AT&T Training Week Thread

[thinkart]

:laugh2: Hey, (btw chris...thanks!)
There are so many threads and so much confusion on facts that I decided to make a thread for this week. It may not keep rumors out, but at least we can all try and keep it related to what is learned at AT&T training (which will begin mon/tues). We are all anxious to hear what employees are learning about the iPhone, plan rates, special features, problems, etc...

[ProductProFresno]

:laugh2: Hey, (btw chris...thanks!)
There are so many threads and so much confusion on facts that I decided to make a thread for this week. It may not keep rumors out, but at least we can all try and keep it related to what is learned at AT&T training (which will begin mon/tues). We are all anxious to hear what employees are learning about the iPhone, plan rates, special features, problems, etc...
The Managers only are training on Mondday and tuesday, or is it tuesday and wednesday?? But THEN it will trickle down. Makes me sad, lol.

[ColsTiger]

The stores in my area said the regular employees will have their training on Wednesday.

[Hondamaker]

AT&T's iPhone webpage is being updated. I tried to check for new info, and got the
Maintenance In Progress

Wireless from AT&T is continually working to improve our internet site for our customers. As part of this ongoing effort, we are currently doing maintenance. We apologize for this inconvenience and ask that you please try back again later.

[gt1948]

AT&T's iPhone webpage is being updated. I tried to check for new info, and got the
Maintenance In Progress

Wireless from AT&T is continually working to improve our internet site for our customers. As part of this ongoing effort, we are currently doing maintenance. We apologize for this inconvenience and ask that you please try back again later.

Here come the IPhone rate plans.......Soon as they're finished with site maint...

[Marksman]

Here come the IPhone rate plans.......Soon as they're finished with site maint...

I can only hope. My 4 days to iDay wish was to learn pricing plans today.

http://www.anyiphone.com/2007/06/25/4-days-to-iday/

[thinkart]

i hope so! i already checked this morning hoping they would have them up there without "announcing" it...guess i tried too early. ahhh :foot: now i will be hitting refresh every 15 min.

yeah im a dork.:2cool:

[ColsTiger]

1:22 PM Eastern and still can't get on the At&t home page.

[brunn1022]

I can get the site and it is running fast again. Only new thing i noticed was that they took off the link to the iphone on www.cingular.com (http://www.cingular.com) although wireless.att.com still has it

[Hondamaker]

I can get the site and it is running fast again. Only new thing i noticed was that they took off the link to the iphone on www.cingular.com (http://www.cingular.com) although wireless.att.com still has it
Yeah, no new news! WTF?

[CherriePink]

Yeah, no new news! WTF?

I just called AT&T headquarters complaining about the lack of information on the AT&T. I understand this is business and they want to create hype, etc..

But to have no information about plans, etc. is crazy. The majority of the people inquiring are coming from other carriers, etc.

We should at least know as much as possible before switching to them. Hopefully they'll have more info up this week. :smile:

[ColsTiger]

I just called AT&T headquarters complaining about the lack of information on the AT&T. I understand this is business and they want to create hype, etc..

But to have no information about plans, etc. is crazy. The majority of the people inquiring are coming from other carriers, etc.

We should at least know as much as possible before switching to them. Hopefully they'll have more info up this week. :smile:

Hopefully. But to be honest with you, I'm starting to think they're gonna make us wait until we get in the store on Friday before telling us the data plan rates.

[Napoleon_PhoneApart]

Perhaps they want to delay putting information up on their site until their managers and employees have been briefed.

[LTownBrodown]

Perhaps they want to delay putting information up on their site until their managers and employees have been briefed.

Yeah i hope its that and not that they are gonna have some crazy prices

[attmanwantsiphone]

The internal email I received today (I work for SWBell,ATT) had a lot of things said on the upcoming stuff this week. It said there would be a pleasant surprise and a new commercial this week, but did not indicate the details. It did detail the advance work put into the EDGE network and said it would be nearly twice as fast and expanded just for the iphone support, nearly 50 million dollar buildout. It also said that there were over 200 ATT netwrk techs in the field that had been trialing the netwrk for 10 weeks now and have good reports on it.. I will post on new stuff as I get it.

