Carrier AT&T 2018 iPhone Pre-Order Thread

[Jayright99]

I just took a peek over on the apple.com thread. A lot of them seem to be getting tracking numbers already . I looked back at my history from last year and I didn't get the notification from UPS or AT&T until the day before my phone shipped. I know it's coming but I can't help but be anxious (in a good way).

 

[Surfer13134]

Maybe I can clear some stuff up for people. I used to work at the fulfilment centers that shipped phones for carriers. Apple gives ATT an inventory of phones weeks before the pre orders before the phone is announced (200K SG XS Max, 100K SG XS, etc) so if you got a delivery date on this Friday than that means ATT has a device that is alloted for you, The only times people wont get the device on time is from issues such as billing issues, or transport issues (Late Plans, Late Trucks etc). Moral of the story if your delivery date from ATT shows this Friday you already have a phone assigned to you and you have a 99% chance of getting it to you on time, As well dont worry if its Wednesday or Thursday and your phone hasnt shipped, depending on where you are from the hub or services as next day air they can ship the phones last minute and still get to you on time. Remember UPS and Fedex do this stuff EVERYDAY and have this shipping stuff down to a science.

 

[Guda.FL]

^ pretty much what happens each year...

 

[GuilleCummings]

Ordered mine (Max 64gb SG) in store on Saturday, got estimated ship date for 9/21, moved to Preparing to Ship that very same night. Seeing as no one in this thread has yet to officially get their tracking numbers, unless by reference check (never works for me) on UPS, then I guess everyone should relax. If I remember correctly from last year, Apple direct orders got tracking numbers quicker than we did.

 

[CBSubliminal]

Mine is preparing to shop 9/21 est delivery. ordered 3:00am est. Max 256gb gold

 

[bmdub]

^ pretty much what happens each year...

And each year, 98% of the people who come here are so concerned. I get it...it's like Christmas for us, but just chill.

 

[seant2323]

Mine is expected to deliver 9/21 but not shipping until 9/20. Isn’t that odd?

 

[bmdub]

Mine is expected to deliver 9/21 but not shipping until 9/20. Isn’t that odd?

No. Phones are shipped overnight.

 

[Surfer13134]

Mine is expected to deliver 9/21 but not shipping until 9/20. Isn’t that odd?

What did I literally just write 4 posts above this lol

 

[Guda.FL]

And each year, 98% of the people who come here are so concerned. I get it...it's like Christmas for us, but just chill.

Oh yes! I would say for past 5 years, my phones have been sitting at local UPS or FedEx facility Thursday's, and out for delivery the next day. Only for maybe 1 phone which was shipped overnight from Tennessee.

It's interesting if ordered from Apple direct, you can see labels created over the weekend. Through carriers it is usually by Wednesday to Thursday morning.

 

[bmdub]

Oh yes! I would say for past 5 years, my phones have been sitting at local UPS or FedEx facility Thursday's, and out for delivery the next day. Only for maybe 1 phone which was shipped overnight from Tennessee.

It's interesting if ordered from Apple direct, you can see labels created over the weekend. Through carriers it is usually by Wednesday to Thursday morning.

Yeah...I've come to accept the ways of AT&T. I won't get tracking. I most likely won't get an order update. But my phone will be delivered Friday. *shrug*

 

[JohnnyChuttz]

Maybe I can clear some stuff up for people. I used to work at the fulfilment centers that shipped phones for carriers. Apple gives ATT an inventory of phones weeks before the pre orders before the phone is announced (200K SG XS Max, 100K SG XS, etc) so if you got a delivery date on this Friday than that means ATT has a device that is alloted for you, The only times people wont get the device on time is from issues such as billing issues, or transport issues (Late Plans, Late Trucks etc). Moral of the story if your delivery date from ATT shows this Friday you already have a phone assigned to you and you have a 99% chance of getting it to you on time, As well dont worry if its Wednesday or Thursday and your phone hasnt shipped, depending on where you are from the hub or services as next day air they can ship the phones last minute and still get to you on time. Remember UPS and Fedex do this stuff EVERYDAY and have this shipping stuff down to a science.

