According to a Gizmodo insider, both the BlackBerry Pearl 2 and the Palm Gandolf have been confirmed to come out on Sprint.
Sprint?
I have to be honest, I couldn’t tell you if Sprint regularly releases Palm devices on their network first, however, it is rare for a BlackBerry to hit their network before it hits Verizon. What does that say about Verizon? I will leave that question for another post.
Both the BlackBerry Pearl 2 and the Palm Gandolf should hit stores late Summer or early Fall.
I can see the question coming in the comments so I will just answer it now. Would I leave Verizon to get the BlackBerry Pearl 2.
Heeeeeeeeeecks Nooooo!
[Via intomobile]
This is why I *almost* jumped ship over to AT&T for the Curve. I couldn’t do it after using the phone for about a week and seeing just how much crappier their voice clarity sounds compared to Verizon. Sprint isn’t even an option – worst customer service on the planet.
So basically. much like their prices, Verizon gets away with this because everything else about the service is heads and shoulders above the other carriers.
Verizon better be carefull. This time may be coming to and end.
Could this just mean that Verizon will be betting the Pearl 2 at the same time as Sprint but simply haven’t confirmed it? Or are there contractual exclusivity provisions that make that impossible? Except for the sucky phones I’m happy with Verizon, so I’ll wait a bit longer to replace my Treo 700p now that the Pearl 2 is semi-official, but my patience does have limits.
Derek,
I am going to assume that Sprint probably will have the Pearl 2, first, shortly followed by Verizon, sort of like how Sprint usually gets whatever Verizon gets two to three months later.
That’s ok Verizon will get the pearl in ugly silver again backlit keys that are hard to read like the 8830. It will also cripple bluetooth, not allow you to download the Opera browser. I could go on, but then i would be bashing Verizon too much.
Stop the nonsense and drop both verizon and sprint. Upgrade to a GSM carrier which always has the new BB devices AND global standard technology.
“Upgrade” Don’t you mean downgrade to older crappier tech?
I live just a few hours out of NYC and my Sprint works great, along with Verizon. The GSm carriers service up here such as At&T and T-Mobile are absolutely horrible. Sprint has it’s issues, however, if you get “Customer Retention” on the phone and threaten to leave them, they will give you anything you want, practically free. I’m currently using a BB 7250 from Sprint (which I love) which they switched out for me from my Treo 700p. They overnighted the BB and gave me full refund of $650 for the Treo without extending my contract, even though I had the Treo over 2 months. I don’t love Sprint, however, I know I can get whatever new BB they may have coming. Although I’m dying for the Curve!!
Notice that this in no way implies that Sprint will get either of these 2 units first; only that there has been no leak regarding Verizon’s release schedule.
I remember with the Palm 700p the rumors were with Sprint releasing first, and then VZW surprises everyone and releases the device at the same time and actually ships the device earlier.
I don’t know about the new Palm unit…problably few people care about that one…but with regards to the new Pearl 2, I would still bet on it being out first on VZW. VZW has the money to pay for exclusivity and Sprint does not. Plus, RIM would want any unit to debut on VZW vs Sprint simply because they could be certain of a higher quality network and better customer support. First impressions are important, and any vendor would rather have those impressions created by VZW vs. Sprint.
But we’ll see…
#9 NUTS to everything you said. I really glad you think Verizon is so great. Those of us who know better, have Sprint.
gquaglia: Right On !!
I just can’t see switching to AT&T for the curve if I’m not going to get any service where I live. As far as Verizon goes, every store and rep I’ve ever spoken to has a real attitude, something I don’t have the patience for. Where I am CDMA rules and there are times when my Sprint coverage is better than VZ. I’ll take the Sprint version 8800, supossed to be out July 15, then when they have all the bugs worked out of the 8300, I’ll take one of those as well. As far as the Treo 700 whatever these days, my BB7250, maybe a bit outdated, has never given me a single problem. For me, don’t really care about the Pearl, will not use sure type.
#10 and 11: I’m glad that Sprint is working well for the both of you. Certainly, which carrier works best for any one individual is dependent on location and circumstances.
However, there is no doubt that Verizon overall has better coverage and customer service than Sprint. How else do you explain the hard numbers: Verizon is gaining customers faster than anyone while Sprint is actually losing them?
In the first quarter of 2007, VZW gained 1.6 million net postpaid subscribers, while Sprint actually lost 220,000. Sprint’s postpaid churn (loss of customers) was 2.3% while VZW had 1.08% churn.