[thinkart]

The internal email I received today (I work for SWBell,ATT) had a lot of things said on the upcoming stuff this week. It said there would be a pleasant surprise and a new commercial this week, but did not indicate the details. It did detail the advance work put into the EDGE network and said it would be nearly twice as fast and expanded just for the iphone support, nearly 50 million dollar buildout. It also said that there were over 200 ATT netwrk techs in the field that had been trialing the netwrk for 10 weeks now and have good reports on it.. I will post on new stuff as I get it.

thank you!! this is why i started the thread. sure, he doesnt have every answer, but he's telling us what they are telling him. we are looking forward to your further details.

[attmanwantsiphone]

thank you!! this is why i started the thread. sure, he doesnt have every answer, but he's telling us what they are telling him. we are looking forward to your further details.

Thanks, The email I had also said it would have a new one each day this week for the iphone/network update, I will post when I get them. They could have stuff in as it rolls out to the press also, but maybe something I can share also.
Oh, the 200 techs that were doing the field testing, it was with iphones! They had reportedly logged over 10,000 hours online with the EDGE and the iphone came off as a very nice piece of technology and hardly any glitches at all.

[attmanwantsiphone]

I found this paragraph in an article on infoworld.com
"USA Today also reported that Verizon was Apple's original choice for wireless partner, but that Verizon wouldn't accept Apple's extraordinary demand of an off-the-top cut of monthly subscriber revenue." (emphesis added)

Does this mean that Apple wanted Verizon to cut its subsciber rates and they would not so Apple dealt with ATT? If so, does this mean that special low rates dictated by Apple will take place from ATT plan? your thoughts?

[mav]

I found this paragraph in an article on infoworld.com
"USA Today also reported that Verizon was Apple's original choice for wireless partner, but that Verizon wouldn't accept Apple's extraordinary demand of an off-the-top cut of monthly subscriber revenue." (emphesis added)

Does this mean that Apple wanted Verizon to cut its subsciber rates and they would not so Apple dealt with ATT? If so, does this mean that special low rates dictated by Apple will take place from ATT plan? your thoughts?

It means that Apple wanted a revenue sharing model of the monthly subscriber rates with Verizon.

[Napoleon_PhoneApart]

The internal email I received today (I work for SWBell,ATT) had a lot of things said on the upcoming stuff this week. It said there would be a pleasant surprise and a new commercial this week, but did not indicate the details. It did detail the advance work put into the EDGE network and said it would be nearly twice as fast and expanded just for the iphone support, nearly 50 million dollar buildout. It also said that there were over 200 ATT netwrk techs in the field that had been trialing the netwrk for 10 weeks now and have good reports on it.. I will post on new stuff as I get it.

Great. Something else to look forward to! :smile:

[attmanwantsiphone]

It means that Apple wanted a revenue sharing model of the monthly subscriber rates with Verizon.

oh I see, I see it as that, now that you pointed it out..how could I be so naive to read it as meaning the other way?..hoping, i guess

[LTownBrodown]

Well man thanks for the updates! Looking forward to hearing more!

[thinkart]

Well man thanks for the updates! Looking forward to hearing more!


LTown you must change your avatar. you is creepin me out!!
he's all sweaty and porny.
eewww

EDIT: THANK YOU!!

[mav]

LTown you must change your avatar. you is creepin me out!!
he's all sweaty and porny.
eewww


ew
ew
ew

And that is how he looks now. Imagine in 3 days. Not good. I feel for those around him and the NYC Apple store employees.

[ColsTiger]

After all the details on rate plans and activations over iTunes have come out this morning, I'm not nearly as interested in this Employee Training thread.

[thinkart]

After all the details on rate plans and activations over iTunes have come out this morning, I'm not nearly as interested in this Employee Training thread.
:P :P :P
that was what this thread was meant to be. you can't control the way it goes...


...chris feel free to free it if you want

[ColsTiger]

:P :P :P
that was what this thread was meant to be. you can't control the way it goes...


...chris feel free to free it if you want

It just doesn't have a point anymore, but neither do 95% of the other threads now.:laugh2:

[chefj]

Info is info i always say. No matter how you get it, just get it.

