NEW: When Will the ThunderBolt be Available for Purchase?

[StinkyPete]

I mean, this phone was ready last fall in 3G form, we were all clamoring about it on here, but Verizon said, "No HTC, let's release it with this LTE thing we're coming out with next year" and pretty much has stumbled with it ever since then.

In other Forums it's been suggested that Verizon's waiting until it can officially announce it's LTE Plans,that way there won't be any grandfathered plans. The tiered LTE Plans will be device-specific. Any LTE handset will be required to be on an LTE Plan. Much like AT&T required the special data plans on the iPhone. The fact that Johnboy in the other thread said that his Thunderbolt wouldn't work at all without the LTE SIM card leads me to believe this is very possible.

Can Verizon make you pay for something that you dont have access to? I bet that would piss alot of people off including myself if I got the TB and they made me pay extra for 4G when I don't have it nor anyplace near me has it.. I dont think thats right.. I want the TB because its going to to be new technology, the 4G isnt really a issue with me..IMO they should have it the same as the 3G atleast until they have the same coverage as the 3G... If not thats a giant rip off..

You do have access to 4G. Take your MOBILE phone to an area with 4G and use it there. If there is not 4G in an area you want to use the phone in, get one of the many 3G phones.

You can probably get someone to sell you a snowmobile in Florida... doesn't mean you need to use it there (or buy it in the first place).

 

[derekmiller12]

In other Forums it's been suggested that Verizon's waiting until it can officially announce it's LTE Plans,that way there won't be any grandfathered plans. The tiered LTE Plans will be device-specific. Any LTE handset will be required to be on an LTE Plan. Much like AT&T required the special data plans on the iPhone. The fact that Johnboy in the other thread said that his Thunderbolt wouldn't work at all without the LTE SIM card leads me to believe this is very possible.

Can Verizon make you pay for something that you dont have access to? I bet that would piss alot of people off including myself if I got the TB and they made me pay extra for 4G when I don't have it nor anyplace near me has it.. I dont think thats right.. I want the TB because its going to to be new technology, the 4G isnt really a issue with me..IMO they should have it the same as the 3G atleast until they have the same coverage as the 3G... If not thats a giant rip off..

You do have access to 4G. Take your MOBILE phone to an area with 4G and use it there. If there is not 4G in an area you want to use the phone in, get one of the many 3G phones.

You can probably get someone to sell you a snowmobile in Florida... doesn't mean you need to use it there (or buy it in the first place).

Umm no, why would anyone drive somewhere just to use the 4G? If its not in your area how can they make you pay for the service?

And the snowmobile thing is a totally different subject..

A phone is for everyday use and when 4G isnt around here im not going to drive 3 hours just so I can use my phone at 4G. I am sure alot of people feel the same way..

 

[SpikeJones]

But we have erm..."somewhat confirmed" that we can still use this phone in a 3G area, correct?

 

[StinkyPete]

Can Verizon make you pay for something that you dont have access to? I bet that would piss alot of people off including myself if I got the TB and they made me pay extra for 4G when I don't have it nor anyplace near me has it.. I dont think thats right.. I want the TB because its going to to be new technology, the 4G isnt really a issue with me..IMO they should have it the same as the 3G atleast until they have the same coverage as the 3G... If not thats a giant rip off..

You do have access to 4G. Take your MOBILE phone to an area with 4G and use it there. If there is not 4G in an area you want to use the phone in, get one of the many 3G phones.

You can probably get someone to sell you a snowmobile in Florida... doesn't mean you need to use it there (or buy it in the first place).

Umm no, why would anyone drive somewhere just to use the 4G? If its not in your area how can they make you pay for the service?

And the snowmobile thing is a totally different subject..

A phone is for everyday use and when 4G isnt around here im not going to drive 3 hours just so I can use my phone at 4G. I am sure alot of people feel the same way..

I am sure many people feel the same way, but Verizon is in business to make money. They can charge you basically what they want and you, as the consumer, can either (1) pay it, (2) pick another service they offer, (3) or go to another carrier.

You can pick MANY 3G Android phones and pay $29.99 for unlim. data.

You want a specific phone and Verizon says - to use this phone, you need to pay more. Simple.

