[lawguyman]

There has always been a delay to launch on the US carriers because they have a much longer and more stringent device and OS testing process.

I don't know why/if this is really necessary but it has always been a fact of life.

Peevishlicious Crew: Infraction Appeals Advocate

[Smokeaire]

There has always been a delay to launch on the US carriers because they have a much longer and more stringent device and OS testing process.

I don't know why/if this is really necessary but it has always been a fact of life.

Peevishlicious Crew: Infraction Appeals Advocate

That I get. I also think this goes beyond the usual AT&T bloatware or crippling of features. It's suspect (to me) that within the last couple of days AT&T has announced the availability and preorder taking of Samsung and HTC new phones, availability that will happen even before the official announcement of the Passport. It does seem that AT&T's silence about Passport is for the benefit of the bigger sellers.

[ThunderShock2005]

There has always been a delay to launch on the US carriers because they have a much longer and more stringent device and OS testing process.

I don't know why/if this is really necessary but it has always been a fact of life.

Peevishlicious Crew: Infraction Appeals Advocate

Fact of life doesn't mean it's okay.

Posted via BlackBerry Q10 on AT&T

[lawguyman]

There is not much BlackBerry can do about it other than make great products. If there is demand, the carriers will rush to sell them. No rocket science here.

Peevishlicious Crew: Infraction Appeals Advocate

[stooy leown]

Can't see how blackberry would enter into agreement with them NOT knowing when it would be launched. IMO, they knew it wouldn't be the same timeframe as the initial launch.

Posted via CB10

[lawguyman]

Can't see how blackberry would enter into agreement with them NOT knowing when it would be launched. IMO, they knew it wouldn't be the same timeframe as the initial launch.

Posted via CB10

The other option would have been to have no US Carrier support. Think about it.

Peevishlicious Crew: Infraction Appeals Advocate

[lang007]

I agree with you on this. There is something else going on

That I get. I also think this goes beyond the usual AT&T bloatware or crippling of features. It's suspect (to me) that within the last couple of days AT&T has announced the availability and preorder taking of Samsung and HTC new phones, availability that will happen even before the official announcement of the Passport. It does seem that AT&T's silence about Passport is for the benefit of the bigger sellers.

[lang007]

There is no support now

The other option would have been to have no US Carrier support. Think about it.

Peevishlicious Crew: Infraction Appeals Advocate

[bb10adopter111]

Big the conspiracy theorists are out in force on the forums today! I need to go put on my tinfoil hat.

Please consider the folllowing:

1) Inventory is not sufficient to stock the phones in stores at present. It would be horrible for AT&T to announce the phone before they could fulfill the orders. They most likely were unwilling to commit to a specific sales volume, and now that the phone is selling out the small initial US Allocation, they need to wait for a reasonable inventory volume to be available.

2) The impact of BlackBerry Passport sales will likely be a rounding error in iPhone sales. It's unlikely that anyone but people on these forums even considers them to be in direct competition. AT&T cares about contracts, new subs and customer retention much more than which phones it sells. Whatever there volume sales agreements with Apple are, they would not benefit from holding back BlackBerry for the relatively small number if Apple sales they might lose.

3) BlackBerry has clearly positioned the Passport as a completely different category of phone, and knows perfectly well that very few of their likely (core) customers are comparing the two directly. They are assuming that people who want a consumer experience will buy the iPhone or Android at this point in the US market, and they are declining to compete in the consumer space in the US for now.

4) BlackBerry is positioning it's phone to be a premium niche product for professional users and enterprises in the US at this point in time. The buyers they value most do not make decisions based on the newest hot product. They make deliberate decisions about their productivity, infrastructure and security.

5. It might hurt your feelings that BlackBerry isn't concentrating on whether you are willing to wait a few weeks for a passport, or if they miss the holiday shopping season that is the focus for consumer phones, but they are staying focused on their strategic markets, which do not currently include US consumers (though it does include US enterprise customers, who make most of their purchases in Q1-Q3.

Posted via CB10

[flyersfan76]

The other option would have been to have no US Carrier support. Think about it.

Peevishlicious Crew: Infraction Appeals Advocate

Technically we still do not have any US Carrier support.

[lawguyman]

Technically we still do not have any US Carrier support.

BlackBerry is taking what it can get. What can I say?

Peevishlicious Crew: Infraction Appeals Advocate

[Nghia Dinh]

Why does it take too long for the Passport to bought?

Posted via CB10

[matt4pack]

Thank god they released the unlocked version to US customers.

It's complete crap that they wait so long and have to put their stupid branding on the phone. The FCC should be blown for up for letting these tactics take place.

Posted via CB10

[TheGreatMack]

I went to the AT&T store near me yesterday to get a separate line for my Passport (ordered it off eBay and received it yesterday afternoon... I had ZERO patience for ShopBB).

Anyway, the sales rep was astounded at the fact that I had the Passport and showed it to a co-worker. He tried to tell me that it was an "international version" since the phone hadn't been released in the US. I informed him that wasn't the case; however, it is hard to obtain at the moment since ShopBB and Amazon are constantly sold-out or merely taking back-orders.

I mentioned the February 2015 AT&T date and he said it was quite possible AT&T wouldn't be getting the phone at all. Supposedly, BlackBerry couldn't compete with the Apple/iPhone sponsorships and that he doubts it'll happen.

