Thunderbolt update news you can use

[bcoley]

Hi, All,

On Thursday I sent e-mails of protest to both Verizon and HTC about the ravages inflicted on TBolt users by the last OTA. I just ended an hour-long conversation with a Verizon customer support person, and have also just received an e-mail from HTC. Here's what I learned from those two contacts:

1) Verizon is well aware of the rebooting problem. "To a person," TBolt owners have experienced major problems, said the rep.
2) While Verizon is in close contact with all of its manufacturers, it cannot push them to act.
3) He cannot explain how the last OTA made it past both the HTC and Verizon testing procedures. We can believe the next OTA will be scrupulously reviewed before release.
4) He saw value in my suggestion of Verizon giving some form of consideration to TBolt owners for the hardships they have endured. Whether extra minutes or free service or whatever, he will raise the option to his superiors - without guarantee of results, of course.
5) Verizon will NEVER release advance notice of upcoming software release dates. Any notices we see posted on blogs that purport to know when software will be released (e.g. the "Verizon" promo sheet that said a fix was coming June 30) are fake. The most precise Verizon will ever be is "coming soon," a phrase that itself is subject to wide-ranging interpretations.


From HTC I have received the following e-mail - there is no definitive answer to the "when" question, but there is a bit of good news here:

"I understand how important it is for your Thunderbolt to function properly and I apologize that you have been experiencing the rebooting of the device since the update. HTC and Verizon are aware of this issue and an update will be released soon that will address the reboot issue, and bring the Gingerbread 2.3 upgrade on board, as well as several other enhancements. Although I don?t have an official release date to provide you, this update will be released soon. Please monitor our website for further information as the release date moves closer."

I know this e-mail is legitimate because it came with the accurate HTC support ticket number. Whether this HTC rep speaks authoritatively for HTC, I can't be certain. But it is good news that we may well get Gingerbread out of this nightmare.

Hope this helps,
Bill Coley

 

[RetiredJedi]

Although I don?t have an official release date to provide you, this update will be released soon. Please monitor our website for further information as the release date moves closer."

This doesn't make sense. How can we monitor the site as the release gets closer when he said that we don't know when the release is? So we are supposed to stay on the site all day every day hitting F5?:-\

 

[FrankXS]

On Thursday I sent e-mails of protest to both Verizon and HTC

You should have emailed me instead. I would have answered sooner, you would have avoided an hour conversation on the phone, and I would have given you the same answers.

-Frank

 

[willis936]

No you're supposed to be patient and focus on other things, checking every once in a while (once a week maybe). This whole wait is exacerbated the more you want it. It will get here and be everything you wanted. Don't torture yourself.

-stock HTC Thunderbolt tapatalk

 

[CMRobinson]

Nice copy/paste job from HTC. Ive seen those exact words from another poster around here.

 

[willymakit]

How do most people monitor the site when their phone keep shutting off and rebooting. LOL

 

[RetiredJedi]

No you're supposed to be patient and focus on other things, checking every once in a while (once a week maybe). This whole wait is exacerbated the more you want it. It will get here and be everything you wanted. Don't torture yourself.

-stock HTC Thunderbolt tapatalk

I'm not torturing myself at all. I don't think I ever been on their site nor do I intend to. My phone works fine and I'll get an update when I get an update. I'm not even one of those people that get up in the morning and immediately check for an update. I was just making mention of how these companies try to use the PR machine to keep people calm and maintain customers but then they talk in circles...

 

[EricWiz]

So basically, they told you nothing.

yeah they know there is an issue and eventually they will send out an update. They gave no frame of reference as to timeframe. Soon could be next year.

This is becoming disgraceful.

 

[fatboy97]

this update will be released soon

That was what I consider the best part of the entire read... and just what is their definition of "soon"???

I'm glad I rooted my phone last weekend and loaded a couple different Das BAMF Gingerbread ROM versions... and I'm very happy with BAMF Sense 3.0 RC3... it's stable... GPS is really fast... and I have Sense 3.0.