 

[rushmore]

I was in a Verizon store in St. Louis yesterday and actually held a dummy Thunderbolt. I have been waiting to get a smartphone for almost a year, first thinking I wanted a Verizon iPhone. I have been gently pushed to an Android phone by two of my children who are in the IT field. Now I am just tired of Verizon's drama over the release of new phones to end so that I can finally enjoy the technology of the Android phone.

I know I could purchase a Droid X or Incredible but I prefer "this year" technology over phones that are almost a year old. Actually, I would like to purchase the Incredible 2, if and when it ever gets released, due to the fact I live in an area which probably won't se LTE until near the end of the phase in by Verizon.

I am in my mid-fifties and don't usually submit to forums, but like many of you I am dumbfounded as to why Verizon insists on making such a drawn out production of releasing new phones. I thought the iPhone would never get released and when it finally did it came with apparant lackluster purchasing from the buying public. We never saw the news reports of crowds rushing the verizon stores to pick up Verizon iPhones like we did when the iPad was released. And releasing it only a couple of months before Apple's rumored release of it's latest updated phone (iPhone 5) was enough of a deterent to keep me from having interest in purchasing one.

I am using a defective LG ENVY Touch and in January a Verizon rep suggested I just wait until February 14 and I would be able to purchase the Thunderbolt. Since the 14th Verizon continues to tell me to limp along with my damaged phone just a little while longer as the Thunderbolt in "coming out soon". After being a Verizon customer for 20 years (with Ameritech prior to Verizon buyout) I would appreciate a little more honesty for my loyality. I don't blame the reps because I feel they are just as blind as we are, but I do fualt Verizon management for their POOR product handling.

I completely agree with you. I'm in my late 30's so I've developed the patience that comes from maturity but it is frustrating just he handling of the release. To stay quiet and not even explain the delay is just mind blowing to me. Especially when you consider that some of your customers are at the end of their contract and can simply go get an HTC phone from another carrier. My thing with the TB is that it is the latest in tech plus it's HTC. I love the Sense UI so I am really wanting this phone and have no problems waiting..IF I KNEW WHY I WAS WAITING!! I strongly believe when I compare this phone to other HTC phones that are available that the TB is better. The idea that Verizon refuses to recognize that a smalll minority of their customers are eagerly anticipating this phone and just want to know when they can buy it is insulting. We are the ones that go and tell the uniformed majority they should buy this phone, just like your sons educated you. I'm very disappointed in Verizon because I do think its them..not HTC that is causing this problem.

I guess I don't look at this as a failure until 3/31 (end of Q1) has passed. Verizon has hinted at an earlier release in tweets and comments, so if it comes next Thursday (3/10) it will be 3 weeks early.

The last OFFICIAL status from Verizon was:

(1) CFO - coming very soon, new 4G pricing coming with it.
(2) Tweet - appreciate the excitement, we are working to make it all great, be calm
(3) Website - Strikes Soon

Verizon may have internally discussed getting it out before now, and maybe word of that leaked, but until they make it official, it is just an internal discussion between the various departments (sales, marketing, PR, tech, Sr. management, etc.).

BB jumped the gun plain and simple. If Verizon told them officially it was coming and to go ahead and advertise it for $249 to be released on 2/14, then you can bet Best Buy would be suing them now for damages.

I am really hoping for a 3/10 release (my ENV Touch is starting to fail with its touch settings and I am tired of looking at the wife and my son using their Fascinates).

My futile guess is VZW expected iPhone to sell a lot better than it did. Though it did sell pretty well, VZW had waaaay too many people and iPhones in their stores to not expect a stampede on launch day.

VZW are spinning about how well the iPhone did, unless they like wasting labor hours without revenue to support it. I did well, but NOT like they expected.

Anyhoo, it seems that when VZW realized this, their kneejerk reaction was:

What is our next big device? Thunderbolt sir!!!

Let's get that product out now! But, sire, it is not ready!

Nevermind that soldier- FIRE the weapon!

Point being, they had a plan for later in March and tried to get it out earlier, in spite of it / network not being ready yet.

