iPhone on hold

Some buyers who snapped up Apple’s must-have iPhone gadget were put on hold as they experienced frustrating delays in activating their mobile phone service.

“A vast majority” of customers were up and running within minutes, said Michael Coe, a spokesman for AT&T, the phone’s exclusive carrier.

However, he admitted that some were facing delays because the high volume of activation requests were taxing the company’s computer servers.

The sleek, touch-screen cell phone that triples as an iPod media player and a wireless web device went on sale at Apple and AT&T stores in the US on Friday night after months of hype and anticipation.