The Unofficial BlackBerry Weblog
I am hearing rumblings that the Sprint BlackBerry Curve has been delayed until May. I have not been able to confirm this, however, I’ve heard it from enough different people that asking the question is probably warranted.
As I’ve said many times before, I just can’t fathom Sprint coming out with the Curve before Verizon. If these rumors are correct, looks like Verizon just may beat Sprint to the punch.
[…] Dunewood from RIMarkable says he has been hearing rumors of a delayed BlackBerry Curve 8330 for Sprint. According to Robb […]
[…] have been a lot of rumors floating around that the release of the Sprint BlackBerry Curve had been delayed, however, the […]
[…] announced the BlackBerry Curve they said that it would come out in April. Then we heard a lot of rumors that the launch of the Sprint Curve had been delayed, possibly all the way into June. Just the […]
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Lady at sprint told me that it is coming out on 4/20/08
I haven’t heard any such rumors… I know that the past says that VZW always gets BBs b4 Sprint… but from everything I’ve read and everyone I’ve talked to it sounds like it’ll be released on 4/16.
http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/RIM-BlackBerry-Curve-phone-p_2648.html
Consequently the above phonearena link has a 4/30 release date for the VZW Curve.
I haven’t heard any rumors about a delay but I did here a proposed date of April 30th for the Sprint version. If it comes out that late in the month they might as well just say May
I wonder if Sprint and Verizon will race to see who releases their curve first.
I imagine it is somewhat of a race already. But it’s probably played up by all of us.
I asked a sales person Monday, at the Sprint store in Boston, and he told me they had training on it on 4/15 and they are suppose to have them to sell on 4/20.
I just heard(sprint store) April 16th for most and 20th for others. I think this is bogus.
Were does this come from? I’m on the notification list for the Curve. I’ve been spying on theCurve to get all the info I can forthe release, and no one else is saying anything close to this.
Here is a prediction….
Research In Motion will become the next Palm. Their devices are not innovative enough and the consumer / business user will go to more powerful, robust solutions especially when they tighten up the iphone for enterprise and windowmobile in server 2008.
Don’t be surprised if Apple introduces a few iphonish devices geared specifically towards the enterprise.
You hand a CEO a blackberry curve or an Apple Iphone… They will choose the iphone because it is easier to use and is much more powerful.
Research In Motion should change their company name to “Delayed and Out of Touch”.
Don’t get me wrong.. I was a blackberry fanboy up until about 5 minutes ago.
If there is an issue with Sprint, I don’t think that it has anything to do with RIM. In Canada, Telus already has the CDMA Curve, and Bell is launching it tommorow…
if that happens sprint might as well give up!!!!! thats probably the only way they will have a chance…
Due to “what I do for a living”, I can guarentee you that it’ll be out the 16th.
It may be a race, but its a race to see who doesn’t come in last place. I tell ya, Verizon better step it up and start leading this phone war or people are going to jump ship for ATT once they get their 3G setup.
from customer service.
Dear XXXX,
Thank you for contacting Sprint. I apologize for the breakdown in
communication in the previous e-mail.
I would like to inform you that the blackberry Curve 8330 is going to be
launched by April 20, 2008.
Thank you for contacting Sprint. We appreciate your business.
Sincerely,
Frankie B.
Sprint
Lifted from Sprint Partner Communications eNewsletter,
“The Blackberry Curve will not launch within the 4/20 window. Updates will be provided once a new date has been set. “
Since writing this post about 20 folks, several of whom say they work for Sprint, said that April 16th is the day.
I guess we’ll find out next week.
I have the email to partners and it says that the 4/20 date will be missed.
Robb,
I can forward you the email if you like. Nothing exciting, that was the whole blurb.
@ Nameless
I am not naive enough to say this won’t eventually happen to RIM. I don’t believe that it will, however, I probably would have said the same thing about Palm when they were in their prime. There is, on the other hand, nothing about Apple, when it comes to the corporate market, that makes me think they will be the one unseat RIM when it comes to the corporate market.
Apple, historically, has not the greatest track recored when it comes to corporate America.
All this talk about the iPhone taking out RIM is based on predictions of what the iPhone will be one day. The iPhone we know today, and quite frankly, the one we’ll come to know tomorrow won’t be the devices to seriously take a stab at RIM’s share.
As far as timing, it was sent to partners this evening.