 

[Horst3]

Just got back from BB, and talked to the store manager regarding the price change. He wrote a note that I am to get the phone at $250 because of the preorder when the price was advertised at $250. Still no phones, but at least I don't have to worry about the phone price anymore.

On another note, I am in the bandwagon of why pay for 4g when it is not avaialable in my normal working area? It would be faster to download something with dial up than it would be to drive to a 4g area. And with gas prices what they are, I don't plan to drive anywhere to get 4g.

Maybe verizon and the gas companies are working together?

 

[StinkyPete]

I completely agree with you. I'm in my late 30's so I've developed the patience that comes from maturity but it is frustrating just he handling of the release. To stay quiet and not even explain the delay is just mind blowing to me. Especially when you consider that some of your customers are at the end of their contract and can simply go get an HTC phone from another carrier. My thing with the TB is that it is the latest in tech plus it's HTC. I love the Sense UI so I am really wanting this phone and have no problems waiting..IF I KNEW WHY I WAS WAITING!! I strongly believe when I compare this phone to other HTC phones that are available that the TB is better. The idea that Verizon refuses to recognize that a smalll minority of their customers are eagerly anticipating this phone and just want to know when they can buy it is insulting. We are the ones that go and tell the uniformed majority they should buy this phone, just like your sons educated you. I'm very disappointed in Verizon because I do think its them..not HTC that is causing this problem.

I guess I don't look at this as a failure until 3/31 (end of Q1) has passed. Verizon has hinted at an earlier release in tweets and comments, so if it comes next Thursday (3/10) it will be 3 weeks early.

The last OFFICIAL status from Verizon was:

(1) CFO - coming very soon, new 4G pricing coming with it.
(2) Tweet - appreciate the excitement, we are working to make it all great, be calm
(3) Website - Strikes Soon

Verizon may have internally discussed getting it out before now, and maybe word of that leaked, but until they make it official, it is just an internal discussion between the various departments (sales, marketing, PR, tech, Sr. management, etc.).

BB jumped the gun plain and simple. If Verizon told them officially it was coming and to go ahead and advertise it for $249 to be released on 2/14, then you can bet Best Buy would be suing them now for damages.

I am really hoping for a 3/10 release (my ENV Touch is starting to fail with its touch settings and I am tired of looking at the wife and my son using their Fascinates).

My futile guess is VZW expected iPhone to sell a lot better than it did. Though it did sell pretty well, VZW had waaaay too many people and iPhones in their stores to not expect a stampede on launch day.

VZW are spinning about how well the iPhone did, unless they like wasting labor hours without revenue to support it. I did well, but NOT like they expected.

Anyhoo, it seems that when VZW realized this, their kneejerk reaction was:

What is our next big device? Thunderbolt sir!!!

Let's get that product out now! But, sire, it is not ready!

Nevermind that soldier- FIRE the weapon!

Point being, they had a plan for later in March and tried to get it out earlier, in spite of it / network not being ready yet.

4G pricing plan seems to be another reason... although it would seem fairly easy to come up with options and pick one.

 

[cereal killer]

Although I do agree with "where there is smoke there is fire". The flip side of that is VZWs (tweet was it?) where they said we are waiting to insure that the product is perfect.

They will patch it up the best they can but at this stage of the game its a little too late. Band Aides and scotch tape time.......




Sent from my Droid

I would agree but HTC is actually known for good devices. They are also known for horrible battery life. But until I hear that motorola has droppped blur and/or unlocked the encrypted bootloader then I am probably will stay in the htc line.

You're getting this handset charles? Or you just speaking in general?


Sent from my Droid

 

[UNC]

I mean, this phone was ready last fall in 3G form, we were all clamoring about it on here, but Verizon said, "No HTC, let's release it with this LTE thing we're coming out with next year" and pretty much has stumbled with it ever since then.

In other Forums it's been suggested that Verizon's waiting until it can officially announce it's LTE Plans,that way there won't be any grandfathered plans. The tiered LTE Plans will be device-specific. Any LTE handset will be required to be on an LTE Plan. Much like AT&T required the special data plans on the iPhone. The fact that Johnboy in the other thread said that his Thunderbolt wouldn't work at all without the LTE SIM card leads me to believe this is very possible.