These are objective facts. They are either explained by the fact that Verizon offers more to their customers than Sprint, or by the assumption that huge numbers of the American public are somehow misled or just plain wrong. I’d opt for the first explanation.
The bottom line in this case really is the bottom line; the numbers don’t lie: VZW trumps Sprint by a wide margin.
Everyone wants to bash Sprint’s customer service, and I understand their frustation. But my question is this, how often do you actually need their customer service? I am with Nextel, waiting to move to Sprint with a Curve or Pearl, and I never need to deal with Cust svc. Just a thought since Sprint has the best data plan and the best price, network is not bad either.
#13: I understand what you are saying, but it’s pretty bad when the only defense for a company’s poor customer service is simply to attempt to diminish the importance of customer service. Customer service counts for a whole lot of users, and there’s no getting around that. There are plenty of people who are not gadget freaks like those of us who read blogs like this one are, and really do need and appreciate customer service from time to time.
Then there is the quality of network issue as well; VZW trumps Sprint in that regard.
So if you are happy with Sprint, more power to you. But at this point, the majority of people would rather trust their wireless service with VZW rather than Sprint. Personally, I hope Sprint gets their act together soon; the more competition the better it is for all of us consumers.
I dont know what all the talk is about sprint not having good customer service, I’ve been with sprint for over 5 years and I wouldn’t say that their service is the best, but its good enough, they take good care of me. If there is any problem I just tell them I will leave and they give in to anything that I want or ask for. Second my husband is a truck driver and drives all over 48 states. He tried every carrier there is out there and figured out that sprint has the best coverage over the 48 states, you can not compare Verizon, Tmobile, ATT or any other major network to Sprint in that matter. And thats a proven fact. My only complain about sprint would be that they are sooo behind with their equipment, their phones arent the greatest, they could really step it up and come out with lots of different phone/PDA’s and make alot of their customers even more happier then they are already.
In regards to Sprint’s so called churn. I would bet a lot of that is from dis satisfied Nextel users that instead of porting over to CDMA, chose, instead, another carrier. As far as Verizon’s network quality being superior to Sprint’s, my answer BULL. Verizon’s network is so over crowded that it suffers as a result. I have had both and find Sprint to be much better in both quality and price.
No matter what anyone says about Sprint’s network or it being superior to Verizon’s, the fact is that the sales numbers don’t point to that. There has to be a reason to explain VZW’s superior net customer additions and lower churn. This just doesn’t happen by accident. The numbers don’t lie.
I am sure that there are some users with their own anecdotal stories about Sprint being superior, but the overall numbers tell a vastly different story.
As to Sprint’s churn, sure a lot of that is Nextel customers leaving…but that still speaks poorly to Sprint, since they have first shot at these customers. If customers are leaving the Nextel side of Sprint and Sprint is not capturing them on their CDMA side, then ask why. If Sprint had their act together, they could easily port these customers over and retain them. A customer loss is still a loss, no matter how you stack it up.
So sure Sprint can’t be totally awful, and I am glad that Sprint has some satisfied customers. But the objective sales figures say very loud and clear that VZW must offer their subscribers more than Sprint.
Thought- Lets go over a few FACTS – OK
-Fact….Sprint has a larger coverage area with its “FREE UNRESTRICTED ROAMING”…Sprint Users can Roam on VZW, ALLTEL, US Cell, And others at will…And Sprint doesnt neg PRL’s or Restrict In-Market Roaming.
-Fact…Sprint CDMA added 800k in Post-paid subs in the 1st Q…Was only lossed by Nextel losses…Sprint may have had 1st dibs on this customers..but these are the same customer that dont know the difference between IDEN and CDMA…Sprint should be retaining alot more now that it has all the Hybrids off the ground.
-Fact…Sprint has better data policies and pricing then VZW…..Have you heard of SERO…FREE Vision, Free Unlimited SMS, FREE Nights @ 7pm, Free Unrestricted Roaming…And Oh they also throw in 500 Anytime minutes for 30$…For all that I will deal with the poor CS…not that I need them often.
-Fact….High Quality Network…Im In NYC and My Mother who uses VZW from her JOB gets no service in her house in Westchester and Sprint pulls in 2-3 bars all over her house including the basement….Ofcourse if VZW allowed FREE ROAMING on Sprint this wouldn’t be an issue.
