Thunderbolt Pre Announcement Waiting Room & Availability Thread.

[NCsteve]

Thunderbolt upgrades to brag about?

my first post, but reading for months anything I can to keep me believing the Thunderbolt is real... and coming soon.

A friend of mine told me to switch to the Evo and Sprint. I'm off contract, so it's been a possibility. In short, what should I tell him the biggest advantages/new upgrades will come with the infamous TBolt? And I've seen the comparison charts, but wondering what everyone thinks is the most coveted selling point of this phone?

 

[anon(157335)]

my first post, but reading for months anything I can to keep me believing the Thunderbolt is real... and coming soon.

A friend of mine told me to switch to the Evo and Sprint. I'm off contract, so it's been a possibility. In short, what should I tell him the biggest advantages/new upgrades will come with the infamous TBolt? And I've seen the comparison charts, but wondering what everyone thinks is the most coveted selling point of this phone?

Real 4G.

 

[hagalah]

I would not go for Droids (other than the DInc I have). I want the new line of phones esp for Skype. I know most ppl here don't care about Skype. But I am looking forward to it though it will not be a dealbreaker for me even if it is not included. There is always fring or Tango .. so that I can talk/chat with my friends and relatives overseas.

And most people don't like Verizon's Skype Mobile but I do as it lets me make calls on 3G while regular Skype does not.

I guess each person's needs is unique.

You know, VZW's iphone 4 can do skype VIDEO chat with 3G to oversea and Netflix with unlimited data plan.

That's maybe the reason for the delay of TB because they want to sell iPhone more than their expectation before iphone 5 comes out.

 

[upz3]

Will VZW allow a one-year contract on the phone?

Very good question. Hoping they dont go the iPhone and make it 2 year only.

 

[Treknologist]

I am beginning to wonder if the reason the phone has not been released has more to do with their LTE network readiness than with the Thunderbolt itself...

 

[amotter]

Very good question. Hoping they dont go the iPhone and make it 2 year only.

NO....everything I have heard and everyone I have asked has said 2 year only.

 

[BullNole228]

Does anyone know if EVERY Thunderbolt owner will have to pay for a 4G plan, even though there is only 3G coverage in the city they live in, including ALL cities for miles around only having 3G coverage? This information may be in this thread or another thread somewhere but I haven't found it yet.

 

[anon(157335)]

Does anyone know if EVERY Thunderbolt owner will have to pay for a 4G plan, even though there is only 3G coverage in the city they live in, including ALL cities for miles around only having 3G coverage? This information may be in this thread or another thread somewhere but I haven't found it yet.

No one really knows at this point how the 4G data plans will work. There are rumors about being grandfathered into an unlimited data plan for $30/month, a tiered data plan based on data consumption and speed, etc.; but for now, it's all up in the air.

 

[FrankXS]

Does anyone know if EVERY Thunderbolt owner will have to pay for a 4G plan, even though there is only 3G coverage in the city they live in, including ALL cities for miles around only having 3G coverage? This information may be in this thread or another thread somewhere but I haven't found it yet.

This is a frequently asked question that no one knows the answer to. However, the consensus seems to be that the TBolt will rollout with the same data packages that are currently 3G (i.e. unlimited for $29.99/mo). Some time mid-summer VZW will rollout new data package pricing and structure that will apply to any new contracts after that. Never has been any mention of a unique 3G or 4G package. I would definitely not look for that.

Look here for a Coverage Map to check your area. Select 4G before hitting [Refresh]

-Frank

 

[prakash99]

You know, VZW's iphone 4 can do skype VIDEO chat with 3G to oversea and Netflix with unlimited data plan.

That's maybe the reason for the delay of TB because they want to sell iPhone more than their expectation before iphone 5 comes out.

I know that, but I don't want an iPhone, though I iPhone is a good phone. BUT I want Thunderbolt.

 

[prakash99]

Will VZW allow a one-year contract on the phone?

I was told VZW does not do 1-yr contract anymore.

 

[anon(157335)]

I was told VZW does not do 1-yr contract anymore.

They still have one year contract pricing on the website.

 

[prakash99]

They still have one year contract pricing on the website.

Oh, my bad! Nevermind!! I was thinking of annual upgrade for 2-yr contract holders!!! My mind has stopped working!!

 

[tjubb]

Wouldn't it be beneficial to sign up for a 2 year plan instead of a 1 year so that you can be sure you'll get unlimited 4g for 2 years? Won't VZW require you to go to a tiered plan after your 1 year contract is up? I guess if I sell the Bolt after a year and buy a new phone at full price VZW can still require moving to a tierd plan. Thoughts?

 

[prakash99]

Right now, they are saying that if you get into a contract now, you'll be grandfathered into the current unlimited plan and won't be affected by the tiered-data plan that is coming this summer.

 

[ixse]

which only makes sense.. but it would be diff. story if they delay TB just enough so VZW can release the phone with tiered data plan in place.. which would generate much more $$.. decisions decisions..

 

[prakash99]

which only makes sense.. but it would be diff. story if they delay TB just enough so VZW can release the phone with tiered data plan in place.. which would generate much more $$.. decisions decisions..

They would also face a risk that many ppl won't pick up TBolt in favor of DX, Fascinate or DInc, if they try to tie the Bolt users to their tiered data plan - especially those not in 4G area.

 

[wedge40]

I'm waiting for theTB, but if they jack the price of data pkg up to much I'll probably get the DX instead. I haven't done the research yet, plan on checking AT&T data prices to if they are different for 3G and 4G

 

[ixse]

They would also face a risk that many ppl won't pick up TBolt in favor of DX, Fascinate or DInc, if they try to tie the Bolt users to their tiered data plan - especially those not in 4G area.

the whole point of tiered data plan is so the people w/o 4g coverage doesn't have to pay extra $ for 4g usage, no?
and being first 4g lte phone, i doubt many people will walk away simply due to extra $ for tierd data plan.. just like evo 4g, did you see the phone die out because they got charged extra for 4g? nope.. people just sucked it up and still went for it.
i mean i personally hope they'll do $30 for unlimited for all of us Q1 buyers of LTE phones.. but you never know.. knowing VZW...

 

[toothdoc4]

Okay guys, so I was pulled into a conference call earlier this morning regarding the Thunderbolt and other unmentioned phones and I have good news some and bad news.

Good news is in relation to the 4G LTE data plans. If you are currently signed up, or will sign up for 4G LTE data plans in the near future, you WILL be grandfathered in once tiered prices hit this summer and you will NOT have to pay more than the $30 per month for unlimited. So sign up early and lock that unlimited data in.

Now, onto more disturbing topics...

Bad news is that the Thunderbolt will not meet its previously scheduled launch date of March 10th [AGAIN] and is now moving to its consequent launch date of the 17th, hence the postponement of shipped devices from the system and withheld announcements. This makes sense as to why the announcement was missed earlier this week.

Now, I acknowledge the fact that some of us have been waiting for this device since November 23rd, myself included, but we have to realize that in less than two weeks, this device will be in our hands.

Now, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I am only relaying the information I was told this morning. Regardless of how much time we have left until launch, I'm sure we can all agree that we have a beautiful, and lightning fast device to look forward to within the next two weeks.

According to this it will be $30 for unlimited and you will be grandfathered. Now just bring us the phone please!