Carriers begin selling out of Sept. 21 delivery for Apple's iPhone 5 [u]

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
With Apple sold out of launch date inventory for the iPhone 5 in just over an hour, U.S. carriers AT&T and Verizon saw their estimated arrival dates also begin to slip past Sept. 21 as of Friday afternoon.

As of Friday morning, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint were informing customers that their order would deliver by next Friday, the first day the iPhone 5 will be publicly available. That meant, for a brief time, that customers hoping to preorder the iPhone 5 for launch day could still preorder, as Apple was already sold out of its launch inventory.

Update: But after 11 a.m. Eastern on Friday, Verizon's advertised ship date slipped to Sept. 26 delivery, and AT&T said new orders would ship within two to three weeks. Sprint, however, still shows release-date deliver.

A number of customers also experienced a variety of problems having their orders go through. Carrier websites provided slow access due to the influx of traffic, while carrier customer support numbers also buckled in the face of high call volume.

iPhone 5


It took just over an hour for Apple to run dry of its initial batch of iPhone 5 units. The company is now quoting a wait time of 2 weeks for new preorders.

Those who missed out on preorders can test their luck at a brick-and-mortar retail store for next Friday's launch. The iPhone 5 will be available at Apple's retail locations, as well as carriers AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, and resellers like Walmart, Radio Shack and others.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 37
    I'd love to know how many Apple sold in that hour.
  • Reply 2 of 37


    I know they got $$$ from me at 3:12 this morning, EST.

  • Reply 3 of 37
    I ordered at 12:01 am from Verizon. When I check the status, it says expected ship date is 9/26/12. HUH? Guess I'll see what happens next Friday.
  • Reply 4 of 37
    Why is the fact that Apple is not selling unlocked iPhones in this launch not headline worthy? I need an unlocked no contract unlocked black AT&T 64GB iPhone 5 for $849 for myself not to resell. But the unlocked iPhone option is not in the Store.

    I want it so I can run it on the AT&T network under the http://ConsumerCellular.com radically lower no contract billing system. Just off the phone with Apple Sales who says they'll likely become available in a couple of weeks although she couldn't say for sure when. So here's hoping for October sometime before the end of Daylight Saving Time. ????
  • Reply 5 of 37


    AT&T site (upgrader purchase flow) was not functioning for me from midnight to 2:30am, after that I just gave up trying.


     


    Was able to order from AT&T at 6:30AM Pacific through my company employee discount program.


     


     


    Got conformation e-mail:


    "Your iPhone has been reserved and should arrive as soon as Sept 21, 2012."

  • Reply 6 of 37

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Multimedia View Post



    Why is the fact that Apple is not selling unlocked iPhones in this launch not headline worthy? I need an unlocked no contract unlocked black AT&T 64GB iPhone 5 for $849 for myself not to resell. But the unlocked iHne option is not in the Store.


     


    It was announced yesterday....


     


    http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57512742-37/apple-reveals-prices-for-unlocked-iphone-5-in-u.s-canada/


     


    EDIT:


     


    Maybe I am missing something but I don't see what the article is referring to on the product comparison page.  So I may have pasted the link prematurely.  CNET, Apple Insider, and others all picked up the story and provided a link to where you could see prices for unlocked phones.  It is possible Apple took down the information.


     


    It is possible that due to demand they are going delay releasing unlocked versions so they can better meet demand and obligations to carriers.


     


    My guess is you'll get your unlocked iPhone 5, you'll just have to wait a little while...

  • Reply 7 of 37
    [quote]
    Originally Posted by mackie99

    I ordered at 12:01 am from Verizon. When I check the status, it says expected ship date is 9/26/12. HUH? Guess I'll see what happens next Friday.[/quote]

    I ordered mine at 12:06AM. My email says delivered by 9/21, and when I looked an hour ago at the status it said 9/21. Now it says 9/26 like yours.

    And these are the reasons I don't usually order from the carrier sigh. I would love to know what's going on and that it's (hopefully) a mistake. A week of being paranoid is not going to be fun.

    Edit: Oh, especially since I just ordered two for work and they said they will be delivered by 9/21 this HAS to be a mistake with the order status.
  • Reply 8 of 37


    AT&T said "as soon as" the 21st when I ordered mine this morning.

     

  • Reply 9 of 37


    I never buy my iPhones from AT&T, even though they are my carrier, especially after hearing how they are pushing customers to buy Android phones.  

  • Reply 10 of 37
    It's almost 8:00 am Pacific time and I just got off the phone with Verizon and I was told that the ship date has not changed.
  • Reply 11 of 37
    kpomkpom Posts: 660member
    Who knows what "as soon as September 21st" really means?
  • Reply 12 of 37


    Come on...You can't SERIOUSLY tell people you are going to be "paranoid" that your phone may come 5 days later than other people...


     


    How ridiculous is that comment? 

  • Reply 13 of 37

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jglonek View Post





    I ordered mine at 12:06AM. My email says delivered by 9/21, and when I looked an hour ago at the status it said 9/21. Now it says 9/26 like yours.

    And these are the reasons I don't usually order from the carrier sigh. I would love to know what's going on and that it's (hopefully) a mistake. A week of being paranoid is not going to be fun.

    Edit: Oh, especially since I just ordered two for work and they said they will be delivered by 9/21 this HAS to be a mistake with the order status.


    Mine is now saying shipped by 9/21.  It has to be a glitch in Verizon's system.

  • Reply 14 of 37


    Originally Posted by KPOM View Post

    Who knows what "as soon as September 21st" really means?


     


    It's pretty simple to understand. You won't be receiving your phone earlier than Septenber 21st.

  • Reply 15 of 37


    I don't trust the dates from carriers.

  • Reply 16 of 37
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    AT&T said "as soon as" the 21st when I ordered mine this morning.

     

    So you're going to get yours somewhere between September 21 and December 31.
  • Reply 17 of 37

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by BriGuy View Post


    Come on...You can't SERIOUSLY tell people you are going to be "paranoid" that your phone may come 5 days later than other people...


     


    How ridiculous is that comment? 



     


    Did I mention I'm going on a cruise at the end of that week and having iPhones sit outside my house wouldn't work so well (or just not be delivered at all if I have to sign for it)? Not to mention my other phones are already on eBay :)

  • Reply 18 of 37
    Just checked Verizon now says sept 26 and AT&T still says on sept 21.
  • Reply 19 of 37
    Just checked Verizon now says sept 26 and AT&T still says on sept 21.
  • Reply 20 of 37
    Just checked Verizon now says sept 26 and AT&T still says on sept 21.
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