Stop Spreading False Information: Credit Consensus PLEASE

[Aniej]

blah blah blah rant expletive AT&T expletive blahh

Just stop already!

All you do is ask questions and demand answers. When people respond, with educated guesses or follow-up questions you lose your mind and are really being a tool. Just chill out. Just because you are on the internet with a little anonymity shouldn't serve to justify this behavior in your own mind. Pull it together and start engaging in a civil discussion where other people's points are appreciated and yours can be expressed without attacking people. Seriously, take a step back and start behaving at the level you are demanding from others.

 

[HitmanX]

CUPERTINO, California and ATLANTA—June 26, 2007—Apple® and AT&T Inc. today announced that iPhone™ users will be able to activate their new iPhones using Apple’s popular iTunes® software running on a PC or Mac® computer in the comfort and privacy of their own home or office, without having to wait in a store while their phone is activated. Activating iPhone takes only minutes as iTunes guides the user through simple steps to choose their service plan, authorize their credit and activate their iPhone. Once iPhone is activated, users can then easily sync all of their phone numbers and other contact information, calendars, email accounts, web browser bookmarks, music, photos, podcasts, TV shows and movies just like they do when they sync their iPods with iTunes.

Thanks, that will clear up a lot of things. Come on guys it doesn't get clearer then that.

 

[calculus]

Isn't it the same in Europe for contracts?

Certainly in the UK there is a credit check for a contract agreement.

 

[dagomike]

I looked at the video again, and I bet that ATT credit field is for people who already have a credit check in their system. This will bipass the iTunes check so people don't unnecessarily get their credit hit twice. So, if you go into the ATT ask to have your credit checked to make sure you qualify, for example, you can get that number and not have to get hit again.

 

[DonWilson]

Did any of you actually view the activation video? The guy clearly states that if you have a preapproved credit authorization code, you can put it in there and it will skip the credit check through iTunes.

So, you can either do it early, possibly when you buy the iPhone, or through iTunes.

 

[reflex]

Isn't it the same in Europe for contracts? I know they're not as common but I would think they would do this, unless you sign something saying the money will come directly from your bank account.

Slightly off topic I guess, but I've never had a credit check done in my life, outside of the loan for my house.

EDIT: I'm in Belgium btw, don't know if it's the same in other countries in Europe.

 

[Henri Gaudier]

In the US if you sign a cellular contract you are forced to have a credit check. The phone is something you're purchasing from Apple really, AT&T is just the middleman, but since AT&T wants to make sure you can pay the $60+ a month, they run a check to make sure you pay your bills on time.

Isn't it the same in Europe for contracts? I know they're not as common but I would think they would do this, unless you sign something saying the money will come directly from your bank account.

Hello, thanks for responding. I don't know about mobile/cell phones as I've never had one but it surprised me as I find all this assessment stuff very intrusive. I'm 41 and I've never had one. Other peoples way of doing things are often a shock though aren't they? I once went to stay in Canada for about 6 months ... just to see the place. I had a hard time getting in which was the first shock; all of western and central Europe has no borders for a long time now. The second was being asked for a credit check for something I was buying outright. I'll expand - I bought a cheap car and went back to my hotel in Toronto to phone up insurance companies to get insured. (I'll cut this short as there is a lot of other weird sh*t in this story) The thing that amazed me was .. no one would give me insurance without a credit check even though I was paying for a year up front and would after 6 months be getting a refund. They wanted to contact an agency in France first which would take 4 weeks! I expect car insurance to be pretty much instant and so this was quite a culture shock. Amazingly for a country built on immigration, no one would insure me because I wasn't first, a citizen of Ontario and secondly not a Canadian. In the end I had to go with a back street bunch of crooks who were rip-off merchants but I digress. I certainly wouldn't subject myself to this for a phone.

 

[TenaciousPZ]

Sorry to everyone, I've had a stressful day, and given my anticipation of this phone, mac rumors has made it much worse, considering this site really is nothing but Mac RUMORS.