Granted, he's probably incorrect, but I thought it was interesting that their employees (and he was highly competent and a VERY good sales rep; helped me out a lot w/ a new plan) have no idea what's going on.

[crackberry_geek]

To be fair, the new CEO put the Passport up for sale on Shop BlackBerry U.S. AT A DISCOUNT the day it was launched. This isn't like the Q10 / Z10 where people in the U.S. had no way to get them unless they went on eBay.

Posted via CB10

Wrong... it's been back ordered since about 6 hrs after launch.

Posted via CB10

[RoseBud68]

I went to the AT&T store near me yesterday to get a separate line for my Passport (ordered it off eBay and received it yesterday afternoon... I had ZERO patience for ShopBB).

I mentioned the February 2015 AT&T date and he said it was quite possible AT&T wouldn't be getting the phone at all. Supposedly, BlackBerry couldn't compete with the Apple/iPhone sponsorships and that he doubts it'll happen.

Granted, he's probably incorrect, but I thought it was interesting that their employees have no idea what's going on.

Sale people are the last to know.

[lang007]

I am almost at that point to just go out and buy the phone. Went to Amazon and they were sold out already. AGAIN

I went to the AT&T store near me yesterday to get a separate line for my Passport (ordered it off eBay and received it yesterday afternoon... I had ZERO patience for ShopBB).

Anyway, the sales rep was astounded at the fact that I had the Passport and showed it to a co-worker. He tried to tell me that it was an "international version" since the phone hadn't been released in the US. I informed him that wasn't the case; however, it is hard to obtain at the moment since ShopBB and Amazon are constantly sold-out or merely taking back-orders.

I mentioned the February 2015 AT&T date and he said it was quite possible AT&T wouldn't be getting the phone at all. Supposedly, BlackBerry couldn't compete with the Apple/iPhone sponsorships and that he doubts it'll happen.

Granted, he's probably incorrect, but I thought it was interesting that their employees (and he was highly competent and a VERY good sales rep; helped me out a lot w/ a new plan) have no idea what's going on.

[crimsonking]

This is moronic, there is an excitement, a buzz in the air about the device right now and BlackBerry is missing the point and not capitalizing on it , if it was Apple it would have been released when Apple want it to be released, or you would have had some hype created by the carrier with dates. Also the fact that people can't buy it cause the small quantities BlackBerry release each time is also a missed opportunity.

Posted via CB10

[Ment]

Yes something definitely going on that is not out to the public. Nexus 6 announced today and will come to AT&T next month and AT&T already has a placeholder page up for it. Where is the Passport page?

[FSeverino]

Well, considering it will be November before people get there orders from launch day at SBB and amazon... that isn't too bad

Posted via CB10

[iToya]

Yes something definitely going on that is not out to the public. Nexus 6 announced today and will come to AT&T next month and AT&T already has a placeholder page up for it. Where is the Passport page?

This is all we wanted for the Passport! Downright disrespectful!

I'll just wait it out until I have the money to dive into buying it outright.

Posted via CB10

[jojetski]

Wrong... it's been back ordered since about 6 hrs after launch.

Posted via CB10

And now it is back in stock on ShopBlackberry....

[lang007]

This is moronic, there is an excitement, a buzz in the air about the device right now and BlackBerry is missing the point and not capitalizing on it , if it was Apple it would have been released when Apple want it to be released, or you would have had some hype created by the carrier with dates. Also the fact that people can't buy it cause the small quantities BlackBerry release each time is also a missed opportunity.

Posted via CB10

I agree with you 100%

[espresso1967]

Server error they are working on it. Probably overload of crackheads trying to buy

Posted via CB10

[Norg]

Big the conspiracy theorists are out in force on the forums today! I need to go put on my tinfoil hat.

Please consider the folllowing:

1) Inventory is not sufficient to stock the phones in stores at present. It would be horrible for AT&T to announce the phone before they could fulfill the orders. They most likely were unwilling to commit to a specific sales volume, and now that the phone is selling out the small initial US Allocation, they need to wait for a reasonable inventory volume to be available.

2) The impact of BlackBerry Passport sales will likely be a rounding error in iPhone sales. It's unlikely that anyone but people on these forums even considers them to be in direct competition. AT&T cares about contracts, new subs and customer retention much more than which phones it sells. Whatever there volume sales agreements with Apple are, they would not benefit from holding back BlackBerry for the relatively small number if Apple sales they might lose.

3) BlackBerry has clearly positioned the Passport as a completely different category of phone, and knows perfectly well that very few of their likely (core) customers are comparing the two directly. They are assuming that people who want a consumer experience will buy the iPhone or Android at this point in the US market, and they are declining to compete in the consumer space in the US for now.

4) BlackBerry is positioning it's phone to be a premium niche product for professional users and enterprises in the US at this point in time. The buyers they value most do not make decisions based on the newest hot product. They make deliberate decisions about their productivity, infrastructure and security.

5. It might hurt your feelings that BlackBerry isn't concentrating on whether you are willing to wait a few weeks for a passport, or if they miss the holiday shopping season that is the focus for consumer phones, but they are staying focused on their strategic markets, which do not currently include US consumers (though it does include US enterprise customers, who make most of their purchases in Q1-Q3.

Posted via CB10

Excellent deductions, many thanks for sharing your thoughts, much appreciated.

Posted on CB10 via my Snappy Z10