I'll stick with this until they make a new RC or final version... at least until Ice Cream Bar comes out.

 

[bcoley]

So basically, they told you nothing.

yeah they know there is an issue and eventually they will send out an update. They gave no frame of reference as to timeframe. Soon could be next year.

This is becoming disgraceful.

I disagree that the rep told me nothing. He told me what I most needed to hear: that Verizon is aware of the severity of the problem, is determined to get it fixed, and is willing to consider taking action to make it right with aggrieved customers.

What he could not tell me is when it would be released. Why? Because the fix must come from HTC then pass Verizon testing procedures. Verizon can't possibly know the precise date on which those steps will be completed. What he said was that Verizon never posts software release dates to protect against unmet expectations. Of course there's a major downside to not telling customers when their problems will be fixed, but the Verizon rationale also makes some sense to me.

Another poster claims to have seen elsewhere the exact same language from HTC that I received in an e-mail today. I'm sorry that I missed, and therefore repeated, the post he saw. It was news to me, at least.

Bill

 

[EricWiz]

I disagree that the rep told me nothing. He told me what I most needed to hear: that Verizon is aware of the severity of the problem, is determined to get it fixed, and is willing to consider taking action to make it right with aggrieved customers.

What he could not tell me is when it would be released. Why? Because the fix must come from HTC then pass Verizon testing procedures. Verizon can't possibly know the precise date on which those steps will be completed. What he said was that Verizon never posts software release dates to protect against unmet expectations. Of course there's a major downside to not telling customers when their problems will be fixed, but the Verizon rationale also makes some sense to me.

Another poster claims to have seen elsewhere the exact same language from HTC that I received in an e-mail today. I'm sorry that I missed, and therefore repeated, the post he saw. It was news to me, at least.

Bill

Bill,

I should have said they told you nothing new. We knew that both companies are aware of the problem. That V is compensating some in either repancement phones or bogger batteries etc.. Also, we knew htc was working on a fix.

We also knew the update would be out 'soon'.

They didnt give you any new information whatsoever. The crap about bringing that info to his superior? Do you really think that will go anywhere?

Look, I get it. Thanks for posting what you got. I just dont think you got anything other than political-speak

 

[AZSALUKI]

fyi....the email from htc is a template. while i appreciate your effort, it is word for word the exact same email that i've seen others receive. this tells me that we can't even count on individual attention from htc. they see the issue, hit reply, and paste a template and send.

 

[Mike_is_Mike]

This doesn't make sense. How can we monitor the site as the release gets closer when he said that we don't know when the release is? So we are supposed to stay on the site all day every day hitting F5?:-\

Simple. The release date is closer today than it was yesterday. It will be closer tomorrow than it was today. It's their way of saying "stay tuned" or "check daily"

I say we elect one member to stay on top of this situation 24/7.

I nominate RetiredJedi.

 

[MegaSoundwave76]

LMAO. This is like the 3rd useless thread I saw today. Oh geez. The fix will happen when it's good to go and is deemed so.

Mods, can we get this thread closed too and face palmed?!?!?! LMAO Just kidding peeps!

 

[RetiredJedi]

Simple. The release date is closer today than it was yesterday. It will be closer tomorrow than it was today. It's their way of saying "stay tuned" or "check daily"

I say we elect one member to stay on top of this situation 24/7.

I nominate RetiredJedi.

HAHAHAHAHA...no

 

[Mortiel]

Hi, All,

On Thursday I sent e-mails of protest to both Verizon and HTC about the ravages inflicted on TBolt users by the last OTA. I just ended an hour-long conversation with a Verizon customer support person, and have also just received an e-mail from HTC. Here's what I learned from those two contacts:

1) Verizon is well aware of the rebooting problem. "To a person," TBolt owners have experienced major problems, said the rep.
2) While Verizon is in close contact with all of its manufacturers, it cannot push them to act.
3) He cannot explain how the last OTA made it past both the HTC and Verizon testing procedures. We can believe the next OTA will be scrupulously reviewed before release.
4) He saw value in my suggestion of Verizon giving some form of consideration to TBolt owners for the hardships they have endured. Whether extra minutes or free service or whatever, he will raise the option to his superiors - without guarantee of results, of course.
5) Verizon will NEVER release advance notice of upcoming software release dates. Any notices we see posted on blogs that purport to know when software will be released (e.g. the "Verizon" promo sheet that said a fix was coming June 30) are fake. The most precise Verizon will ever be is "coming soon," a phrase that itself is subject to wide-ranging interpretations.