Fact- Sprint Doesnt Cripple phones like VZW.
Again Just the Facts.
Jim: if those are the facts, than how to explain the wide difference in subscriber additions and churn? Even allowing for your formula of subtracting out the Nextel defectors, Sprint added only about half the subscribers of VZW last quarter and still had higher churn.
Either customers are severely deluded or else VZW overall has more to offer.
All the financials point to a very healthy VZW and a very ailing Sprint.
Why would Sprint dump its CEO? Why is Sprint always mentioned as a takeover target? It’s not because they are doing things so well.
Your story about your mother’s house proves nothing; it’s just one anecdote. I can cite all sorts of anecdotal evidence to support any viewpoint I want. A sample of one is not exactly statistically sound.
As for roaming, what you are in essence saying is that Sprint’s own native network isn’t good enough, so they have to allow their customers to roam in order to pick up signal. Keep in mind also that no carrier can use another carrier’s towers without permission. So if Sprint roams off of a VZW tower, it’s only because VZW allows that. Who knows if VZW allows roaming off of all of their towers?
I will agree with you that VZW cripples their phones, and that on average they are higher priced, and that is a shame. That is one reason why I would love to see Sprint, ATT, whoever, come up with a network that can compete against VZW.
Add’s and Churn- We all know what how the add’s and churn are calculated, but to get the whole truth you have to look a little bit deeper then the surface reports because Sprint Operates 2 networks that are not compaible with each other and infact CDMA we all know is the future of this company, and its the place where Sprint infact isnt loosing subs they’re actually gaining them (again 800k in q1 and this is Net add’s)…The Other Network (Iden) which is not in Sprint Future was a network overloaded with more subs then it could handle and its only true value to Sprint is its PTT, NOTHING ELSE…Think of this network like Cingular and TDMA…Infact Sprint but all publically announced that There will not be anymore Iden phones released on its network, and that anyone wanting PTT will need to upgrade to hybrids again run on CDMA.
Financials- Sprint maybe carrying more Debt Vs VZW, but Sprint is Rolling out a completely new Technology (WIMAX) Sprint is pouring billions of $$$ into its networks, expanding faster then anyother provider, Sprint is overhauling its CS Departments, which is why where getting long hold times right now. all these are why Sprint is carrying more debt then VZW.
Roaming- Sprint’s Network is just find (hence why they carry more MVNO’s then anyother company and why VZW’s only MVNO Amp’d is about to be No More)…But Sprint also believes in providing the best network coverage possible to its subs, unlike VZW where in alot of the US of A if you get no VZW singal you have no serivce…Also Sprint believes in provided the best data coverage of any provider which is why we can even DATA Roam on VZW and ALLTEL and USCC, unlike VZW and might I add at will too.
YEP- Gotta love getting more for your money and being Gouged
BTW- I ordered you a fresh supply of KOOL-AID
Add’s and Churn- We all know what how the add’s and churn are calculated, but to get the whole truth you have to look a little bit deeper then the surface reports because Sprint Operates 2 networks that are not compaible with each other and infact CDMA we all know is the future of this company, and its the place where Sprint infact isnt loosing subs they’re actually gaining them (again 800k in q1 and this is Net add’s)…The Other Network (Iden) which is not in Sprint Future was a network overloaded with more subs then it could handle and its only true value to Sprint is its PTT, NOTHING ELSE…Think of this network like Cingular and TDMA…Infact Sprint but all publically announced that There will not be anymore Iden phones released on its network, and that anyone wanting PTT will need to upgrade to hybrids again run on CDMA.
Financials- Sprint maybe carrying more Debt Vs VZW, but Sprint is Rolling out a completely new Technology (WIMAX) Sprint is pouring billions of $$$ into its networks, expanding faster then anyother provider, Sprint is overhauling its CS Departments, which is why where getting long hold times right now. all these are why Sprint is carrying more debt then VZW.
Roaming- Sprint’s Network is just find (hence why they carry more MVNO’s then anyother company and why VZW’s only MVNO Amp’d is about to be No More)…But Sprint also believes in providing the best network coverage possible to its subs, unlike VZW where in alot of the US of A if you get no VZW singal you have no serivce…Also Sprint believes in provided the best data coverage of any provider which is why we can even DATA Roam on VZW and ALLTEL and USCC, unlike VZW and might I add at will too.
YEP- Gotta love getting more for your money and not being Gouged
BTW- I ordered you a fresh supply of KOOL-AID