Thunderbolt Pre Announcement Waiting Room & Availability Thread.

[rachelbebs]

well, not sure if anyone in here will find this interesting, didnt look like it in the other thread, but ill post it in here as well...

OK, so just got back form my VZW Corporate store and asked them a few things about my plan and updates and contracts. (FYI, my contract went up a few days ago)

Q. If I change my plan now to be an unlimited data plan, and then in a few weeks change my phone, updating my contract to another 2yr one, does that mean I have to change my data or min plan again when I do?
A.- NO. You will be able to keep the plan that you have, with the unlimited data and whatever current minute plan. (also, the guy that I talked to said that he would recommend this because they are planning to change it up very soon, and u would be "grandfathered in" for the unlimited data)

So it sounds like that the contract and the plans are not related, only the phone number and the phone are. meaning that is ur already a vzw customer and don't have an unlimited data plan, get one now so u can have one with the ThunderBolt.

BUT, he did give an example of their air cards, saying that they used to have an unlimited plan for then and then they came out with tiered or whatever, and people could come in and change their product and still keep the unlimited, but then when they wanted to get to a 4G air card, they had to change their plan to a tiered type one. So does that mean if we have an unlimited now, going to the thunderbolt (with its 4g) make the "3G" unlimited data obsolete? Just thought of that, and didn't ask the guy that helped us out tonight. I think they will be getting another call from me tomorrow if u guys don't know...lol

 

[bvitale]

Not sure if anyone saw this. Maybe it's nothing for releases but it is worth a look I think.

at this link. Verizon CFO to Speak at Deutsche Bank Conference on March 8 - Yahoo! Finance

"Verizon CFO to Speak at Deutsche Bank Conference on March 8

NEW YORK, March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fran Shammo, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), will speak at the Deutsche Bank 2011 Media & Telecom Conference in Palm Beach, Fla., on Tuesday, March 8. His presentation will be webcast beginning at approximately 11:30 a.m. Eastern time. Access instructions will be available on Verizon's Investor Relations Web site, www.verizon.com/investor."

 

[htowngator]

Not sure if anyone saw this. Maybe it's nothing for releases but it is worth a look I think.

at this link. Verizon CFO to Speak at Deutsche Bank Conference on March 8 - Yahoo! Finance

"Verizon CFO to Speak at Deutsche Bank Conference on March 8

NEW YORK, March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fran Shammo, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), will speak at the Deutsche Bank 2011 Media & Telecom Conference in Palm Beach, Fla., on Tuesday, March 8. His presentation will be webcast beginning at approximately 11:30 a.m. Eastern time. Access instructions will be available on Verizon's Investor Relations Web site, www.verizon.com/investor."

Yes, its been a big point of discussion since yesterday.

 

[bwlange3]

Maybe Second Quarter

Did anyone see this...

Verizon CTO: We're working through LTE smartphone issues | ZDNet

Are we going to be waiting a lot longer than we all expected?

Tony Melone, Verizon’s chief technology officer, said Monday that its 4G Long Term Evolution smartphones are on track to be launched in the first half and that the company is working through the issues of launching devices on new technology.

Speaking at Credit Suisse’s Convergence conference, Melone didn’t exactly say that LTE smarpthones are imminent. There have been numerous reports indicating that the HTC Thunderbolt was about to launch. Each date—the latest one March 4—has passed. Verizon Wireless has even run “Coming Soon” Thunderbolt ads on TV.

The problem: We don’t know how soon these LTE devices will land. It’s unclear whether Verizon is working through technology or pricing issues.

Melone was asked why the LTE smartphones are taking longer than some observers expected.

Here’s what Melone said:

I guess our expectations change, but we had said first half of this year at CES, quite frankly, we think that exceeded people’s expectations. A year ago, people didn’t believe that there would be LTE smartphones in 2011. First half of the year is what we promised, first half of the year is still on track. So we don’t believe there are any new or surprising issues. I think what we’re facing is what you would expect, and that is a new technology, you are working through issues. And we anticipated that, and we are pleased at how we are working through issues. And as I said, you are going to see LTE smartphones on the network as promised, before the first half — before the second half of the year, by the end of the second quarter.

Melone was then asked whether battery life was an issue. Given that you have to buy an aftermarket battery for the 3G HTC Incredible to survive it wouldn’t be a surprise if the 4G HTC Thunderbolt gobbled up power too.

