AT&T Activations Servers Overloaded with iPhone 4S Launch

IMG 0001 1
As has happened in the past, it seems AT&T's activation servers are having problems with the large influx of activations with the iPhone 4S launch. A quick search of Twitter shows many having problems activating their AT&T iPhone 4Ss due to server issues. A discussion thread in our forum also mirrors the complaints.

With the iPhone 4S launched now across the entire U.S., we are at the peak of simultaneous AT&T iPhone 4S activations. AT&T has had similar issues in previous launches. Japanese carrier Softbank was reported to have similar issues during their launch this morning.

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Feature

All iPhone 17 Models Again Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM

Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. ...

Top Rated Comments

Moyank24 Avatar
177 months ago
This is not a surprise.

You would think 5 phones later, AT&T would be more prepared for days like this.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Small White Car Avatar
177 months ago
Is it too much to ask that iPhone owners just wait a few hours?

Apparently. We live in the 'right now' culture, I guess.

Me? I'd rather wait a little while rather than pay AT&T even more money so they can build up a system for activating a million iPhones at once that will only get used once a year. What a waste of money.


Likewise, it didn't bother me that it took awhile for me to download iOS 5. When everyone's trying to do the same thing it's gonna slow you down. Ever been to a concert or sporting event? Sometimes you've just gotta wait.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
78-bit Avatar
177 months ago
Look at it from AT&T's perspective. Why spent millions upon millions to overhaul a system that only ***** the bed once a year for a very specific group of people?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rodimus Prime Avatar
177 months ago
This is not a surprise.

You would think 5 phones later, AT&T would be more prepared for days like this.

And you would think Apple would learn requiring a new sim card for every iPhone causes some major problems. The iPhone is the only phone that does not reuse sim cards. The aim card in my phone is nearly 4 years old and on its third cell phone. My dad's sim still says Cingular on it and going great. Apple on the other hand does not reuse them and cause the servers to get slammed. You would think Apple would learn. A lot of the blame lies with Apple for not using the standards of gsm on this one.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tigres Avatar
177 months ago
yep. dead in the water again. 1.5 hours, nada

Did AT&T know about today?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johncrab Avatar
177 months ago
With one million of these selling in the first 24 hours and with untold millions landing today I don't think there is any way (frustrated as I am) to expect any infrastructure to handle this kind of a load. I think Apple needs to grow up and stop with these preschool launches. Sure, they build buzz but these growing customer numbers mean that the buzz leads to disappointment. This roll out should have happened in stages, not on one day. They pulled this with the iPhone 3G with the launch of Mobile Me on the same day and almost brought everything crashing down. Apple needs to realize it is no longer a toy com pay but a major player with real lives, real work and real money on the line and act accordingly.

----------

HEY I GOT AN EMAIL!

It is from BevMo and it's telling me about a great wine sale. Since my phone won't activate, I think I'll go there and look at wine. Wine works, is easy to activate and leaves a happy feeling afterward.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)