[techjunkieforlife]

I have a question for you all.

I have seen an increasing amount of posts on CB recently with people asking about their next move due to contract expiry. Its the only perk we get in the US a new device every 18-24 months for signing on the dotted line and we all look forward to getting the lastest and greatest.

Has RIM let alot of people down with its release schedule here in the US for the past year and into the next few months?

I know AT&T boned everyone over the 9780 and not RIM, but for anyone who did not enjoy the Torch its been a barron period and we are still only looking forward to one release for some time. Sound off, do you feel the same way or am I missing something. Did RIM loose your signing to another manufacturer for this reason, chip in if they did.

Yes we can wait, but that upgrade burns a hole and it gets hotter everyday, well it does for me anyways!

[anon(51467)]

Yes, my burn is quite hot and I was okay for upgrade back in February. I need to stay with AT&T due to my wife and I having a decent deal through her hospital. That being said, I know I am weak and not as much a stalwart as others, I want this device now, but I have almost 3 months of waiting and possibly that many more until the fabled 9900 comes out!

Yes I know the 9900 has officially been announced, but if they don't release it until August or September, it had better be made of unicorn horn and powered by angel tears.

Yes I am a whiner, I know the 9900 is out there, so let's get to it. And I said it before, I am happy to beta test the 9900 with OS7. I really would not be bothered with a weekly update to fix things that are not 100%.

As for too long of a wait, I could be pushed to Windows Phone 7. Android is a no-go and I will not join the Jobs brigade. Beside that I am a Microsoft guy (MCSE) and an Exchange and BES admin, so I don't mind going all-in with Microsoft, especially the WP7 to Exchange connection; that is a no-brainer. BUT, we'll see what RIM and AT&T do.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[techjunkieforlife]

I've been using WP7 since launch, I must say I know where you are coming from but my honest recomendation at this point would be to wait on 2.0 hardware and Mango. Well, unless the 9900 makes an appearance first that is!

[rcs72]

My contract is up with Verizon and I can't wait to get rid of my Droid 2. The email is terrible. I'm better off checking manually than letting the phone do the fetch or push. I had them swap out the phone today to see if it that will help. One thing I noticed was that the store did not have one BB model on display. I might even swap out the Droid for an old Tour. I don't think I can wait for 3 months since it's my business phone. I might try the iPhone, but I really don't want too!

[jhanks64]

Sometimes I will buy a use BB off eBay when I need a different one for a time until my contract is up for renewal and my old phone isn't cutting it.

I have been pissed for 9 months that I can't get a Torch on Verizon or Sprint. Now I'm ready to get the Bold Touch the day it is available on Verizon.

What is the hold up?

Those of us that value precision, reliable email, PIM syncing and efficient productivity will be the happiest with Blackberries, but it is frustrating to wait sometimes.

John

[anon(51467)]

I've been using WP7 since launch, I must say I know where you are coming from but my honest recomendation at this point would be to wait on 2.0 hardware and Mango. Well, unless the 9900 makes an appearance first that is!

Hey I see what you mean. I really like the look and features on the HTC Surround, but I'll do my best to hold off for Mango. Any idead of when Mango and hardware 2.0 are due?

I am just getting pushed to new hardware as my Bold 9000 just got a new battery which is nice, but now it will randomly turn off during phone calls. It is an OEM battery so I figure that is not the problem. I wonder if the latest upgrade to 1047 is more of a problem than it is worth.

Getting back to topic, there is a joy in being month to month and able to go to any device AND the ability to leave the carrier if you want. And I am seriously thinking of booting AT&T as long as I can get a deal to match what my wife and I have now.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mark-d]

The concept of a 24 month contract is farcical and just screws the customer to a bum deal.

If you sign up for Sky TV you sign a 12 month contract. If you sign up for broadband you sign a 12 month contract. If you sign up for cable TV again it's a 12 month contract. All those come with the TV decoder box or the modem/router but just a 12 month contract.

If you sign up for a mobile phone contract you sign up for double the length of those contracts knowing it will cost a fortune to buy out mid-term.

How often does a new TV box come out? Compare that to a new phone and you can see that the rate at which phones launch the 24 month contract means people end up with vastly outdated phones by the time their contract renenewal comes up.

I don't know in America but in the UK this has all happened since the iPhone launch IMHO. Before that you could barter with the network for a decent deal, get decent minutes, texts and internet for whatever handset. When O2 introduced the iPhone they set out the tarrifs in a take it or leave it manner. They had an exclusive with the iPhone so there was no choice.