Can Verizon make you pay for something that you dont have access to? I bet that would piss alot of people off including myself if I got the TB and they made me pay extra for 4G when I don't have it nor anyplace near me has it.. I dont think thats right.. I want the TB because its going to to be new technology, the 4G isnt really a issue with me..IMO they should have it the same as the 3G atleast until they have the same coverage as the 3G... If not thats a giant rip off..

You do realize that there are still places without 3g right? If you live there and own a smartphone, you must have some sort of data plan... this is the same thing. Of course they can charge you for it even if its not in your area...

Why get the TB without 4g coverage though? You should wait until 4g coverage is available and then pick a phone, there may be Quad-cores by the time its in your area.

 

[UNC]

I was in a Verizon store in St. Louis yesterday and actually held a dummy Thunderbolt. I have been waiting to get a smartphone for almost a year, first thinking I wanted a Verizon iPhone. I have been gently pushed to an Android phone by two of my children who are in the IT field. Now I am just tired of Verizon's drama over the release of new phones to end so that I can finally enjoy the technology of the Android phone.

I know I could purchase a Droid X or Incredible but I prefer "this year" technology over phones that are almost a year old. Actually, I would like to purchase the Incredible 2, if and when it ever gets released, due to the fact I live in an area which probably won't se LTE until near the end of the phase in by Verizon.

I am in my mid-fifties and don't usually submit to forums, but like many of you I am dumbfounded as to why Verizon insists on making such a drawn out production of releasing new phones. I thought the iPhone would never get released and when it finally did it came with apparant lackluster purchasing from the buying public. We never saw the news reports of crowds rushing the verizon stores to pick up Verizon iPhones like we did when the iPad was released. And releasing it only a couple of months before Apple's rumored release of it's latest updated phone (iPhone 5) was enough of a deterent to keep me from having interest in purchasing one.

I am using a defective LG ENVY Touch and in January a Verizon rep suggested I just wait until February 14 and I would be able to purchase the Thunderbolt. Since the 14th Verizon continues to tell me to limp along with my damaged phone just a little while longer as the Thunderbolt in "coming out soon". After being a Verizon customer for 20 years (with Ameritech prior to Verizon buyout) I would appreciate a little more honesty for my loyality. I don't blame the reps because I feel they are just as blind as we are, but I do fualt Verizon management for their POOR product handling.

I completely agree with you. I'm in my late 30's so I've developed the patience that comes from maturity but it is frustrating just he handling of the release. To stay quiet and not even explain the delay is just mind blowing to me. Especially when you consider that some of your customers are at the end of their contract and can simply go get an HTC phone from another carrier. My thing with the TB is that it is the latest in tech plus it's HTC. I love the Sense UI so I am really wanting this phone and have no problems waiting..IF I KNEW WHY I WAS WAITING!! I strongly believe when I compare this phone to other HTC phones that are available that the TB is better. The idea that Verizon refuses to recognize that a smalll minority of their customers are eagerly anticipating this phone and just want to know when they can buy it is insulting. We are the ones that go and tell the uniformed majority they should buy this phone, just like your sons educated you. I'm very disappointed in Verizon because I do think its them..not HTC that is causing this problem.

I guess I don't look at this as a failure until 3/31 (end of Q1) has passed. Verizon has hinted at an earlier release in tweets and comments, so if it comes next Thursday (3/10) it will be 3 weeks early.

The last OFFICIAL status from Verizon was:

(1) CFO - coming very soon, new 4G pricing coming with it.
(2) Tweet - appreciate the excitement, we are working to make it all great, be calm
(3) Website - Strikes Soon

Verizon may have internally discussed getting it out before now, and maybe word of that leaked, but until they make it official, it is just an internal discussion between the various departments (sales, marketing, PR, tech, Sr. management, etc.).

BB jumped the gun plain and simple. If Verizon told them officially it was coming and to go ahead and advertise it for $249 to be released on 2/14, then you can bet Best Buy would be suing them now for damages.

I am really hoping for a 3/10 release (my ENV Touch is starting to fail with its touch settings and I am tired of looking at the wife and my son using their Fascinates).

BB can't sue Verizon for damages... they've gained money from this, not lost it...

