Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
If You EVER Had a Corporate Discount Through AT&T...
- Thread starter clayj
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
So I am not missing anything. Thanks!
BL.
In my case, I didn't even know there was still a discount listed on my account. I haven't been getting the discount for at least two years, and even before that I don't think it was ever actually working.
But, I know even if I had wanted the discount on there to begin with, the answer would be, Yes, to buy the phone at the apple store.
This totally bit me in the ass. I had a discount, and I knew that you needed to get it taken off, so I called AT&T and they removed it. After waiting in line for 7 hours (!) I still got the IRU error. Apparently my account was flagged as a corporate account (even though it definitely was not, it was just a plain old vanilla account with a FAN discount that I had already removed). They told me there was nothing they could do, I had to go to an AT&T store. Problem is, I have Apple Gift Cards that I want to use for the phone, so I guess I have to get an AT&T store to sort out my issues and then go back to Apple to actually buy the phone. They couldn't have made this more complicated or frustrating if they had tried.
It didnt work for me. I had to leave the apple f@#$%kin store and go to an AT&T store. Of course they were sold out and i had to order one. The AT&T people were very very accommodating and apologetic.
Alright, so I just called CSR for AT&T and they removed it for me. I'm hoping to go to the Apple Store later today and get one, hopefully without a problem.
Stupid AT&T sold out.
EDIT: Just checked my online account and it doesn't show up anymore, so that's good... I hope.
Stupid AT&T sold out.
EDIT: Just checked my online account and it doesn't show up anymore, so that's good... I hope.
I stood on line from 6am and when I finally got through, I got the same error during activation. They told me to go to an AT&T store and I did. Since the line was huge at that store I spoke to the manager and he was able to take off the fan# from my account. Went back to the Apple store and I had the same error again. So ANNOYING!
Luckily, I was able to go to another less crowded AT&T store and was able to buy a phone there.
Luckily, I was able to go to another less crowded AT&T store and was able to buy a phone there.
Alright, so I just called CSR for AT&T and they removed it for me. I'm hoping to go to the Apple Store later today and get one, hopefully without a problem.
Stupid AT&T sold out.
EDIT: Just checked my online account and it doesn't show up anymore, so that's good... I hope.
I wouldn't count on it
Alright, so I just called CSR for AT&T and they removed it for me. I'm hoping to go to the Apple Store later today and get one, hopefully without a problem.
Stupid AT&T sold out.
EDIT: Just checked my online account and it doesn't show up anymore, so that's good... I hope.
Be sure its off your account. Check your web account on AT&T. The CSR on ATT phone this morning told me it was off. Apple tried again and still could not complete the phone purchase. The FAN discount is STILL showing on my account.
Mine was taken off (verified by logging into my account at the Apple Store) but I was still getting the IRU error at the Apple Store. It apparently has worked some some people, but If I were you I would just go to an AT&T store to upgrade.
hopefully my local At&T store will get more tomorrow so I can get one.
+1
My account showed and still shows the discount removed also, but I continued to get the IRU error.
The last piece of information I got from AT&T Customer Service while at the Apple Store as to why my account gave errors was the following:
My "BMG Indicator" was set to "Small Business Account"
I have no idea what that means, nor do many people at AT&T.
I have since spoken with AT&T a few times and I believe (though cannot be sure until I try to re-purchase a Phone through Apple) that I have now finally had them correct this issue. And this after at least two people at AT&T claimed that I could only have my account fixed at an AT&T store. I knew that made no sense but reasoning with them got me nowhere. I have since been to two AT&T stores and got nowhere of course.
And to be more specific - so that we could leave the Apple Store with an iPhone instead of being sent to an AT&T store which had long since sold out by the time it was apparent that the IRU error was a show-stopper. As for why I was at an Apple store to begin with - simply because Apple would allow me to upgrade both the of phones on my family plan to iPhones, while AT&T was very firm in only allowing one iPhone per person.
This is great info. A bunch of people I work with just left to stand in line at our apple store and I was able to save them some grief.
I'm switching from Sprint so no issues for me.
Somewhat related, after you have the phone, can you then apply the FAN discounts?
I'm switching from Sprint so no issues for me.
Somewhat related, after you have the phone, can you then apply the FAN discounts?
You're welcome. And yes, apparently you can get whatever discounts you are eligible for AFTER you buy the iPhone from Apple.
If you have a work email address, you can re-add the FAN. Just go to this page and enter your work/school email address:
http://www.wireless.att.com/businesscenter/en_US/phones-devices/iReady.jsp
I think the people at the phone lines for at&t business are the only ones who know whats going on. I went into the at&t store and the effing manager told me "no discount" I smiled and said "thats not what I was told, we'll see" she said "we'll seeeee..." I smiled and left... called at&t business... the lady with an actual brain said "yep yep yep, you get a discount, you just have to buy form at&t" I said "at&t sold out babe, can I go to apple?" she was like "sure bro, we'll take that fan off for ya" I's like "well, I'll just try at&t again in the morning, if I can't get one from the new shipment, I'll go to apple and call y'all cool?" she's like "cool"
sorry, but couldn't resist.
