Thunderbolt Pre Announcement Waiting Room & Availability Thread.

[SUB-dawg]

It doesn't really make sense that Verizon would let someone else sell their product, especially the first 4G LTE phone ever, before they do. I think Verizon would have it earlier then Best Buy.

i agree. Best Buy will not have the thunderbolt before verizon.

 

[funguy123us]

i agree. Best Buy will not have the thunderbolt before verizon.

Agree 100%

I can't believe people are still talking about BestBuy being first. People get the fact.. whenever VZ gets a new phone they have it by default. Others like Best Buy etc.. may or may not have it..

If I here this one more time, i will go nuts.

 

[Chris Kerrigan]

Oh, it'll be a Best Buy Exclusive, don't worry....

...amongst the 3rd party retailers, that is.

 

[SUB-dawg]

are you a best buy insider?

 

[experiment 626]

I can see Verizon making the Bolt announcement, then giving BB a 10 day head-start in selling it while the corporate stores handle the initial iPhone rush.Verizon makes it's money on way or the other.We've heard the 14th and 24th dates kicked around for so long,maybe they're both accurate.I'm more concerned about the LTE data plans. At least the iPhone buyers know where they stand.

 

[thedeceiver]

I can see Verizon making the Bolt announcement, then giving BB a 10 day head-start in selling it while the corporate stores handle the initial iPhone rush.Verizon makes it's money on way or the other.

^This. The other thing to consider is that this phone isn't going to be a BIG nationwide seller like the iPhone is. 4G is in a limited number of markets (yes, some of the markets are very large) but this hasn't had the same amount of press that the iPhone has had, even in the technical press.

I'd use Best Buy's ability to distribute product in strategic locations/markets, carry it online, but keep it out of my stores till the iPhone rush has died down.

 

[paulmike3]

I can see Verizon making the Bolt announcement, then giving BB a 10 day head-start in selling it while the corporate stores handle the initial iPhone rush.

Not a chance. Not after Verizon spared no expense at CES promoting THEIR cutting edge product. If BB was the only place that sold it initially, the LTE brand would be synonymous with BB. And there are enough VPs at VZW making millions of dollars that know that is the last thing a corporation wants to happen. I've hung out with CMOs enough to know that you want brand recognition with your own products, and if there's confusion, major internal marketing shakeups happen. And that's a very bad thing.

 

[duke20220]

Not a chance. Not after Verizon spared no expense at CES promoting THEIR cutting edge product. If BB was the only place that sold it initially, the LTE brand would be synonymous with BB. And there are enough VPs at VZW making millions of dollars that know that is the last thing a corporation wants to happen. I've hung out with CMOs enough to know that you want brand recognition with your own products, and if there's confusion, major internal marketing shakeups happen. And that's a very bad thing.

This.

Plus - what if someone who isn't on this forum or caught up to date with technology wants the phone and goes to their local VSW store to pick it up? They're then told they have to go to a BB to get one? Potentially a new customer lost. Or a current customer might upgrade to a cheaper phone possibly.

Zero chance that BB has it before VZW stores do.

 

[Forgetful]

This.

Plus - what if someone who isn't on this forum or caught up to date with technology wants the phone and goes to their local VSW store to pick it up? They're then told they have to go to a BB to get one? Potentially a new customer lost. Or a current customer might upgrade to a cheaper phone possibly.

Zero chance that BB has it before VZW stores do.

Yup I have to agree. It'd be stupid for Verizon to give it to BB first.
I just HOPE the phone releases the 14th.

 

[roxy surf]

I may be wrong, as I don't pay much attention to commercials, but I think I just saw the tail end of a Verizon commercial with the thunderbolt...unless its an old one, but I've never seen it before...looked like the tbolt tho

 

[Forgetful]

I may be wrong, as I don't pay much attention to commercials, but I think I just saw the tail end of a Verizon commercial with the thunderbolt...unless its an old one, but I've never seen it before...looked like the tbolt tho

I've never seen a thunderbolt commercial. What did it say?

 

[roxy surf]

I wasn't paying attention til the very end, come to think or it, it was an HTC commercial with a verizon phone, it definitly wasn't an incredible...they were prob just advertising HTC on verizon, nothing specific, I'm keeping a lookout for it though

 

[Chris Kerrigan]

I know what commercial they're talking about. It's just a generic HTC commercial, and it shows brief flips of a bunch of the phones they've made (even shows the G2). The one at the end definitely looks like the Thunderbolt.

 

[edoublediz]

I may be wrong, as I don't pay much attention to commercials, but I think I just saw the tail end of a Verizon commercial with the thunderbolt...unless its an old one, but I've never seen it before...looked like the tbolt tho

you dont have a damn DVR? rewind it baby!!!!

 

[ythot26]

if anyone can find this mysterious commercial and post it here that'd be much appreciated

 

[roxy surf]

I know what commercial they're talking about. It's just a generic HTC commercial, and it shows brief flips of a bunch of the phones they've made (even shows the G2). The one at the end definitely looks like the Thunderbolt.

Yeah I'm sure that's the one... No dvr

 

[CallerHoller]

I'm sure the first Thunder Struck commercial will be from Verizon. Not HTC. It's the LTE flagship.

I'll be looking for it during the Superbowl!

 

[colesl4w]

I'm sure the first Thunder Struck commercial will be from Verizon. Not HTC. It's the LTE flagship.

I'll be looking for it during the Superbowl!

Thunderbolt = 4G LTE Phone
Thunder Struck = AC/DC song

 

[Raptor007]

The ThunderBolt is 3G/4G and will be a nationwide seller without a doubt. Its a great device overall, you are ready when 4G rolls out to your market so no need to jump yet again unlike iPhone buyers who get suckered into the old iPhone 4 when iPhone 5 is only 4 months out.

Buy now, be ready for tomorrow. I have no need for 3D (ala LG) or dualcore for now. I will be quite happy with the TB, and when I see better I will go for it.

 

[amotter]

Getting back to the thread....

AT&T launches HTC Inspire 4G February 13th

This may be why verizon may move our T-bolt launch up a bit. I for one have a contract up....I could go jump off Big Red and get the Inspire....for a crapload less money. Of course I will be operating in 3G...but how may customers are on sites like this learning about the latest scoop in an ever changing mobile market? I am sure AT&T will be telling me...I will be operating in 4G within a year!

I do not think it will be too close to the I phone....why would Big Red want to confuse customers who are not well informed? They will wait a week or two...let everyone who gets the i-phone bask in their hapiness and then roll out the Thunder...everybody will be happy!