From HTC I have received the following e-mail - there is no definitive answer to the "when" question, but there is a bit of good news here:

"I understand how important it is for your Thunderbolt to function properly and I apologize that you have been experiencing the rebooting of the device since the update. HTC and Verizon are aware of this issue and an update will be released soon that will address the reboot issue, and bring the Gingerbread 2.3 upgrade on board, as well as several other enhancements. Although I don?t have an official release date to provide you, this update will be released soon. Please monitor our website for further information as the release date moves closer."

I know this e-mail is legitimate because it came with the accurate HTC support ticket number. Whether this HTC rep speaks authoritatively for HTC, I can't be certain. But it is good news that we may well get Gingerbread out of this nightmare.

Hope this helps,
Bill Coley

The bolded line above is a sham. We do, in fact, get advanced notice internally. Sometimes its kept more quiet than other times, but we get it nonetheless.

The "leaked" enhancement slick is not unlike ones we do legitimately get internally for updates, however there was just too many inconsistencies to be taken without a huge dose of salt. Ultimately, it turned out to be bogus, and thats the world of rumors. Sometimes they are legit, sometimes they are not.

 

[bcoley]

Bill,

I should have said they told you nothing new....

Look, I get it. Thanks for posting what you got. I just dont think you got anything other than political-speak

Thanks for the clarification.

I realize that all customer service reps are under orders not to veer from the company line. I also realize that much of what I got today was recycled rhetoric. However, my clear impression from the phone contact was that the Verizon guy I spoke with was authentic in his presentation and genuine in his concern. He was also candid, telling me that he had not heard the HTC e-mail's report that HTC planned to include Gingerbread in the fix update.

About the only thing a customer support person can do in a situation such as this (when the fix is in another company's hands) is to receive and respect customer complaints; in large measure, such a task requires - and certainly produces - what you call political speak.

The rep told me he hoped I walked away from our conversation "happy" with the result. I told him happiness was out of the question until the fix was final, but that I was satisfied with his response. The rep understood completely.

Hope you have a great holiday,
Bill

 

[Malibu02]

I've followed all this update stuff daily BUT "the horse is dead" no use beating it anymore. They are aware and working on it and it is coming soon (or maybe later, or someday, or in the near future, or right around the corner.) Might as well wait or flash leaked MR2.
JEEZ !

 

[soccerfon711]

I disagree that the rep told me nothing. He told me what I most needed to hear: that Verizon is aware of the severity of the problem, is determined to get it fixed, and is willing to consider taking action to make it right with aggrieved customers.

What he could not tell me is when it would be released. Why? Because the fix must come from HTC then pass Verizon testing procedures. Verizon can't possibly know the precise date on which those steps will be completed. What he said was that Verizon never posts software release dates to protect against unmet expectations. Of course there's a major downside to not telling customers when their problems will be fixed, but the Verizon rationale also makes some sense to me.

Another poster claims to have seen elsewhere the exact same language from HTC that I received in an e-mail today. I'm sorry that I missed, and therefore repeated, the post he saw. It was news to me, at least.

Bill

If they were determined to get it fixed, they would just release the leaked MR2 update. It has fixed a number of devices as evidenced in this forum. I don't know what Verizon is doing right now. Based on the number of devices that are being exchanged and people that are upset, you would think this would be their top priority... but somehow, I very much doubt that.

 

[Brainfart]

I got the same response from HTC when I emailed them about the same issues. It's just a template they copied & pasted and sent to you. The definition is "soon" can be interpreted multiple ways from many different people. Lets just hope soon means within a few weeks to a little over 1 month.