In the end it won’t make any difference which carrier is first, because the difference will only be a few weeks at best.
Most people do not follow these things like sporting contests like we do. And most people will not choose their carrier based on who gets this model first by such a short period of time.
I know there is no way in hell I would switch from Verizon to Sprint just to get this or any device earlier by a few days or weeks.
I can wait a few weeks either way. Sprint has a compelling unlimited plan but I would still wait on VZW.
I called Sprint last week and was told April 16. Then yesterday I called about some issues with my bill and the rep. told me that the release date was April 20. When I told her about the previous advisement date of April 16, she said that Sprint typically releases phones on Sundays. That does in fact put the release date at April 20. We’ll see…
I just called several Sprint stores in the Raleigh area. One guy said 4/27 which is a Sunday (makes sense if the previous post is correct). Another said Late April or early May and another said they received some info about the new phone but there’s no firm date yet. I wish they would just tell us already so we can stop all the guessing. Hopefully they are all wrong and it will come out on the 16th like previous reports have suggested… I am tired of waiting… my Alltel 7250 is so old the face plate is peeling off!
If you search 8330 on Sprint’s website it has been showing a getting started guide and the fact sheet they had for CTIA. I searched it today and it does not come up with any Blackberry 8330 content. Hopefully this is not some indicator of a potential delay.
I spoke to sprint sales as well as Blackberry tech the both staated that they recived information that the phone wont be avalible until June 1
Went to the sprint store today 4/13 and the manager told me it was delayed until June 1st. He wasnt happy either as he was wanting to get one as well. Sorry for the bad news, supposedly he said the email came to them yesterday.
went into sprint store today and the manager said he received an email and it is delayed until June 1
In California it comes out tomorrow. You have to get it from one of the main stores (i.e. not from the one in the mall, etc…).
When I said “tomorrow” I meant the 16th (it was 11:31pm PST when I posted, heheh)
This is awful news if it turns out to be true. I had really hoped to get the curve in the next couple of weeks. Now it may be 7 1/2 weeks away. 🙁
I love it. You over anxious kiddies just need to just shaddup and wait. Nobody with ANY say so has ever promised this date. Now here you all are whining like babies. Probably the same whiners about “this doesn’t work”, “I wish it did this” how come it doesn’t that”. Calling and chatting with CS and ecare… wasting their time. I hope when you do, they shut you fools off like those people who got the accounts yanked for calling too much.
If you had to use my crappy ancient smartphone with the battery that cant hold a charge, you would be pissed about having to wait another month and half too
When you walk into a Sprint store you see the display for the curve, I don’t understand why a display would go up on a phone that is not going to be released. Talked to a rep who said it was delayed with no ETA. I am very upset, now I see why Sprint lags behind Verizon
I just left the sprint store bout 2hrs ago and the man at the store told me that the curve has been delayed till May 1st. They did however have a big display up….but no actual display model.
Am I the only one enjoying my 8330? It came out on the 16th here.
I was in a sprint store 4/19 in Chandler, AZ. The rep told me it was coming out 4/22. Take it or leave it….
Re: Spoil Sport’s comment,
Your name says it all. We can be big kids if we want! Don’t be so negative man. The blog is for those that are concerned about getting the BB Curve. If you’re not one of us who want what we want when we want it, then post somewhere else.
M1, you actually have one in hand? from Sprint? How’d you manage THAT?
gregnauman, I too heard June 1. Perhaps that’s when ALL stores will have it – maybe they’re meaning by June 1?
Man what are we all going to do, besides play with our BB’s, when it finally is released – LOL!
I’m actually getting sick of this push back nonsense. Sprint has been steps behind for years now. You would think they would do something to jump a few steps ahead of where they are. Not to mention, I don’t like being told 10 different things from the same company. This “change of date” issue is making me loose the tiny bit of faith I have in Sprint.
Went today and they said april 24th
How is the Curve any better than the 8830? Whats so cool about it? I heard that wifi will not be available so what’s the big deal?
well april 24th and another story from the sprint stores.
They need to just tell the truth.
I was in a Sprint store in Portland, ME today. The have a big poster of the phone hanging in the store, as part of their decor, and rebate forms listing a $100 rebate for the phone. When I asked about isa availability they said it was delayed and they have no clue on when it is coming in.