I would say all the issues are being worked. I’m not sure I would say there are any key issues. Again, battery life has always been a topic of folks, no different than it was with 3G. The OEMs and ourselves, between the network and the device, we’ll optimize it and provide a battery experience that we believe will be acceptable to consumers.

 

[bvitale]

Thanks HT. Thought it was weird that I found something before everyone. But I have been trying to keep up on the forum but guess I missed it. Sorry for the re post.

 

[sdhakko]

Did anyone see this...

Verizon CTO: We're working through LTE smartphone issues | ZDNet

Are we going to be waiting a lot longer than we all expected?

Well that is depressing...

 

[azdmelani]

Yes, that was posted yesterday

 

[angel35]

new date

i heard its coming out the 32nd

NO its the 30 of feb.:-*

 

[angel35]

After that. I kid you not WE will be seeing it after 6/30/11 I Think OH BOY WE will see?????

 

[jtmeyers]

This doesn't sound promising:

Zillions of rumors every day. When we DO launch our 4G phones, they'll work great on our LTE network.​

Verizon Wireless (VerizonWireless) on Twitter

 

[Treknologist]

Not sure if anyone saw this. Maybe it's nothing for releases but it is worth a look I think.

at this link. Verizon CFO to Speak at Deutsche Bank Conference on March 8 - Yahoo! Finance

"Verizon CFO to Speak at Deutsche Bank Conference on March 8

NEW YORK, March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fran Shammo, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), will speak at the Deutsche Bank 2011 Media & Telecom Conference in Palm Beach, Fla., on Tuesday, March 8. His presentation will be webcast beginning at approximately 11:30 a.m. Eastern time. Access instructions will be available on Verizon's Investor Relations Web site, www.verizon.com/investor."

Listening to this now...interesting info. Seems like the iPhone has sold well but at a "slow pace" which is being called a marathon instead of a sprint.

Tiered plans are coming at some point because they know with LTE people will use more internet but he did not give specifics.

They know 4G phones will sell well and expand their smartphone user-base. Just said the TBolt will come "soon" (again) followed by Samsung and LG 4G phones shortly afterwards...

 

[azdmelani]

Listening to this now...interesting info. Seems like the iPhone has sold well but at a "slow pace" which is being called a marathon instead of a sprint.

Tiered plans are coming at some point because they know with LTE people will use more internet but he did not give specifics.

They know 4G phones will sell well and expand their smartphone user-base. Just said the TBolt will come "soon" (again) followed by Samsung and LG 4G phones shortly afterwards...

no mention of bionic? I thought that was next.

 

[Treknologist]

no mention of bionic? I thought that was next.

Nothing on Bionic, which also surprised me.

The other thing he mentioned is that their network is doing very well and that the iPhone had zero impact on the network (which makes me wonder if they really have sold that many or if their network really is that ready for the load).

UPDATE: In reply to a question about smartphone penetration (which they expect to get to 50% of their customers), he said they have Motorola devices also launching shortly after the "HTC Device." Also of note, he said the Xoom is selling very well.

UPDATE 2: He said they expect to sell 11 million iPhones this year. Does anyone know how many Android phones Verizon sold last year?

 

[DirtMcGirt]

This is actually good news as it will end this black_man_x knows it all crap.

 

[angel35]

Stop the maddnes

 

[angel35]

What next??

 

[angel35]

I cant do this any more ??

 

[wedge40]

Verizon Working Through LTE Issues, First Phones Before “Second Half of the Year” - Droid Life: A Droid Community Blog

After reading this, it seems like we might not see the TB till end of June? Isn't that the second half of the year?

 

[DirtMcGirt]

Yea, you know what... I'm actually done with the forums. Serves no purpose other than to get people worked up and pissed off during a work day. I'm gonna give this whole ordeal a vacation. Peace out fellas.

 

[phoenixone]

Verizon Working Through LTE Issues, First Phones Before ?Second Half of the Year? - Droid Life: A Droid Community Blog

After reading this, it seems like we might not see the TB till end of June? Isn't that the second half of the year?

All this nonsense is MOOT! Haven't you heard? All these phones are archaic in so many ways it is truly comical. There is a new flavor in town! It is called,......the Eye Phone!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4782567057_e7e6f9d63b.jpg
"Eye" laugh at your silly Thunderbolt!

Hope this made some of you smile!