I'd just like to ad to this as my wife was formerly pretty high up at Fedex. Fedex has a dedicated team that works very closely with a team from At&t. Every pre-ordered iPhone that is designated for AT&T preorders was assigned a tracking # and labeled with that tracking in China before they were palletized.(Early last week) They are palletized by phone color and size. Those pallets are put on a plane for the US.(Last Friday-Sunday) They get the phones in their main hub in Alaska(Sunday Night) Right now (Monday) those teams are working together to send the correct number of phones from the hubs to the proper local hubs for distribution. Once the local hub that services you receives the pallet of phones (Tuesday-Wednsday), At&t will know what phones it has, and where, and will batch provision local phones to users and we will start seeing tracking #'s sent out.

 

[illstrumental]

Maybe I can clear some stuff up for people. I used to work at the fulfilment centers that shipped phones for carriers. Apple gives ATT an inventory of phones weeks before the pre orders before the phone is announced (200K SG XS Max, 100K SG XS, etc) so if you got a delivery date on this Friday than that means ATT has a device that is alloted for you, The only times people wont get the device on time is from issues such as billing issues, or transport issues (Late Plans, Late Trucks etc). Moral of the story if your delivery date from ATT shows this Friday you already have a phone assigned to you and you have a 99% chance of getting it to you on time, As well dont worry if its Wednesday or Thursday and your phone hasnt shipped, depending on where you are from the hub or services as next day air they can ship the phones last minute and still get to you on time. Remember UPS and Fedex do this stuff EVERYDAY and have this shipping stuff down to a science.

Thank you for this. Some of us (me included) are ordering from ATT for the first time. If you're used to ordering from Apple, its gonna be a little weird getting used to the way ATT works.

 

[Saucey Stunna]

I'd just like to ad to this as my wife was formerly pretty high up at Fedex. Fedex has a dedicated team that works very closely with a team from At&t. Every pre-ordered iPhone that is designated for AT&T preorders was assigned a tracking # and labeled with that tracking in China before they were palletized.(Early last week) They are palletized by phone color and size. Those pallets are put on a plane for the US.(Last Friday-Sunday) They get the phones in their main hub in Alaska(Sunday Night) Right now (Monday) those teams are working together to send the correct number of phones from the hubs to the proper local hubs for distribution. Once the local hub that services you receives the pallet of phones (Tuesday-Wednsday), At&t will know what phones it has, and where, and will batch provision local phones to users and we will start seeing tracking #'s sent out.

This is my first time ordering from ATT Preorders, so they must be a little different than apple.com because their phones don’t seem to arrive in the US from China until like 2-4 days before launch

 

[blairh]

Thank you for this. Some of us (me included) are ordering from ATT for the first time. If you're used to ordering from Apple, its gonna be a little weird getting used to the way ATT works.

It's not as good of a pre-order experience. I always pre-order with AT&T and last year I did for the first time with Apple. I just remember being a lot more impressed with how Apple handles it every step with respect to communication with the buyer. As long as we get our phones on Friday that's all that matters. And we will.

 

[Skoal]

I got my iPhone 7 plus and iPhone 5s 2 days before. And yes I'm a phone fanatic
[doublepost=1537162520][/doublepost]
Currently typing this on my note 9. Had the s9 plus earlier this year

You do that every year? I’m impressed

So apparently UPS and Fedex don’t do a very good job of putting delivery holds into effect. Since IPhones and samwhatevers are getting delivered left and right prior to launch. Doesn’t surprise me.

 

[I Like Turtles]

You do that every year? I’m impressed

So apparently UPS and Fedex don’t do a very good job of putting delivery holds into effect. Since IPhones and samwhatevers are getting delivered left and right prior to launch. Doesn’t surprise me.

Thats because hes full of it! Ive worked for Fedex for almost 15 years now from package handler to now delivery driver and I can tell you Apple has VERY strict guide lines on delivery of any apple product on time, in fact for any apple product that is delivered early Fedex and UPS can face a steep fine so we go out of our way to make sure they arent delivered early. I remember back for the iPhone 4 launch people were getting them a day early and we as a company caught so much flak that new policies came into place very soon after. Now Samsung on the other hand doesnt impose those restrictions and we dont have to hold them, we can send them a long the process and get them delivered.