I just spoke to Sprint Rep yesterday and today. The one i spoke to yesterday said it would be released on May 5th. The one i spoke to today says it wont be released till Mid of June.
What a stupidity SPRINT is doing. It cannot even capitolize on the subscriber who are so looking towards the all in one plan and blackberry curve.. I guess SPRINT cannot live up to the name SPRINT.
To All:
Thank You for all the information about the Curve 8330 on this blog.
First, I am a proud employee of Sprint. What we have at Sprint is pride. Yes, mistakes may have been made in the PAST.. but what makes a company resilient is how we recover from those mistakes. That said at any given meeting that I attend, the average years of employment at Sprint is over 15 years. We are a dedicated bunch, work hard to serve our customers – wireless and wireline. You did not know that we also have a wireline component to our company did you ? Possibly the best fiber network in the whole wide world. Did you also know that we are the best push-to-talk service and the most awesome wireless high speed carrier? Yes … I am VERY CONFIDENT that Dan Hesse will make the difference because he has the right attitude and the right ideas. And he has done this before .. And ALL of us at Sprint are behind him 100% – as you can see from the comments by “can’t say”
Second, I too cant wait for the Curve to come out. I currently own the robust 8703e. It does everything I ask it to. I do email, text, web apps – I have dropped it , beat on it and the only thing it ever needed was a new battery after 2 years of constant use. I clock more than 4500 minutes a month. I can conduct all my business over the Sprint wireless network. I too was sad to hear about the delay in release of the 8330. Bottomline folks… I am a kid at heart when it come to electronics. But when I think about it at a mature level, I don’t have to have it NOW! I can wait a few more weeks. I’d rather have a bug-free device than having to call the helpdesk several times. Sprint’s wireless future is looking good. For those of you who select their network based on the device you own – hope you come back and take another look when we have the best devices. For those of you who stick by Sprint’s excellent coverage, network clarity and speed I thank you on behalf of all of us here. We promise to do better for you, our customer.
A proud Sprint Employee many years!
im a sprint exclusive and we got price cards and display stuff for the curve but still no curves. from what my rim rep has told us is that it in fact was to be released on the 16th but do to inventory issues it was pushed back. sprint and brightpoint wanted to have enough in inventory so there would not be any back order issues due to demand with the curve. and with the new simply everything plan that includes the blackberry service they meaning sprint felt that there would not be enough. last i heard as well was may 1st but who knows. all i know is that i check brightpoint daily to see if its there for me to order.
I just spoke with a person at the Sprint 800 number. They told me 4/20 was the internal release date for them getting information and training on the phone. They say the actual release date for sales to the public is the third week of May.
After being told “end of April” for the past month I was told June by a tech representative yesterday.
How did she get the info?
She GOOGLED it.
No internal info. No updates to employers. They themselves have to google to find out when it’s due in stores, and since that’s what everyone else is doing as well it’s anyones guess when it will hit the stores.
I’ve been holding off for a month to upgrade because of this. They want me to wait until June, possibly, maybe, probably? If the retention department can’t get me a truly good deal or cut my bill until the 8330 is out, they’ve lost yet another costumer.
both dates are corrct. april 16 is the release date for the curve through BIRGHTPOINT which is a certain vendor for sprint storea. April 20th is the release date for Sprint communications which is another market of sprint. working for sprint, i can verify this 99.9% and i did research on google. the first few pages list this in details, so i dont know what all the fuss is about. in regards to the bashing of rim vs. apple, apple does not have the push technology or the BIZ or BEZ. corporate america relys on that tech. because they get emails and important document instantaneously. apple has to update avaer 5 minutes or 10 minutes. its all about the time factor and getting things on the go. no doubt that apple may come up with something SIMILAR….however that bash is t o t a l l y wack and naive.
Sprint’s website now has the Curve 8330 up for purchase!!!
I OWN A SPRINT/NEXTEL STORE. THE CURVE WAS RELEASED THIS MORNING IN MY SYSTEM. I ORDERED MINE. THEY ARE $179.99. IF YOU WANT ONE CONTACT ME.
Ordered mine from the sprint website 1 hour ago…it was $312.33 including taxes but when it arrives I get the mail-in-rebate for $100.
Totat after rebates: $212.33 (and the activation fee was waved) : )
I got mine Sunday and I paid 129.99
My 8330 is on the UPS truck… waiting patiently for delivery!!! LOL!
For those of you who have it, how do you like it?