until all of the dust settles. Instant gratification = masturbation.

See what happens when you don't control the whole widget?

Activation was a few minutes here (about 4 to be exact). Smooth as silk. I think you are all confusing the "porting" of numbers with activation. Porting is at the whim of the other provider and has NOTHING to do with Apple or AT&T;. Any smart cell phone user would know this very basic information.

I've been waiting for activation for over three and a half hours now. . . no number transfer etc,.

Front page news in local paper in Sturgis, SD. No iPhone for the people of South Dakota because AT&T;/cingular refuse to do buisness in this state

Phone calls get routed through another carrier, but no internet or other goodies.

Just be glad you not here.

http://www.sdmoderate.com/2007/06/27/iphone-will-just-be-a-rumor-here/

What they don't make completely clear is that activation is required to do anything. Additionally, you may have to wait to receive calls IF you are transferring a phone number.

I read it this way the first time, but obviously others have not.

- gws

My iPhone activated in about 30 seconds.

I don't know why people are surprised. Name any other phone company that has had to add up to an estimated 400,000 phone accounts in one day. This won't be an issue by tomorrow.

I was very excited about my new iphone...until I tried to set up with Itunes. This is when I discovered that there was no sim card or sim card tray in the phone. The guy at apple said this was the first call he got on this issue. Anyone else come home with an empty sim slot. I took the whole box apart including the bottom and foam top. What a letdown.

"Not to be an ass, but how do you know this inside info? Do you work at Apple or AT&T;, or was that just your speculation?"

I'm not sure what the person you directed that question to was thinking, but it's the same idea that came to mind for me.

Number portability is a two way transition. The new carrier cannot activate your new account with an old phone number until your current carrier releases that number from their system.

Now, who's more likely to take it slow in this situation, AT&T;, who not only gains a new customer but is stealing one from a competitor, or the competitor who is about to lose that customer to AT&T;?

Conventional wisdom says that it's your current carrier who will drag their feet releasing your phone number to AT&T;. If the bastards could, they'd call you at home, ask why you're leaving and try to bribe you to stay with a cheaper plan or some other discount.

woooooohoooooooooooooooo.

Activated in 5 mins.

I wonder how widespread it is?

This is from my iphone. It activated in like 15 minutes.

@ iPhone woohoo

so .... how much are you gonna ask for your 2nd iPhone on ebay ?

It's a small delay because of Mass traffic. Mark my words...tomorrow it will work - when they catch up. And after that it will continue to work with the several thousand a day they sell, not several hundred thousand like today.

BTW - It's AT&T;and not Apple or any other carrier. I am transferring a number but that doesn't effect the basic activation - which mine has been delayed for 2 hours so far...no email. I'm sure I'll have it in the morning, I'm not worried.

I was just saying to friends today, I hope the "background" of AT&T;and Apple is ready for this flood. From 6:30 to 8:30 the servers, lines, whatever takes care of it all is going to be overwhelmed. I had a gut feeling it was going to be a tough first 6 hours to a day.

Imagine the number of attempts all in one time frame.

@Newmanstein. I agree. MDN: Cut the iBrick crap. I don't need my stock to fall. ; )

Any new, publicly untested complex product in demand to this massive degree, (and activating all at the same time) is going to hit bumps here and there. It will iron out quickly. Cut 'em a break.