An email to verizion.

[deadwire]

I bought a "cutting edge" rezound back in nov with the promise of ICS by end of Q1 2012. Nine months later no ICS. Verizon blames HTC... Htc blames google and google blames verizon. After being told that "ICS is coming soon" i missed the cutoff date to upgrade my phone and keep my unlimited data. I spent 5 hours on the phone between the three companies today and NOT ONE will admit that they are the one holding up the ICS release. Since I bought a "cutting edge phone" that never was and never will be because even if ICS launches today 4.1 jellybean will be out in a week or so, I feel that I have been handed a bait and switch. I also feel that I have been lied to and given a run around every time I called in. I how have a year old hardware running 2 year old software. This is not good business practise. I feel that Verizion is holding back the ICS release to make me feel that I need to buy a new phone and loose my unlimited data. Cheap marketing tactics at best and plain fradulent behavior at worst. I had a in store verizion rep named Ernest tell me to just root my phone and put one of the ICS leaks on it if i want it that badly. Yes... I was advised to void my warranty by one of your employees. This is not good. What I am hoping will be done is that you will give me a free upgrade to what I was promised nine months ago. A phone with android 4.0 or higher with similar specs and features to the rezound. FREE... not a 2 year upgrade price but free. I feel i deserve this after all my years as a loyal customer. It is only fair after the nine month ordeal and numerous phone calls I have made.

 

[gameaddict8]

You are never guaranteed firmware updates. Either wait it out, root or buy a different phone.



Sent from my EVO using Android Central Forums

 

[deadwire]

Where in my contract or anywhere on verizions web site does it say that firmware updates arent guaranteed?

 

[gameaddict8]

You should still get service updates that fix bugs and improve internet & cellular service though. No promises on os version.

Sent from my EVO using Android Central Forums

 

[twolastnames]

Sorry, but this kind of letter does not go very far up the food chain. When emailing corporations, you have to be all business. You can't come off as...well, as your coming off... and I'm sorry, if I was whoever at Verizon reading this, that's what I'd say, and move along.

You don't have to root to get ICS, there is an official leak you can install now, without rooting.

Last, if you don't root and at least debloat, your device is never cutting edge. This is the reality of Android. Dudes locked in a basement make way better performing roms than any of the OEM's, including Google. Sorry.

 

[anon(94115)]

Edited by admin

From my XxX rated Rezound

 

[zrxoa1]

I fail to understand why so many of you are so quick to put the original poster down?? Will the email accomplish anything? Who knows. Probably not from one person but if all of you naysayers would let Verizon know how you feel, well, anything is possible.

Instead of running the person down or tossing out negative comments, how about some "I understand " or "go get em!" comments?

We Rezound owners have been treated poorly. We bought a kick ass phone only to be shunned and ignored. We have a right to be pissed. If more people were like this original poster and stood up for what we believe, things can change.

Not everyone wants to root and void their warranty to have current software. There is a reason so many choose iPhones.... They are not so damn fragmented as android is. And when you buy an iPhone 5 this fall, you will have the latest software, no bloatware and the knowledge that next month there won't be a newer, better phone released, relegating your shiny New iPhone to has been aleady.

To the original poster, I say good for you! You might not get anywhere, but damnit, at least you tried!

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[deadwire]

Wow... so much negativity... cant belive how many people are so upset with the rezound and big reds treatment of us users that all they can post is negative stuff. This letter i sent today is hopefully a small thorn in their side and if enough people expressed their concerns in this manner instead of posting negative things on a forum that big red will never read then more might be done to make us happy.
I could really care less what the pointy ear trolls in this forum think. I put the copy of that letter there to show that some people will ask for satisfaction when wronged by a big company.
I used to say that windows 95 was a 32 bit overlay to a 16 bit extension of an 8 bit operating system designed for a 4 bit computer by a 2 bit company that doesnt care 1 bit about its customers.

 

[ryanr509]

Where in my contract or anywhere on verizions web site does it say that firmware updates arent guaranteed?

