The IPhone requires an activation, either online through the ITunes or at an AT&T store. For both cases, AT&T requires a valid social security number for credic check. The question is, what about those who do not currently have a social security number?
The answer is, YES! You CAN activate an IPhone WITHOUT a social.
Long story short, I was on the phone with various AT&T representatives as well as those of Apple for nearly two hours today. At first, it was more of a nagging... pretty please let me use my IPhone. Then it was fraustration, anger, and disappointment. Finally, I felt hurt.
Sure, there may be things that require a social security number (sorry, I can't come up with one right now. I have bought a car, rented apartments, and did all of my daily activities without one.) but come on! To activate a cell phone? Seriously, I was being rejected, not because I couldn't afford or even deserve this precious priceless phone (yeah, right), but simply because I didn't have a social? And how many people like me would be denied such a right?
Bottom line.
Accoding to the Communications Act of 1934 ammended by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. a telecommunications service provider cannot discriminate its customers based on race, national origin, or sex.
Although AT&T provides a pre-paid phone service that does not require a social, and thus a credit check, it denied to provide such plans for the IPhone and requires a social security number. SSN is provided to those who are US citizens, residents, or legal workers. Those who are not in any of those three categories (basically foreigners who are not paying income taxes) do not have a social and thus are denied access to the AT&T services with the IPhone. It's pretty clear that people are being discriminated upon national origin and in violation of a federa act. Although Apple denies having anything to do with AT&T's policies, there is no way it can deny the fact that Apple has allowed monopoly of wireless service provision by AT&T for its IPhone, and that it was not aware of such discrimination.
So what did I do?
After a lengthy conversation with various reps, I ended up having a 3-way phone call with a rep from each of the two companies (this was after my lengthy speech about discrimination, violation of federal act, more discrimination, and.. I guess more about violation). The AT&T rep asked me to plug in some number from my visa. There are no 9-digit numbers on a F-1 visa. So I was creative. I plugged in the last 9-digits from a long number in the right upper quadrant of my visa. And it worked like magic.
However, this has only gotten me to the pre-paid service and not the regular one. I will have to switch over once I get my SSN. The pre-paid service is only for the voice part of the IPhone and you can get unlimited date like any other plan user for almost $20.00/month.
But hey, it works.
p.s. I've been on differnt PDAs, smartphones, and HPCs for the past ten years. And I don't care what some people say. Yes, Apple has perpetually ruined its reputaion, yes, the IPhone has numerous shortcomings (slow Wi-Fi, no gps, no avaiable gps software, no to-do list, weird mail application which seems to download emails from decades ago, etc.), and yes, I do fear that the next generation of IPhones will hit the market any minute now. But I have to admit, this is the prettiest machine that I've ever had. I LOVE it. I look forward to the next generation.
Posted by Jekkie
