As Australian buyers pick up iPhone 4S pre-orders, carrier server issues rear their heads again

AS the dateline clicks over on Australia today, the 14th has arrived and with it comes eager users picking up their iPhone 4S pre-orders at Apple Stores across the country. And what invariably follows on launch day of a new iPhone? Carrier servers crumbling under the strain of thousands of iPhones being activated.

This time around we got reports in from Australian buyer and GlassHouse Apps designer Graham Clarke that Telstra’s contract generation system got so much traffic that it took him over an hour to sign a contract on his new device while a line of eager buyers waited outside the store. Clarke picked up a 32GB black iPhone 4S, which he shot an image of just after purchase.

Traditionally carrier issues have plagued iPhone launches as Apple employees begin activating thousands of iPhones within minutes of the stores opening. The issues normally don’t let up for hours as they are crushed by retry after retry.

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The server issues normally calm down after the initial rush but I remember waiting at the Apple store for several hours during the launch of the iPhone 4 while they made attempt after attempt. The iPhone and iPhone 3G were ‘at home’ activations which required you to plug the device into iTunes, although the problems were the same as they contacted AT&T’s servers (both devices launched here in the US first) for activation.

Here’s hoping that we won’t be seeing this be as much of an issue here in the US this time around as we have three major carriers launching the iPhone. Of course, it could be just as bad because Australia has three carrier choices as well. We’ll find out in 15 hours!