[Phuzzy]

I read this every day and I never come across anyone talking about who is testing it in Canada? and what the expected release date will be in Canada? Could someone fill me in on what they know.
Please and thank you.

[ausch]

I read this every day and I never come across anyone talking about who is testing it in Canada? and what the expected release date will be in Canada? Could someone fill me in on what they know.
Please and thank you.

Tellus and Bell are probably testing em the same time as Verizon and Sprint.

[radioguinea]

The Pre will be released before the 9630. Sprint is gonna wait a while till after the Pre then release the 9630. Sprint was gonna release the 9630 first before Verizon, but didn't because of the Pre. But it'll be Pre, Verizon 9630, (those two could get switched) but Sprints 9630 is last.

You will see the Pre release before VZ releases the 9630, trust me

[radioguinea]

I read this every day and I never come across anyone talking about who is testing it in Canada? and what the expected release date will be in Canada? Could someone fill me in on what they know.
Please and thank you.

Bell and Telus are both testing the 9630 currently.

[Phuzzy]

Tellus and Bell are probably testing em the same time as Verizon and Sprint.

Bell and Telus are both testing the 9630 currently.

Thank you.
Also is there any speculation to when it may be released into Canada?

[radioguinea]

Thank you.
Also is there any speculation to when it may be released into Canada?

No one can answer that currently. You can bet it will be in a similar range to VZ though.

[ausch]

You will see the Pre release before VZ releases the 9630, trust me

Okay, it'll be Pre, Verizon 9630, then Sprint 9630.

[theadrock13]

I think [Pre] will bring in the big bucks, then when the 9630 comes, it'll bring in even more big bucks for Sprint. And hopefully, not too many of those people didn't already switch to Verizon for the 9630 for an earlier release.

On this point of opinion I must heartedly disagree; purely from a marketing angle. Sprint has decided to bet the farm on a Palm product. How many followers does Palm have, in relation to RIM? When was the last time Palm had any 'buzz' in the field? (2001?)

Unless I am completely underestimating this Pre and it will truly revolutionize the cell phone industry the way Apple and RIM have, then I must insist that Sprint has got their cart before the horse (if that analog works).

Sprint has an opportunity to finally finally have a RIM first; so what if they don't have exclusivity upon release, they would get 'buzz' by being first with 9630. I suggest they would be wise to release Tour first ASAP and ride that wave until VZW releases the 9630, then Sprint's got the 1-2 punch with the Pre still in the holster. When Verizon begins promoting their new Tour, Sprint can say "Yeah we had that out 3 months ago; check out this new Palm Pre. Come take your pick."

This marketing 'dance' is about timing and I am convinced that Sprint is scr*wing the pooch by doing these two releases in the wrong order. (All this presumption is predicated on the notion that Sprint is even capable of releasing Tour first ASAP, which mayhap they can't technically pull off.)

Thats my never-to-be-humble expert opinion. But then again, maybe the Pre really is the next big iPhone.

[booman23]

i personally cant wait for the pre and to switch to Sprint! sick of att and bb, i think Sprint is about to make a major come back and the pre will be the savior!

[PRC]

Both Sprint and Palm are on their last leg, lol, so I hope for their sake this is true.

[radioguinea]

i personally cant wait for the pre and to switch to Sprint! sick of att and bb, i think Sprint is about to make a major come back and the pre will be the savior!

I hope you dont use corporate email then.

[radioguinea]

Both Sprint and Palm are on their last leg, lol, so I hope for their sake this is true.

I agree, Sprint is bleeding customers each quarter, with no end in sight. My opinion? The Pre will not stop the bleeding. Maybe it will slow down, but not stop, and within a few years, Sprint will be rolled into VZ in a takeover.

[lindros2]

... within a few years, Sprint will be rolled into VZ in a takeover.

Guinea, I trust your posts, but on this subject... from a financial perspective, explain how Verizon would carry costs of the in-process WiMAX network post-acquisition? "Goodwill" ?

You have to look deeper (beyond the CDMA-CDMA technology match), and recognize that Sprint isn't an attractive acquisition for *anyone*.

As a voting Verizon shareholder I wouldn't want it.

[radioguinea]

Guinea, I trust your posts, but on this subject... from a financial perspective, explain how Verizon would carry costs of the in-process WiMAX network post-acquisition? "Goodwill" ?

You have to look deeper (beyond the CDMA-CDMA technology match), and recognize that Sprint isn't an attractive acquisition for *anyone*.

As a voting Verizon shareholder I wouldn't want it.

And I would.

This company has been listed as a sell for months. The stockholders are angry, and the company as a whole is in a spiral. They have lost millions of sub's, in only a few quarters, let alone all of last year.

When Nextel was aquired, they were valued in the 20 Billion range (Sprint that is). They are down to a few billion, and dropping.

This is a "dream" takeover IMO. VZW is making money left and right, and (baring approval from the govt) could easily afford a hostile takeover right now if they truly wanted.

WiMax is no where near nationwide, and could easily be scraped for LTE.

[md12]

And I would.

This company has been listed as a sell for months. The stockholders are angry, and the company as a whole is in a spiral. They have lost millions of sub's, in only a few quarters, let alone all of last year.

When Nextel was aquired, they were valued in the 20 Billion range (Sprint that is). They are down to a few billion, and dropping.

This is a "dream" takeover IMO. VZW is making money left and right, and (baring approval from the govt) could easily afford a hostile takeover right now if they truly wanted.

WiMax is no where near nationwide, and could easily be scraped for LTE.

ha thats DEFINITELY not happening

[radioguinea]

ha thats DEFINITELY not happening

Where did I say it was? Its a hypothetical idea that lindros2 and I were discussing. I didnt mean it as happening anytime soon. In a few years? Def possible

[md12]

Where did I say it was? Its a hypothetical idea that lindros2 and I were discussing. I didnt mean it as happening anytime soon. In a few years? Def possible

A hostile takeover really isn't a definite possibility. they're absurdly (almost prohibitively) expensive and generally don't work in the long run. What makes you think it would have to be hostile (if you really do mean a hostile takeover)? A merger (or stock or asset purchase) is the only real possibility if it were to happen.

[theadrock13]

And for the sake of the marketplace I hope Sprint comes back as a strong competitor rather than rolled into that abominable leviathan Verizon. I don't have any specific love for Sprint (though I am mid- a contract with them), but its inarguable that fewer choices in the market only hurt customers long-term.

[twitch06]

didnt read all the replies here... but in sprints playbook (for sprint employees) about a month ago, it showed sprints ''roadmap for phones'' and had the 9630 at mid 3Q... so we'll see

[Dukie22731]

I think that Sherman and his Anti-Trust Act might step in before a merger or takeover of VZW and Sprint. The gov already stopped VZW from taking over all of Alltel

[radioguinea]

A hostile takeover really isn't a definite possibility. they're absurdly (almost prohibitively) expensive and generally don't work in the long run. What makes you think it would have to be hostile (if you really do mean a hostile takeover)? A merger (or stock or asset purchase) is the only real possibility if it were to happen.

Being what I know, I disagree completely and have seen it happen in the past, but to each their own