In some ways you can.  Why is a leader in the wireless industry that's been
selling cellular phones for nearly three decades letting a phone
manufacturer tell them how to sell phones?  ;-)

"Shipped pre-bricked?"  The fact that ANYONE has to do anything more than
just stick a SIM in and turn it on is lunacy.  "Activation?"  If you want a
phone that needs to be "activated" go to Verizon or Sprint for a CDMA phone.
This ridiculous "activation security" nonsense over a GSM handset is BS.

I'm with you, Kevin- don't blame AT&T for long lines and activation
problems, kids- with any other phone, you'd stick in the SIM, turn it on,
and wait a few seconds for a text telling you "Welcome to AT&T.  Your mobile
number is xxx-yyy-zzzz."  No connection to an "activation server" needed.