[joe]

It just doesn't have a point anymore, but neither do 95% of the other threads now.:laugh2:

Yes! 95% of the threads during the last week have been about plans! I thought I was going to go insane! :angry:

[ColsTiger]

Yes! 95% of the threads during the last week have been about plans! I thought I was going to go insane! :angry:

So lets cut this one loose then Chris. It doesn't need to be stickied anymore.

[applet&t]

I think that the iphone is a very innovative product that will help at&t achieve a group mindset and maybe someday we will crown applet&t as king and we will join forces to fight Walmart, Bestbuy, and Radioshack in a battle of epic proportions and bring them to there knees. Then Jesus will come back and bring us and applet&t all home to the ipod in the sky. But that just my theory!:tounge:

[ATTingular]

^I'll have what you're drinking.

[mlass]

^I'll have what you're drinking.

It's a shot of Apple with a splash of t&t. We call it an I-Shot.:laugh2:

[JackBauer]

When the train, do they actually use the device?

[att_employee]

When the train, do they actually use the device?

The training is more how to SELL the iPhone than how to operate the iPhone

The first time the RSCs will have their hands on an active, live iPhone is during the period the store's closed between 4:30 and 6:00 on Friday.... and they'll have a lot of other stuff on their plates at that point.

[lasquintanas]

I think that the iphone is a very innovative product that will help at&t achieve a group mindset and maybe someday we will crown applet&t as king and we will join forces to fight Walmart, Bestbuy, and Radioshack in a battle of epic proportions and bring them to there knees. Then Jesus will come back and bring us and applet&t all home to the ipod in the sky. But that just my theory!:tounge:

Yes the "Allmighty Radioshack." I cower at their odd end cables and couplers. If batteries and RC cars ever become currency, that's the day to start fearing Radioshack.

[Austinsdc]

This guy just finished training this morning. I asked about who had to be present to purchase iPhone. He stated that the "owner of the line" had to be present, meaning that whoever the bill is addressed to every month has to be present to purchase phones. I am even his wife and i cannot buy one unless he is present. Kinda sucks, but luckily he will be home on that day. I know there were a lot of teenagers on here wondering about this. BTW, my old phone has heard me discussing iPhone and now refuses to charge.....be careful what you say people, yours might turn on you too! lol :)

[thinkart]

This guy just finished training this morning. I asked about who had to be present to purchase iPhone. He stated that the "owner of the line" had to be present, meaning that whoever the bill is addressed to every month has to be present to purchase phones. I am even his wife and i cannot buy one unless he is present. Kinda sucks, but luckily he will be home on that day. I know there were a lot of teenagers on here wondering about this. BTW, my old phone has heard me discussing iPhone and now refuses to charge.....be careful what you say people, yours might turn on you too! lol :)

yeah i think mine heard a couple months ago LOL
http://thinkartgraphics.com/blackberrydies.jpg

[Marksman]

This guy just finished training this morning. I asked about who had to be present to purchase iPhone. He stated that the "owner of the line" had to be present, meaning that whoever the bill is addressed to every month has to be present to purchase phones. I am even his wife and i cannot buy one unless he is present. Kinda sucks, but luckily he will be home on that day. I know there were a lot of teenagers on here wondering about this. BTW, my old phone has heard me discussing iPhone and now refuses to charge.....be careful what you say people, yours might turn on you too! lol :)

This goes contrary to what we have been hearing lately.

[jgh2k]

yeah it is, and I want to know since the main on my family plan lives 300 miles away and hates Apple

[smithhouse]

i was told by att that as long as account holder put me on the account i could by the iphone.

[ATTingular]

This goes contrary to what we have been hearing lately.

By law, the account holder either has to be present or give verbal consent (after confirming his identity by last name, billing zip code and last 4 of ye olde SSN).

[smithhouse]

so if we have this,last name, billing zip code and last 4 of ye olde SSN.we willl be ok.

[ATTingular]

so if we have this,last name, billing zip code and last 4 of ye olde SSN.we willl be ok.

