AT&T vacation blackout points to mid-October iPhone launch; placeholders hit inventory system

By on Sep 27, 2011 at 12:15 PM
Exclusive September 27, 2011

With reports circling that Apple’s next iPhone is due to launch on October 14th, BGR has received new information from a trusted AT&T source that seems to confirm a mid-October launch. AT&T has started to block all employee vacation requests for the first two weeks of October in order to have “all hands on deck.” Our source clarified that the dates are the first two works weeks starting on Monday, October 3rd and ending on Friday, October 14th. Our source also says it is normal for AT&T to extend a vacation blackout after it’s in place, or after an actual launch date is announced. More details after the break.

In addition to this vacation restriction for all AT&T employees, our source has confirmed that AT&T’s internal inventory system now lists six “new product” SKU placeholders as of this morning. Our source, who has witnessed several iPhone launches at AT&T, has indicated that these entries are most likely holding space for new iPhone models and/or unannounced iPhone-related Apple accessories. The inventory entries are not likely to be holding places for upcoming non-Apple handsets, our source said, as they normally appear by name in the inventory system even ahead of announcements. AT&T did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tags:
, , , , , , ,
39 Comments

Related Articles

  • Anonymous

    No offense, but your “source” is you, or maybe it’s just a coincidence ;)

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=624754051 Greg Warren

    Six SKUs?  I wonder if AT&T actually has information on what is coming, or if this is just a guess.  Six SKUs could indicate both black & white iPhone 4s models (likely 8GB); and 32/64GB black & white iPhone 5 models.

    Or AT&T could just be reserving SKU numbers just in case.  We’ll know in a week!

    • http://www.facebook.com/alen.teplitsky Alen Teplitsky

      apple has to certify their phones on the carriers and FCC just like everyone else and work out the subsidy agreement with AT&T. not like the phones just magically appear at AT&T one day and are sold at a made up price

  • http://gamerant.com/author/alex/ alex_sebenski

    6 SKUs?
    2 iPhone 4S black and white 8GB
    2 iPhone 5 black and white 16GB
    2 iPhone 5 black and white 32GB
    ?

    You mention accessories though.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=624754051 Greg Warren

      I think Apple might finally make the jump to 32/64GB for the iPhone 5 in this scenario.  I don’t think they would do 16GB for the 4S model though, just to further differentiate the models.  Then again, with the emphasis on cloud storage for so many things, they may not go to 32/64….guess we’ll have to wait a week and see!

  • fishkid13

    October 14th happens to be my birthday.

    • Roncouturier

      My birthday also..

  • http://twitter.com/computer_tweets KW

    I think the blackout is for the Samsung Galaxy S2.

    • Anonymous

      The blackout would start the day after the SGSII is launched on att.

    • Zac Caslin

      They would only need one employe per store to handle all those people wanting to buy that phone.

      • Chachtastic

        Lol! I mean maybe if it were the first iPhone, but at this point I’m amazed people still line up outside the doors like slobbering monkeys waiting for a banana.

  • Toocoldcris

    Dumb! I work as a sales Rep and my vacation starts the 4th of October.

    • IGuess…

       Then clearly you aren’t that great of a sales rep that they need your “hands on deck” to handle purchases.

  • Skyking517

    We have had NO vacation blocks at all in the corporate stores. I have NO doubt the iPhone is coming, but this rumor is false.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1377870296 Vladimir Elis

      BGR is always full of rumors based on nothing.

      • Anonymous

        And yet you still read and post comments.

        Hilarious.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Cave/15601620 Ben Cave

    If the rumored iPhone release date is the 14th of October, then why would you block the two weeks prior, and not the two weeks after?

    • Anonymous

      In store pre-orders?

  • Scroatette

    I can’t wait!!! Though I will be getting the verizon version!!!! This phone will change everything…again!

    • Anonymous

      Really! What did the first one change? I know what needs a change, your panties, because they’ve been on your stank ass for week.

      • Scroatette

        :( why so mean?

      • Anonymous

        Why would you call yourself Scroatette, do realize that guy is insane. Your degrading yourself by doing that, that is why I trashed you.

  • KC211

    This story Is a bunch of crap. I am a Att employee and I’m on vacation the first week Of october. You need to find better sources. There is no cor blackout.

    • Anonymous

      Maybe they plan on terminating you so they haven’t bothered to tell you.

    • Jhayez93

      I’m an employee as well at a COR location and if you get your vacation in before they block it then your fine. As of right now all vacation requests are being denied

      • Bluetendu

        yeah.. as always  it not before the schedule has built… i cant request for october because the schedules has already been built… but there are NO blackouts for october…

  • The Thrasher

    You don’t see a company blocking off vacations for the release of a BB 9810 do ya AppleSux???

    • Applesucksfatties

      Ahh.. branching out to AT&T posts to talk sh*t about me.  LOOOSSER!!!

  • http://www.allegrotechie.blogspot.com Allegrotechie

    OMG THEY ANNOUNCED OCTOBER 4TH THE EVENT SHUT UP WITH THE RUMORS

  • Fong Pay

    Not sure if this has been speculated yet since most rumors say 10/14/11 for the iPhone 5 release, but why would AT&T only black out the 2 weeks leading up to the release only to have the end of the vacation blackout on the release date?

    I’m calling that the iPhone 5 will be announced to be released on 10/7/11 instead.  History has shown the iPhone models to be released between 3 to 4 days (depending on the iPhone model) from its announcement.

    A 10/7/11 release date would line up with the 3 to 4 day pattern.  Plus, the AT&T reps will be available the week after the release.

    Does anyone else feel me on this?  I’m not trying to add to the rumor mill…this is just my guess.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1377870296 Vladimir Elis

    Jonathan you are a god damn liar and you know it! Your half ass rumors are false!

    Im so sick of reading half the shit this site produces out of thin air based on nothing or some half ass baked rumor.

    • Taco50

      Better than androids half baked OS.

  • The Dark Lord

    U iPhone boys … Nothing has appeared by the FCC yet  and by the way, I agree, u r your only source. Maybe it is for the Windows Phone Mango launch!!!!! I am much more excited about that then the iPhone!

    • Taco50

      You’re the only one

  • Johndoe

    There is no blackout dates announced…trust me

  • Bluetendu

    well… I work with ATT and NO BLACKOUT DATES have EVER been set for october.. and I am a retail sales consultant.. also new sku’s? We have more than just iphone’s launching you know….. don’t believe everything you hear…

  • Sajid Sanchez

    I work in an AT&T core store and if they were to blackout any days they would have done it before reps put in their schedule and vacation requests by the 10th of every month according to AT&T scheduling tool, just saying..

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FSILT3VI2BBIWK22RMXACQRO6A m w

    I love hearing about this sort of thing…I’ve worked for AT&T and when the iPhone 4 came out we had no “vacation blackout” date, and as someone who still gets the union lets in my email…there has been nothing about such a blackout

  • Sinizterminded

    really i wish someone would of told me, i must of not gotten the memo

blog comments powered by Disqus