Where does it say every firmware update after date of purchase is guaranteed? That's like buying a car and expecting every new thing on newer models should be installed in your car.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Android Central Forums

 

[Dovahkiin]

As a Verizon customer, I'll back you up OP. I feel your pain.
As a writer, I feel like your letter needs work. It might get an immediate "tl;dr" response.
As an Android user, the best I could say is to just deal with it. This is the way it's been, and the way it will be until the death of Android.
The game is won by pumping out phone after phone and trying to grab sale after sale. You have a dozen OEM's trying to grab a sale from each other while sharing the same OS. Their focus is on the future sale, and the future features. OS updates are their last priority. Once you buy the phone, fend for yourself, because the next model is 3-6 months away.

 

[mikeytg1024]

Trying to convince a corporation to mend its ways is futile. The only thing to do is vote with your feet. This will not change them either (witness RIM), but at least you'll be done with them.

 

[Lodingi]

Where does it say every firmware update after date of purchase is guaranteed? That's like buying a car and expecting every new thing on newer models should be installed in your car.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Android Central Forums

Lol. I bought a new car and my computer firmware gets frequent updates.

@ OP, I feel for you. What you describe is what prompted me to try another platform. Thanks for sharing.

 

[ryanr509]

Lol. I bought a new car and my computer firmware gets frequent updates.

@ OP, I feel for you. What you describe is what prompted me to try another platform. Thanks for sharing.

If he wants timely updates get a nexus or an iPhone.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Android Central Forums

 

[deadwire]

Using the car analogy... I walk into a dealer and they sell me the newest and best car that has older firmware running the car and they sell me the car based on a promise of an update to the firmware being available in 3 months. 8 months pass an no update is avalible because they now want me to buy a newer car at a "discounted price" but want to make me pay per mile to use the car or i can buy one at "full retail" and keep my ability to drive unlimited miles. When you move the business model to another industry it sounds crazy. They sell us on smatrphones and unlimited internet but as soon as there are phones that are really able to take advantage of the unlimited internet they yank the rug out from under us and want us to "pay per mile". sneaky sneaky... plain not nice.
all i want is what was promised... a android 4.0 phone with 4glte and features similar to the rezound (or 4.0 for the rezound). I spend over 200 a month on phones... at the "discount price" of 200 they can make a LIFETIME customer who will recommend them to everyone by loosing one month revenue and sending me a phone that has what they promised me 8 1/2 months ago. Its never gonna happen but i can dream.

 

[dpham00]

Using the car analogy... I walk into a dealer and they sell me the newest and best car that has older firmware running the car and they sell me the car based on a promise of an update to the firmware being available in 3 months. 8 months pass an no update is avalible because they now want me to buy a newer car at a "discounted price" but want to make me pay per mile to use the car or i can buy one at "full retail" and keep my ability to drive unlimited miles. When you move the business model to another industry it sounds crazy. They sell us on smatrphones and unlimited internet but as soon as there are phones that are really able to take advantage of the unlimited internet they yank the rug out from under us and want us to "pay per mile". sneaky sneaky... plain not nice.
all i want is what was promised... a android 4.0 phone with 4glte and features similar to the rezound (or 4.0 for the rezound). I spend over 200 a month on phones... at the "discount price" of 200 they can make a LIFETIME customer who will recommend them to everyone by loosing one month revenue and sending me a phone that has what they promised me 8 1/2 months ago. Its never gonna happen but i can dream.

Your complaints will fall on deaf ears. The tbolt was promised gb in q2 11,and got it well into q4 11. But i will say that HTC is good at updates compared to other companies. For example, several HTC phones got ICS before the final ics push for the sprint nexus s. I should also point out that you should get international versions if you want updates faster. The Sensation, which is roughly the international version of the rezound got ics in early March.

Even the latest flagship verizon Galaxy Nexus has delays. The international gnex got 4.04 about 2 months before verizon galaxy Nexus.

