[Bart kouwenberg]

Today Vodafone The Netherlands confirms that they will have the Blackberry 10 phones. They will be in stores about March/april. KPN and T-mobile are holding of for now.

Vodafone komt met BlackBerry 10-toestellen | Webwereld

[WakyEggs]

Just one carrier will have bb10.... While all the carriers have OS7. Somehow I think this is an indication that whatsapp will not be on the platform for a long time, else all the carriers would have given it a shot.

To people not from NL: Whatsapp is very popular in the Netherlands not having it or having it poorly (wp8) basically equals no sales.

[backfire101]

Yes I've read this too, but it's so stupid that the Z10 will be available March/April? If our German or Belgium neighbours will have it on time, I will buy it abroud. And even worse is that KPN or T-Mobile are not mentioning that they intend to sell the Z10. Anyway, let's hope the Z10 will be available on direct market without contract Maybe Blackberry will sell them for 649 USD hehe.

[kbz1960]

Just one carrier will have bb10.... While all the carriers have OS7. Somehow I think this is an indication that whatsapp will not be on the platform for a long time, else all the carriers would have given it a shot.

To people not from NL: Whatsapp is very popular in the Netherlands not having it or having it poorly (wp8) basically equals no sales.

Sorry? So Whatsapp is what drives carriers to sell a phone?????

[backfire101]

I guess what he means is that customers won't buy the phone if it doesn't have whatsapp. But whatsapp works perfect on my playbook with the android version, so why wouldn't it on the Z10?

[WakyEggs]

I am just assuming that the carriers know more than we do. Whatsapp is huge in the Netherlands. A high price smartphone without whatsapp would be a phone for hipsters only. A market way too small to be bothered with it.

WP7 was available on all carriers. This is might be an alarming signal from the carriers who are unbiased and know more about the bb10 future than we do...

Also poorly whatsapp implementation is one of the biggest complains about wp8 over here. And an android port, which many don't know how to do, will be even worse..

[Colleennl]

With or without whatsapp still going to try the phone in the store and buy it if i like it.

[bigopti]

It is about time that at least 1 carrier has confirmed it that they will sell the new BB's.But the launch date of March / April.. is way to far off.
The phones will be launched world-wide at the end of January. At the beginning of February there will be a BB Word in Amsterdam.
If they do not start selling the phones at a maximum of 1 week after that, the buzz will be mostly over in the Netherlands...since its more Apple / Samsung (droid) orientated now a days.
And I have been waiting long enough for a new phone now + my birthday is Feb. 15th. I WANT A NEW BB10 phone by then!

[Dirtcrunch]

Just one carrier will have bb10.... While all the carriers have OS7. Somehow I think this is an indication that whatsapp will not be on the platform for a long time, else all the carriers would have given it a shot.

To people not from NL: Whatsapp is very popular in the Netherlands not having it or having it poorly (wp8) basically equals no sales.

Very good point. I live in the Netherlands and to illustrate this post: my latest recieved text message is from 12th of November 2012. However, 318 of my 322 contacts are on Whatsapp and because of the relatively cheap mobile internet, everybody can and does use Whatsapp close to unlimited.

No matter how good the phone and OS are. Without Whatsapp, BB10 is fighting a losing battle in Holland.

[bigopti]

Whatsapp is most likely be coming to BB10, if not at launch, my guess is soon after. SOURCE

[kojita]

I just got confirmation from belgian sources that BB10 devices will be available in Belgium in March, pricing will be known at the launch on 30th January. This sucks. I don't get it with BBjam europe in the Netherlands, it does not make sense not to have phones selling in store by then????