T-Mobile employees pushing Android devices at all costs

[dosto]

Without the iPhone, TMO is pushing their high-end Android phones, mainly due to their use of more data, and thus the requirement for 2gig or 5gig data plans. When I bought my BB, I didn't feel pressured to by Android, but the Android phones are definitely featured in the TMO stores.

[mccs]

My personal anecdote to this was my experience in November when shopping at my local TMO store in the Memphis area.

The 9810 had just come out and I wanted to mess with one (at the time I was set on upgrading to it or the 9900...). When I walked in to the store, the placeholder for a 9810 was there but instead of a 9810, there was an Android handset in it's place.

"I don't know why that's there," was the store rep's response.

Ok, no biggie. He went and grabbed at 9810 from the back to put out on display. While doing so, he immediately tried steering me to an Android set, explaining all the virtues of the platform, that if I really wanted a device with a keyboard, since I'm using a Blackberry, maybe I should consider phone-x. It has a keyboard and apps. Wow.

I told him this was launch day of the 9810 and that was the whole reason why I was in the store so I could judge for myself whether this would be my next phone.

His response: "Well, you don't want this phone really anyway. It's not a good phone."

When I asked him to back up his statement with a little bit of fact, (including him amazingly knowing what I want or don't want) -- considering the 9810 had JUST launched that day - he hemmed and hawed and said if I was really set on getting a Blackberry, I'd be better off going with a 9900 because that's what he had.

I gave him a puzzled look, messed with the 9810 for a bit and walked out the store.

Long story short: I agree with dosto, they push their high-end Android phones. Not the Blackberry, not the Windows 7 phone. It's Android or bust.

[bigtime2]

When they start doing this, just give them a "deer in the headlights" look and don't say anything. That will creep them out and they will back away from you, and you will be able to get a BlackBerry without a store employee trying to sell you an Android phone.

[EdS817]

I got my 9900 for ($100)...

$300.00
-$250.00 T-Mobile device upgrade credit
-$50.00 T-Mobile mail in credit
-$100.00 RIM main in credit

[watbetch]

Honestly, he isn't very far off. We all know Blackberry is lagging severely, the sales rep doesnt need to use one to figur that out.
Sent from my T-Mobile Galaxy S II 4G

[Mikethaler]

Originally Posted by Guatiao

My feelings exactly. My first and only smartphone so far had been BBs, and I'm confident BBX will make future BBs as good or better as any iOs or Android device. I will surely get one!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Say, guys, didn't RIM just announce in the last week or two that BBX (I think maybe renamed BB10) might be delayed as long as a year?!
We had to switch wife's dying BB8900 to Android in Aug. because BB had nothing new for TM for 2 years since the 9700 series. It had already been announced the OS7 series of phones would be lacking common features like wifi calling for 6 months after release. I was waiting to upgrade my 9700 until Feb/Mar when BBX was first due to come out. Don't know if my heavily used 9700 can last another year. If OS 7.1 is released to TM in the next couple months, may get a 9810. Otherwise will have to switch to Android if my phone fails.

[dosto]

Mikethaler, I just switched from the 9700 to 9900; it's an awesome upgrade. If you like the 9700, you'll love the 9900. Having said that, I understand your frustration with RIM. My wife uses, and loves, her Android. I tried the HTC Amaze for a week...it's a great device, but just wasn't for me, so went with the 9900 and LOVE IT!

[Guatiao]

Originally Posted by EdS817

I got my 9900 for ($100)...

$300.00
-$250.00 T-Mobile device upgrade credit
-$50.00 T-Mobile mail in credit
-$100.00 RIM main in credit

I guess I was not that lucky with the local TMO representatives, as they did not even tell me about the $50 upgrade rebate, or the RIM upgrade promotion that has been going on for a while now. Heck, even asking for a BlackBerry caused a face on the employees, as if I was asking for some old Motorola StarTAC or something, lol!