1. BluePumpkinBerry's Avatar
    Hi All,

    What is the likelihood of Verizon carrying the Passport? I have seen comments here and there that it will happen, it may happen, and it won't happen. I know nothing about Blackberry, therefore don't know the history of their phones being exclusive infinitely to a carrier or their phones being exclusive for X amount of time and then going to other carriers, etc.

    I currently have a Droid 4 (PKB) with Verizon and it is barely functioning. I just can't deal with a virtual keyboard and there aren't many options left. I just looked at the BB Classic and it looks pretty good, but after reading about the Passport, I think I may like that better. There are ZERO stores by me who carry the Passport as a display, which is quite baffling. And every time I ask a sales associate, they get all shifty-eyed and run to get their manager, who stutters out a vague answer of when/if they will get a display phone.

    Also, I keep reading that Verizon uses an outdated system (CDMA) and is switching over to GSM and then I would be able to use the Passport. Is this true? I know nothing about what those 2 acronyms even mean. I just don't want to get the Classic and then in a month the Passport is released to Verizon.

    (I *could* switch to AT&T, but it would be a great hassle as we have a grandfathered business plan with 27 devices. I would only switch as a last resort and the BB Classic didn't work for me)

    TIA!
    03-30-15 07:09 PM
  2. raino's Avatar
    Welcome to CrackBerry.

    I think it's very unlikely. This "exclusive" is not an initial offering through AT&T only Verizon to follow, but more likely that AT&T alone was willing to carry the phone. That being said, there are signs that BB did initially plan to bring this phone to Verizon as well, but Verizon most likely balked.

    I'm not sure where you've heard that Verizon is switching to GSM. That's not happening; what the information may have meant to say is that they're going all-LTE for new releases--as soon as 2016, by some estimates. Currently in most places, Verizon phones do data on LTE, but voice and SMS on CDMA. When Verizon goes all-LTE, the voice+SMS components are also supposed to shift to LTE on new phones and capable older phones. The underlying assumption is that any phones with Verizon's LTE bands will then be able to come on to Verizon--that Verizon would go BYOD like GSM carriers. I'm not sure I agree with this idea.
    03-30-15 07:31 PM
  3. RoseBud68's Avatar
    No Passport for Verizon. If and when Verizon move over to GSM the Passport would be out dated.
    03-30-15 07:33 PM
  4. Poi25's Avatar
    03-30-15 07:34 PM
  5. suzicat's Avatar
    I think the chances are slim to zero. I've been with Verizon for eons and got my Passport unlocked from Amazon and AT&T sim. So far its good I still have 2 lines on Verizon and Z30 on contract until November. Not sure what I'll do then. Used to be customers got perks for being long time and loyal, like discounts on accessories and no activation fees. Since that's stopped I don't feel the same loyalty to VZW that I used to. I had a Verizon rep tell me they are switching to GSM, but I didn't believe it at the time, several months ago.
    03-31-15 12:51 AM
  6. BluePumpkinBerry's Avatar
    Thanks. That was what I was afraid of - Verizon just passed on the Passport.

    I heard yesterday from the Verizon rep that they were switching from the outdated CDMA to GSM. He didn't know when and I didn't really know what any of it meant enough to ask questions. When I asked why they were switching, he said to be more competitive and use newer technology and that then the Passport could be bought somewhere else but still used on Verizon. (Would that be true if Verizon did end up switching in the future?)

    I have been told by Verizon reps for the last several years a Droid 5 with physical keyboard would be out "soon", which is why I have clung to my Droid 4 for so long.

    Question for the last poster, suzicat - do you have an unlocked non-AT&T Passport plus an AT&T SIM and it works with Verizon? I am not sure I read your post correctly. If that is the case, I am fine doing that.

    Thanks.
    03-31-15 10:10 AM
  7. suzicat's Avatar
    Thanks. That was what I was afraid of - Verizon just passed on the Passport.

    I heard yesterday from the Verizon rep that they were switching from the outdated CDMA to GSM. He didn't know when and I didn't really know what any of it meant enough to ask questions. When I asked why they were switching, he said to be more competitive and use newer technology and that then the Passport could be bought somewhere else but still used on Verizon. (Would that be true if Verizon did end up switching in the future?)

    I have been told by Verizon reps for the last several years a Droid 5 with physical keyboard would be out "soon", which is why I have clung to my Droid 4 for so long.

    Question for the last poster, suzicat - do you have an unlocked non-AT&T Passport plus an AT&T SIM and it works with Verizon? I am not sure I read your post correctly. If that is the case, I am fine doing that.

    Thanks.
    Sorry if I wasn't clear. No, my unlocked Passport with ATT sim does not work on Verizon. They still don't allow non-Verizon branded phones on their network and the Passport doesn't have CDMA and would not work anyway. What I meant is the Passport on ATT is good.
    03-31-15 10:36 AM
  8. TLD1's Avatar
    Although it's a drag that Verizon will, in all likelihood not pick up the Passport (I want one)...its good news that they are ditching CDMA sometime in the future, and going with the world-standard GSM. It will open up a much bigger array of options for hardware for VZW users, and make especially attractive for those customers who regularly travel abroad.
    04-08-15 11:47 AM

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