[kyleheney]

Any chance the North American carriers were forced to enter into an "exclusivity" deal with Samsung for the launch of the S8? Could it be that Samsung forced carriers not to do any other "major" releases for the first 30 or so days of the S8's availability? Since the S8 launched late April, it could be why the KeyONE is "delayed" to late May...

It just seems like it could be the case since the wording has been around the "release from carriers" as opposed to a general on sale date.

Holding out hope ShopBB in North America offers it up before the carriers do.

[anon(5364777)]

Very possible. I think at this point ill wait for $15 a month att plans. Why shell out 500+ right? Thats my hope.

[andyk350]

The same thing happened with the release of the Z10. It was out in the UK first and in the US a month or so later. If I remember right it was because the CDMA version wasn't ready. I could be wrong though. If Verizon bargained to have their version released at the same time as the other carriers then maybe the delay is due to the CDMA variant not being ready.

So I doubt it has to do with the S8. Given the recent history of BlackBerry phone sales I don't think this would be considered a major release.

[slagman5]

Probably carrier negotiations. The majority of "normal" people here are not like us who read about these things. It seems they don't know a phone exists until they see it at their carrier store, or if they have a billion+ dollar ad campaign like Apple and Samsung...

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[DWonder]

Interesting theory. I wouldn't think Samsung would be that cutthroat. But it's possible

**Bold 9000, Bold 9900, Q10, Classic...do u notice the pattern? :-) ...the KEYone is NEXT!**

[whatsever]

Could be that samsung promoting and gives some extra bonus per sold unit or discount reaching some level os sales.


Posted via CB10

[Lobwedgephil]

Absolutely zero chance, especially since it will be released on US carriers later this summer and not May 31st, that is when the unlocked version will be released for order in the US.

But keep trying to find excuses for a botched launch. And this is not a major release, not by a long shot.

[slagman5]

Interesting theory. I wouldn't think Samsung would be that cutthroat. But it's possible

**Bold 9000, Bold 9900, Q10, Classic...do u notice the pattern? :-) ...the KEYone is NEXT!**

Um, they hired hundreds of people to go to forums and comment sections of big websites to talk trash about competitor phones, post fake reviews, etc.

Yes, they are cutthroat, but it works. Before nobody could compete with Apple, now Samsung is along the same lines as Apple. I hear people praise someone's phone choice simply because it is a Samsung, even though there are extremely low-end basic phones from Samsung that completely suck, but it's still "cool."

Not saying that I think this is the reason for the delay, just wanted to address the Samsung being cutthroat comment...

Posted without the aid of AutoCorrect with my physical keyboard via CB10

[Denise in Los Angeles]

It definitely seems plausible to me. Carrier stores are all about Samsung and iPhones, at least the T-Mobile stores.

[consv93]

Why would carrier negotiations get in the way of BB releasing the unlocked versions?

[andyk350]

Why would carrier negotiations get in the way of BB releasing the unlocked versions?

Carriers would prefer you buy the phone from them than from someone else and if BlackBerry wants the carrier to support the phone the carrier has some leverage.

[consv93]

Carriers would prefer you buy the phone from them than from someone else.

So?

[andyk350]

So?

I edited my reply as you were posting.

If Verizon says we won't allow the phone on our network if you sell it unlocked then Verizon has some leverage.

[Denise in Los Angeles]

Why would carrier negotiations get in the way of BB releasing the unlocked versions?

If the phone was on Amazon and Best Buy today, there would be no reason for some people to wait for the carriers to sell it. I would order my KEYone right now.

So, if TCL wants to have carrier support, the carriers can demand request the delay to sell on other websites before the date that they offer it at AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and maybe T-Mobile stores.

[consv93]

I edited my reply as you were posting.

If Verizon says we won't allow the phone on our network if you sell it unlocked then Verizon has some leverage.

If Verizon is holding it up then so help me. I waited five extra months for the Verizon Priv after it had already been released on AT&T/GSM.

[andyk350]

If Verizon is holding it up then so help me. I waited five extra months for the Verizon Priv after it had already been released on AT&T/GSM.

I have no idea if it's Verizon. That was just an example.

I'd guess it's more likely to be them because of their CDMA network, but I have no idea if that's what's going on here.

[Ment]

It's more like carriers are asking TCL how much they are willing to pay for carriers to launch the device.

[mister2d]

If Verizon bargained to have their version released at the same time as the other carriers then maybe the delay is due to the CDMA variant not being ready.

According to the Verge, there aren't separate versions of the phone. Just one version that supports both CDMA and GSM.

It will be available unlocked in the US starting on May 31st for $549. The unlocked model will work with both GSM and CDMA networks, and TCL says that Sprint will be selling the device later this summer.

http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreak...e-availability

[andyk350]

According to the Verge, there aren't separate versions of the phone. Just one version that supports both CDMA and GSM.


http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreak...e-availability

If that's the case then there's one less reason for additional delays beyond the end of May.

[thurask]

According to the Verge, there aren't separate versions of the phone. Just one version that supports both CDMA and GSM.


http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreak...e-availability

There's three models, though: BlackBerry KEYone - Official website - Specifications

Two of them are marked for the US, but only one has CDMA.

That the Europe/Middle East/Africa model is just a worse version of the Canada/South America/APAC/"US V1" model doesn't make much sense.

Here's the LTE band matrix, in a picture:



And which bands go where:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LTE_frequency_bands

[mister2d]

There's three models, though: BlackBerry KEYone - Official website - Specifications

Two of them are marked for the US, but only one has CDMA.

That the Europe/Middle East/Africa model is just a worse version of the Canada/South America/APAC/"US V1" model doesn't make much sense.

Here's the LTE band matrix, in a picture:



And which bands go where:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LTE_frequency_bands

The link in your post for BlackBerry's site shows one phone that supports GSM and CDMA. I assumed @andyk350 was referring to the US version.

US V2
LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30
TDD LTE: 41
CDMA BC 0,1,10

[thurask]

The link in your post for BlackBerry's site shows one phone that supports GSM and CDMA. I assumed @andyk350 was referring to the US version.

US V2
LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30
TDD LTE: 41
CDMA BC 0,1,10

Weird.

[mister2d]

Weird.

Yep. There it is.

I've seen that before in a couple phones I bought unlocked. Nokia and a Moto X Play.

[andyk350]

Weird.

Now that I think about it, I think I remember reading that the unlocked one would work on all the US bands, but Verizon wouldn't allow that one on their network. The one Verizon would sell is essentially the same, but it would be allowed on Verizon's network. I could be wrong with the details, but I vaguely remember something like that.

[thurask]

Yep. There it is.

I've seen that before in a couple phones I bought unlocked. Nokia and a Moto X Play.

The other one is still marked as "US V1", though. Unless that's a holdover from something else. Lack of Band 17 on the US V2/CDMA model should cause a harder time on AT&T, I believe.