 

[steve knight]

well for the first time att goofed up my order. I saw a notice on my account about a problem with my phone order. I had to call first they said unpaid taxes Hello this is oregon second I did not pay the 35.00 upgrade fee. Hello gave you my card. after 20 minutes or so on hold and them sending me a temp passcode then they said I could not upgrade till I paid about 450 to pay off my phone. then after talking they got my IMI number I had to turn off find my phone and then they placed the order again. so now of course my order is delayed.

 

[Skoal]

Same here, nothing, and In Progress as well still.

I’d you’re “in progress” I’m pretty sure it won’t show. Have to be preparing to ship or shipped.

 

[AppleDior31]

Had placed two orders for two upgrades with AT&T. I also placed an order with Verizon intending to switch carriers. I called the loyalty dept to see if they can get any deals instead of me switching carriers. They’re giving me $70 off my directv bill for a year so I cancelled the Verizon order.

 

[joefrank64k]

well for the first time att goofed up my order. I saw a notice on my account about a problem with my phone order. I had to call first they said unpaid taxes Hello this is oregon second I did not pay the 35.00 upgrade fee. Hello gave you my card. after 20 minutes or so on hold and them sending me a temp passcode then they said I could not upgrade till I paid about 450 to pay off my phone. then after talking they got my IMI number I had to turn off find my phone and then they placed the order again. so now of course my order is delayed.

Oh man, what a mess!! Sorry to hear about that.

 

[Murx52]

well for the first time att goofed up my order. I saw a notice on my account about a problem with my phone order. I had to call first they said unpaid taxes Hello this is oregon second I did not pay the 35.00 upgrade fee. Hello gave you my card. after 20 minutes or so on hold and them sending me a temp passcode then they said I could not upgrade till I paid about 450 to pay off my phone. then after talking they got my IMI number I had to turn off find my phone and then they placed the order again. so now of course my order is delayed.

Oof- I have my confirmation (second email) but with $0.00 for total- never payed taxes so not sure my order will go through or not.. Still "in progress"

 

[Skoal]

Let’s assume that were true. Then what the rep is saying is anyone who ordered that model of phone after you has no chance of getting the phone? That would definitely upset a tremendous amount of people that ordered after you and had the delivery date of the 21st.
Makes absolutely no sense. I don’t think AT&T would risk that. I believe the rep you got has no clue what they’re doing.

Agreed! Do not listen to them and quit calling to talk to att reps. It will do no good for you’re blood pressure. Do not let them cancel an order. They will either tell you nothing that helps or tell you what you want to hear so you’ll shut up.

 

[Skoal]

I just took a peek over on the apple.com thread. A lot of them seem to be getting tracking numbers already . I looked back at my history from last year and I didn't get the notification from UPS or AT&T until the day before my phone shipped. I know it's coming but I can't help but be anxious (in a good way).

Yup par for the course. Just be patient folks. It’ll work out it’s just the way ATT does things.

 

[Skoal]

Maybe I can clear some stuff up for people. I used to work at the fulfilment centers that shipped phones for carriers. Apple gives ATT an inventory of phones weeks before the pre orders before the phone is announced (200K SG XS Max, 100K SG XS, etc) so if you got a delivery date on this Friday than that means ATT has a device that is alloted for you, The only times people wont get the device on time is from issues such as billing issues, or transport issues (Late Plans, Late Trucks etc). Moral of the story if your delivery date from ATT shows this Friday you already have a phone assigned to you and you have a 99% chance of getting it to you on time, As well dont worry if its Wednesday or Thursday and your phone hasnt shipped, depending on where you are from the hub or services as next day air they can ship the phones last minute and still get to you on time. Remember UPS and Fedex do this stuff EVERYDAY and have this shipping stuff down to a science.

THIS! Thank you. You can be stuck at “in progress” till Thursday and you will still get your phone. I’ve seen it more than once concerning ATT preorders.