Here's the problem:
AT&T account with 3 iphones on it already; the account that pays for it is a credit card with a billing address that is a P. O.Box in the town where I live.
I go to set up my 3G data plan for my new ipad and attempt to use the same credit card. I get an error that says that credit cards with P. O. Box billing addresses are not allowed, and that I must use a card with a street address.
A bit steamed at this bit of random stupidity I go to the AT&T store, ipad in hand. The counter person has no idea this problem exists and no idea what to do. She talks with her manager, who is similarly clueless. They both then talk to someone at some higher level of customer service on the phone but they don't get much help. They suggest that I might try putting in my physical address but are skeptical that would work; all my credit cards have the same P. O. Box billing address so there is no other card I can use. Grasping at straws they suggest that the folks at the Apple store might be able to help. Since I'm also grasping at straws as to what to do, I go to the Apple Store, talk to 2 people there who give me the same story. The requirement for a physical address is AT&T's decision, they don't know why (as it makes no sense to them either), and that I'm far from the first person to come in there today (about the 10th) with this question and that not surprisingly there's nothing they can do for me except sympathize.
Here's the solution:
I go home, expecting a long and frustrating call to AT&T customer service about this. Just before I make the call I try again and I decide to use my physical address as my billing address, knowing that it's inaccurate and expecting it to be rejected.
Much to my surprise, it works. In less than a minute I get a notification that my cellular service has been successfully activated.
Chris
AT&T account with 3 iphones on it already; the account that pays for it is a credit card with a billing address that is a P. O.Box in the town where I live.
I go to set up my 3G data plan for my new ipad and attempt to use the same credit card. I get an error that says that credit cards with P. O. Box billing addresses are not allowed, and that I must use a card with a street address.
A bit steamed at this bit of random stupidity I go to the AT&T store, ipad in hand. The counter person has no idea this problem exists and no idea what to do. She talks with her manager, who is similarly clueless. They both then talk to someone at some higher level of customer service on the phone but they don't get much help. They suggest that I might try putting in my physical address but are skeptical that would work; all my credit cards have the same P. O. Box billing address so there is no other card I can use. Grasping at straws they suggest that the folks at the Apple store might be able to help. Since I'm also grasping at straws as to what to do, I go to the Apple Store, talk to 2 people there who give me the same story. The requirement for a physical address is AT&T's decision, they don't know why (as it makes no sense to them either), and that I'm far from the first person to come in there today (about the 10th) with this question and that not surprisingly there's nothing they can do for me except sympathize.
Here's the solution:
I go home, expecting a long and frustrating call to AT&T customer service about this. Just before I make the call I try again and I decide to use my physical address as my billing address, knowing that it's inaccurate and expecting it to be rejected.
Much to my surprise, it works. In less than a minute I get a notification that my cellular service has been successfully activated.
Chris