 

[derekmiller12]

The coverage for 3G is ALOT more than the 4G.. I know there are places that dont have 3G but I am sure the places without 3G is far less than the places WITH 4G..

 

[pc747]

They will patch it up the best they can but at this stage of the game its a little too late. Band Aides and scotch tape time.......




Sent from my Droid

I would agree but HTC is actually known for good devices. They are also known for horrible battery life. But until I hear that motorola has droppped blur and/or unlocked the encrypted bootloader then I am probably will stay in the htc line.

You're getting this handset charles? Or you just speaking in general?


Sent from my Droid

I am seriously looking at getting it on a 1 yr contract but not on opening day. I plan on waiting to check out and make sure the only issue is the battery. I did A LOT of research on this and the problem is the battery life. The problem is they put a smaller battery in it expecting the efficient hardware to make better use of power. Problem is out of the box you have to buy an extended battery so you looking at 450 for a single core phone with a battery that makes it worth it. So My hope is that if I wait until the bionic come out they will drop the TB to a more reasonable price and then I will buy it. But as long as motorola has blur and is locked down the device is no longer worth buying. Blur made the atrix choppy when the vanilla xoom just flies. So the problem is not that google is not "optimized" for dual core its mainly blur and motorola is sticking by blur and encrypted bootloaders.

 

[StinkyPete]

The coverage for 3G is ALOT more than the 4G.. I know there are places that dont have 3G but I am sure the places without 3G is far less than the places WITH 4G..

Why buy a 4G phone if you are not in a 4G area?

 

[Martin030908]

The coverage for 3G is ALOT more than the 4G.. I know there are places that dont have 3G but I am sure the places without 3G is far less than the places WITH 4G..

Why buy a 4G phone if you are not in a 4G area?

some of us don't have 4G but like the 4G devices... that's why.

I will only buy however if there's no additional "4G" pricing. I can't use it, so I won't pay for it.

... bad enough they've added $100 to the device price as it is.

 

[StinkyPete]

I completely agree with you. I'm in my late 30's so I've developed the patience that comes from maturity but it is frustrating just he handling of the release. To stay quiet and not even explain the delay is just mind blowing to me. Especially when you consider that some of your customers are at the end of their contract and can simply go get an HTC phone from another carrier. My thing with the TB is that it is the latest in tech plus it's HTC. I love the Sense UI so I am really wanting this phone and have no problems waiting..IF I KNEW WHY I WAS WAITING!! I strongly believe when I compare this phone to other HTC phones that are available that the TB is better. The idea that Verizon refuses to recognize that a smalll minority of their customers are eagerly anticipating this phone and just want to know when they can buy it is insulting. We are the ones that go and tell the uniformed majority they should buy this phone, just like your sons educated you. I'm very disappointed in Verizon because I do think its them..not HTC that is causing this problem.

I guess I don't look at this as a failure until 3/31 (end of Q1) has passed. Verizon has hinted at an earlier release in tweets and comments, so if it comes next Thursday (3/10) it will be 3 weeks early.

The last OFFICIAL status from Verizon was:

(1) CFO - coming very soon, new 4G pricing coming with it.
(2) Tweet - appreciate the excitement, we are working to make it all great, be calm
(3) Website - Strikes Soon

Verizon may have internally discussed getting it out before now, and maybe word of that leaked, but until they make it official, it is just an internal discussion between the various departments (sales, marketing, PR, tech, Sr. management, etc.).

BB jumped the gun plain and simple. If Verizon told them officially it was coming and to go ahead and advertise it for $249 to be released on 2/14, then you can bet Best Buy would be suing them now for damages.

I am really hoping for a 3/10 release (my ENV Touch is starting to fail with its touch settings and I am tired of looking at the wife and my son using their Fascinates).

BB can't sue Verizon for damages... they've gained money from this, not lost it...

My point was if Verizon officially told BB.... "start advertising the phone for sale... you will get it on 2/14, the price should be $249.99, and the data plan for 4G will be unlim $29.99" and then backed out of that, BB would have grounds for some sort of monetary penalty from Verizon (forget a lawsuit... contractual penalties say). I don't think that happened... I think BB jumped the gun and didn't know for sure about it.