 

[kulkaholic]

I feel your pain. I went into a store to upgrade my fathers dumb phone and they tries to sell me into the new share plan. Even after we wrote down the numbers I would pay more for less. All the salesperson could say is "you get unlimited calls and text".

It's only a matter of time before I move to a dumb phone and go to a regional carrier

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Android Central Forums

 

[cliffy223]

In my opinion people who upgraded phones that were on the lists of Motorola, HTC, Samsung, LG, Sony, etc got hosed into thinking when they were going to get an update. Every month new rumors or new generic info that meant nothing tangible. And as an example by Deadwire there is a lot of finger pointing of who is at fault in taking so long. I know the excuse of just buy a Nexus seems easy but that is kind of hard when you are still in your first year of a 24 month contract.

With ICS we are learning a big lesson for future purchases that if you care about the latest updates don't bother looking anywhere else but Nexus phones. If you don't care about updates then you have a ton of choices.

 

[BBEgo]

Stop complaining. Root your phone, S-off, and install the ICS ROM of your choice.

The developers have given you EVERYTHING. Donate to your favorite dev and be thankful that they are there. My God... Isn't that the point of these forums?
If you want to only have one option, get an iPhone.
The Rezound is one Hell of a phone. Be thankful for what is here. If you're on these forums, we all know that whatever was officially released wouldn't be worthy anyway. The unofficial ROMs being pushed out by our esteemed devs kill whatever Big Red releases anyway.

Seriously, it's time to take a look at what we really expect. Even if ICS comes out, would we really be happy? Answer: No.

Devs like NilsP and Newt are taking this phone to heights VZW never wanted it to reach. The ROMs coming out now for the Rezound rival the latest and greatest phones being released today.

It doesn't make financial sense for VZW to put out an update that rivals a new phone, but those ROMs are out there if you look hard enough. How could they sell all those nifty new phones if the update to the existing phone gives the user the same experience? Think, people!

 

[deadwire]

Once again... i hear root your phone and void the warranty. Im not prepared to do that. I just want what was promised. Thats all... Thanks for the few comments that werent negative. A few years ago I bricked an eris trying to put a gingerbread leak onto it.

 

[318sugarhill]

Once again... i hear root your phone and void the warranty. Im not prepared to do that. I just want what was promised. Thats all... Thanks for the few comments that werent negative. A few years ago I bricked an eris trying to put a gingerbread leak onto it.

Listen, yes rooting "technically" voids the warranty. But many have posted here that they were able to return their phones, or get them fixed without VZW ever knowing they were messed with. VZW employees are no longer technicians. They are all salesman trying to sell phones. They don't care what you've done to the phone. Mostly. They want you in and out, and will probably try to sell you something in the process. 95% of them in the store know less than you about rooting/roming.

Point here is, android is an open platform, and you CAN have any update you want that's out there. There are COUNTLESS forum members here and XDA that work for VZW and will tell you about the latest leaks and such. The whole beauty of Android IS the fact that you can root and continue to update a phone that the manufacturer no longer will. You are complaining about a corporate scenario that A) won't change, B) makes far too much money the current to change it just because you are not happy.

You're phone is a great phone even on G.B. If you want updates at the same time, buy an iphone, and enjoy their bag of worms. This IS Android. Google is working to correct SOME of it, but fragmentation will always exist on an ecosystem as open as Android is.

By the way, the Eris should NEVER have been tried with GB honestly. There is a limit to upgrading an old device. I put ICS on my old Dinc, and while it was great to try and the "latest", you have to know when the hardware is too old to support it.

Bottom line, you aren't going to get what you want from VZW or HTC no matter how many lettters you send. There are countless threads on rooting/rom'ing the rezound SAFELY. These are you options. Or, you should have bought a NEXUS. I considered the Nexus JUST for this reason, but in the end, I have trust in the community that I can put the latest updates on the phone I choose. Not to be negative, but these are not new issues with Android/VZW.