Not like that, it has to be given by the account holder, not you, not anyone else but the account holder. You can have them call in to give it, but you just giving it out is not good enough.

[smithhouse]

but in my case he put me on the account and in the past i had no problem making changes on the account.upgrades or anything.

[Angel13]

What if we're not an AT&T customer yet? I'll be switching to AT&T from another company when I activate my phone through iTunes. In that case, can't anyone just go in and get the phone for me?

[jwarner]

What if we're not an AT&T customer yet? I'll be switching to AT&T from another company when I activate my phone through iTunes. In that case, can't anyone just go in and get the phone for me?

NO, as you will be the account holder, you must be present as they will run a credit check on you in order to initiate the account. Then you have to go iTunes with a code to activate your account. It shows this in the activation tutorial on apple.com

[Saiko]

NO, as you will be the account holder, you must be present as they will run a credit check on you in order to initiate the account. Then you have to go iTunes with a code to activate your account. It shows this in the activation tutorial on apple.com

That's IF you got a credit check code. It clearly states in the video at 2:28... "On this screen you either need to enter your social security number or the credit check code you may have received when you purchased your iPhone" Re-watch it if you have to.

[Angel13]

Yes, he clearly says either your social OR the credit check number you MAY have received. And next to that box it says: I have an AT&T pre-approved credit check code, implying that there will be people without one.

I guess I'm going to the AT&T store tomorrow and hope someone can clear this up for me and give me a difinitive answer. I've gotten different answers depending on the day, time, lunar alignment of when I call.

ETA: From AT&T FAQ:

Q. How do I activate iPhone?
A. You activate iPhone in a whole new way—using iTunes right on your computer. All you need is a PC or Mac, a credit card or debit card, access to the Internet and an email address.
The credit approval for your AT&T service also happens on your computer. It’s part of activating through iTunes, but if you’d rather have your credit pre-approved before you leave the store, an AT&T store representative can help you with that.

I guess that answers that. So really, who would care who's buying the actual phone, right? Someone else can buy it for me.

[jgh2k]

I guess that answers that. So really, who would care who's buying the actual phone, right? Someone else can buy it for me.[/QUOTE]

that's what I am thinking as well...

[Marksman]

By law, the account holder either has to be present or give verbal consent (after confirming his identity by last name, billing zip code and last 4 of ye olde SSN).

To do what is the question though.

If the activation is done in iTunes, will this information be required to buy an iPhone at the AT&T stores?

[jgh2k]

I have also been asking this question too, with no answers. it just makes no sense at all because it's ALL done on iTunes. that is why I am going to an Apple store becuase they want to sell the phone not the plan.

[Marksman]

I have also been asking this question too, with no answers. it just makes no sense at all because it's ALL done on iTunes. that is why I am going to an Apple store becuase they want to sell the phone not the plan.

Reading through the AT&T employee manual today, it seems like you will not need to provide any of that information if you are adding to an existing account.

[Angel13]

The manual confirms that you don't need to give them any information to buy the phone. They will try to get you to do a credit check, but you can say no. It makes sense for a lot of people to do it at that time, but if you're buying the phone as a gift or if someone else is buying if for you, you can just buy the phone and leave.

[jgh2k]

yup, I read it too and found nothing... I guess all those dumbasses at the att store were just talking out their asses as usual.

[iPhonePro07]

They were not just talking out of their asses. It is normal procedure for a rep to ask for account info (specifically last 4 of the account holders social) before they are allowed to proceed with any transactions. If you are not the account holder, you just need to be able to confirm this info.
Basically, if its your Mom/dad/aunt/second cousins account, just ask them for the last 4 of their social just in case they ask. It won't hurt to write it down and keep it with you.

[ProductProFresno]

yup, I read it too and found nothing... I guess all those dumbasses at the att store were just talking out their asses as usual.
I'm so tired of people like you insulting people for whom you have no respect for, and no insight into the unner workings of this process. Quit trolling, Jerk. We worked hard today.

[MBhodder]

haha oh traing for the iphones, thats a wonderful story wish they did it with us! the day before release they said ok this is a phone, showed us a hour slideshow and let us go live! it was chaos