What is up with activation center?

[Galdorf]

I spent all day yesterday trying to reach a live person to activate a machine that was rebuilt due to power surge blowing up the whole system.
Let phone ring for 20 mins every few hours nobody picking up the phone will try again today this is just silly.

 

[SpaceSquad]

Annnd another reason piracy is rampant...harder to be legit than just let something like loader do it's thing.

I sometimes cringe a bit when activating a PC I nuked...don't wanna have to call!

 

[CorePCAndrew]

What are the requirements as far as having to call? I know in the past I have had to call (mostly for transferring office to another machine) but even then, I never choose to talk to a person to do it. Whenever I try to activate a machine that says it has an "invalid product key" I just retype the same key and the online activation works.