If I get an error at the apple store tomorrow night I will make the salesperson wait for me to call at&t business to get it straightened out so I can buy
sorry, but couldn't resist.
If I get an error at the apple store tomorrow night I will make the salesperson wait for me to call at&t business to get it straightened out so I can buy
I got it at an Apple store after removing my FAN discount this morning. The guy who set it all up for me said it was hit or miss and that it seems to have no reason why it works for some and not for others.
I did get fast tracked in the line because the Apple Store didn't want me to wait for 5 hours for something that might/might not work.
NO yellow screen issue for me, looks identical to my 2G.
I did get fast tracked in the line because the Apple Store didn't want me to wait for 5 hours for something that might/might not work.
NO yellow screen issue for me, looks identical to my 2G.
Very helpful info mkoesel
I just called 611 again. Actually you know your account is still consider a business when it automatically redirects your call to (Small) Business Customer Service. I spoke with this rep, she was very nice. I told her that my BMG indicator is on small business account and it's causing a problem for me when I tried to purchased the iPhone from an Apple Store. It took her about 10 seconds to see that my BMG was indeed on small business account. She said unfortunately she can't removed it just like that. That they're aware of this issue and are taking down each number and will call each one of us back when we can go to an Apple store to purchase the iPhone w/o the IRU error coming up.
I asked her why wen the FAN discount is removed on some account it works right away and some like me it's not working. She said that she really couldn't explain why the hit and miss. But that they are working on the issue. It's basically the Apple system isn't recognizing the account changes made on the AT&T system side.
Well at least I have more info now. And who knows when they're call me back. I'll just keep calling 611 every now and then until it stops redirecting me to Business Customer Support and then I know i'm good to go
~.
Very helpful info mkoesel
I just called 611 again. Actually you know your account is still consider a business when it automatically redirects your call to (Small) Business Customer Service. I spoke with this rep, she was very nice. I told her that my BMG indicator is on small business account and it's causing a problem for me when I tried to purchased the iPhone from an Apple Store. It took her about 10 seconds to see that my BMG was indeed on small business account. She said unfortunately she can't removed it just like that. That they're aware of this issue and are taking down each number and will call each one of us back when we can go to an Apple store to purchase the iPhone w/o the IRU error coming up.
I asked her why wen the FAN discount is removed on some account it works right away and some like me it's not working. She said that she really couldn't explain why the hit and miss. But that they are working on the issue. It's basically the Apple system isn't recognizing the account changes made on the AT&T system side.
Well at least I have more info now. And who knows when they're call me back. I'll just keep calling 611 every now and then until it stops redirecting me to Business Customer Support and then I know i'm good to go
~.
That IS interesting. I asked At&t why it was forwarding me to the Small Business service, and they said it was just because I used to have the FAN discount, but that it didn't matter because they took that off.
The true test will be tomorrow, because everyone was saying it takes up to 24hrs. We will see.
I had this problem during the first launch and it took days to get my phone authenticated. (I had a corporate account 8 years ago, and even though I didn't get the discount, my account still had the "flag.")
My advice, which is what I did this time, is to call AT&T and get the corporate discount flag turned off.
There is no discount with the iPhone or the iPhone plans, so you are giving up nothing. But you can then buy the phone from Apple--which still has stock.
Calling them and getting my account set to a "normal" one took about 2 minutes on the phone and today I was in and out of the Apple store in 10 minutes.
My advice, which is what I did this time, is to call AT&T and get the corporate discount flag turned off.
There is no discount with the iPhone or the iPhone plans, so you are giving up nothing. But you can then buy the phone from Apple--which still has stock.
Calling them and getting my account set to a "normal" one took about 2 minutes on the phone and today I was in and out of the Apple store in 10 minutes.
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)
wrong. The 3g iPhone is eligible for corporate discounts. But you can always add the fan again later if you decide to drop it so you can buy at apple
BWhaler said:
wrong. The 3g iPhone is eligible for corporate discounts. But you can always add the fan again later if you decide to drop it so you can buy at apple
I'm having a problem with this. I'm trying to revalidate so I go to "Discounts Registration" then to "Online validation process" to put in my number and email address and it says:
A request for a discount has already been submitted. If you have any questions on the status of your discount request, please contact your Telecom Manager.
I had the FAN, removed it this morning, and this is what I get now. What gives?
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)
I would dial 611 on your phone. You will get directed to your specific business account department. They seem to know what's going on. Sounds like yours is already in progress but double check with them
I would dial 611 on your phone. You will get directed to your specific business account department. They seem to know what's going on. Sounds like yours is already in progress but double check with them