Thank you all though for trying help me with my answer. I think Apple already has though by making the credit check part of iTunes. Why would you HAVE to do in store, then HAVE to do in iTunes...

it really wouldn't make any sense and i can't believe i thought it did a few hours ago. Sorry again.

 

[Peace]

LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY...EVERYONE

At&t is NOT GIVING pre-approval to ANYONE for the iPhone. Anyone who claims other wise is lying.

Need proof? Call At&t right now, you can even call the credit dept directly at 1-800-331-0500 and tell them you want a pre-approval for Friday.

You WILL BE DENIED. Because it doesn't exist.

Relax..

I called AT&T TODAY and they ran a credit check and I have my "BAN" pre-approval number to type in when I activate it through iTunes.

So what you say isn't true.

 

[diabolic]

I just got back from the closest AT&T store to me. They did check my credit in advance, and also told me they would be activating the phones in the store before people leave with them.

I still have my doubts about the activation though. I really don't think they know yet.

 

[cazlar]

This seems like a good place to ask a credit question I had. I've just moved to the US from Australia for work, and as such have no credit history here in the US. And it sucks, as no-one will even give me credit, even a "gas card" (as I have no history... a vicious circle!). And seemingly everything here is tied to this mystical hidden number - its hard to find somewhere to rent for example as they all want to check your credit. In Australia, most things just care that you have a steady job with sufficient income and they'll ok you.

So, assuming I end up going for a "secured" credit card from my bank in order to build my history, how long would it take to build sufficient history to pass a credit check? i.e. say in 6 mths I decide to get my iPhone (I'm currently on a prepaid and will stick with that for the moment), will that be enough, assuming I've been good and paid it off consistently etc?

 

[DVNIEL]

What the **** are you talking about?????? I went to my loacal att store on sunday and got pre approved.....the approval stays available on record for 30 days...get your facts straight

Actually its good for 3 months

 

[Ugg]

This seems like a good place to ask a credit question I had. I've just moved to the US from Australia for work, and as such have no credit history here in the US. And it sucks, as no-one will even give me credit, even a "gas card" (as I have no history... a vicious circle!). And seemingly everything here is tied to this mystical hidden number - its hard to find somewhere to rent for example as they all want to check your credit. In Australia, most things just care that you have a steady job with sufficient income and they'll ok you.

So, assuming I end up going for a "secured" credit card from my bank in order to build my history, how long would it take to build sufficient history to pass a credit check? i.e. say in 6 mths I decide to get my iPhone (I'm currently on a prepaid and will stick with that for the moment), will that be enough, assuming I've been good and paid it off consistently etc?

Maybe... I don't know what the minimum amount of time is. If you're paying rent and your utility bills on time, that will definitely help.

You can also give AT&T a deposit of $750 and they'll give you service then.

 

[korndog2003]

Because I have made many phone calls today, and I know which information is WRONG.

lol then why ask you must not be that bright

 

[TheScappian]

So with AT&T, is it $750 deposit or nothing? I have Sprint now and they didnt require a deposit, they just set a $250 per month spending limit. I have fair credit, not bad not great. I also had T-Mobile in the past and they required like a $75 deposit. $750 seems a bit excessive.

 

[skubish]

Dude, they told you to go to the store. Not call them up.

Go to your local AT&T store and apply for credit. They will run your credit and approve or deny you and give you a code if you are approved.

Stop calling the AT&T website and bothering them.

Jesus you don't even read what people are telling you to do.

Post of the day!

 

[nkkumi01]

SO for those that are saying that credit check is thru iTunes....what if my credit gets run and I get denied how do I pay the deposit, in order to get service. Thru iTunes or thru an att store.

 

[Twinkie]

SO for those that are saying that credit check is thru iTunes....what if my credit gets run and I get denied how do I pay the deposit, in order to get service. Thru iTunes or thru an att store.

Presumably through iTunes.

There's no reason they couldn't take a deposit the same way they'd bill you for songs.