Now the other networks have the iphone but rather than competing they just joined in and set out their iphone tarrifs in a take it or leave it manner. Give or take a couple of hundred texts in the bundle the packages are nearly identical accross the networks.

What has now happened though is that no matter what phone you want you are more or less sold the tarrif on a take it or leave it basis with little and more likely no room for negociation.

Contract lengths have doubled, the value is not what it was anymore and people end up with outdated handsets that are two years old and probably twice surpassed since they got them by the time their contract expires.

Rant over!

[blueyestm]

I'm content, for a short period of time, of waiting. My upgrade has been up since I get yearly ones. I despise apple and windows phones so that's out and I haven't seen one Android phone out there that I would even attempt to pick up because I need a regular physical keyboard and not one of those ones that flip out or slide out horizontally.

[leglace]

The concept of a 24 month contract is farcical and just screws the customer to a bum deal.

If you sign up for Sky TV you sign a 12 month contract. If you sign up for broadband you sign a 12 month contract. If you sign up for cable TV again it's a 12 month contract. All those come with the TV decoder box or the modem/router but just a 12 month contract.

If you sign up for a mobile phone contract you sign up for double the length of those contracts knowing it will cost a fortune to buy out mid-term.

How often does a new TV box come out? Compare that to a new phone and you can see that the rate at which phones launch the 24 month contract means people end up with vastly outdated phones by the time their contract renenewal comes up.

I don't know in America but in the UK this has all happened since the iPhone launch IMHO. Before that you could barter with the network for a decent deal, get decent minutes, texts and internet for whatever handset. When O2 introduced the iPhone they set out the tarrifs in a take it or leave it manner. They had an exclusive with the iPhone so there was no choice.

Now the other networks have the iphone but rather than competing they just joined in and set out their iphone tarrifs in a take it or leave it manner. Give or take a couple of hundred texts in the bundle the packages are nearly identical accross the networks.

What has now happened though is that no matter what phone you want you are more or less sold the tarrif on a take it or leave it basis with little and more likely no room for negociation.

Contract lengths have doubled, the value is not what it was anymore and people end up with outdated handsets that are two years old and probably twice surpassed since they got them by the time their contract expires.

Rant over!

Nice try. Smart phone technology changes at a light speed pace. Every year, you miss out on some big new feature. You can't compare it to a cable contract.

[mark-d]

Nice try. Smart phone technology changes at a light speed pace. Every year, you miss out on some big new feature. You can't compare it to a cable contract.

I'm not comparing the speed of evolution in the two markets but the costs.

Yes a phone costs a fare bit of money but so to does a TV decoder box. With a phone you pay also for the right to use the mobile network, with a TV contract you pay for the right to receive from the sattellite or the cable.

My point is that mobile phone companies in tying people into 24 month contracts are I feel over-charging the customer because they can.

[rgorman]

The concept of a 24 month contract is farcical and just screws the customer to a bum deal.

If you sign up for Sky TV you sign a 12 month contract. If you sign up for broadband you sign a 12 month contract. If you sign up for cable TV again it's a 12 month contract. All those come with the TV decoder box or the modem/router but just a 12 month contract.

If you sign up for a mobile phone contract you sign up for double the length of those contracts knowing it will cost a fortune to buy out mid-term.

How often does a new TV box come out? Compare that to a new phone and you can see that the rate at which phones launch the 24 month contract means people end up with vastly outdated phones by the time their contract renenewal comes up.

I don't know in America but in the UK this has all happened since the iPhone launch IMHO. Before that you could barter with the network for a decent deal, get decent minutes, texts and internet for whatever handset. When O2 introduced the iPhone they set out the tarrifs in a take it or leave it manner. They had an exclusive with the iPhone so there was no choice.

Now the other networks have the iphone but rather than competing they just joined in and set out their iphone tarrifs in a take it or leave it manner. Give or take a couple of hundred texts in the bundle the packages are nearly identical accross the networks.

What has now happened though is that no matter what phone you want you are more or less sold the tarrif on a take it or leave it basis with little and more likely no room for negociation.

Contract lengths have doubled, the value is not what it was anymore and people end up with outdated handsets that are two years old and probably twice surpassed since they got them by the time their contract expires.

Rant over!

Many carriers will SOMETIMES offer a 1 year deal if you insist. They have a different pricing scale, so you may not get that phone for $99- you might pay $150-200 to offset the subsidy of the 2 year deal. they certainly don't advertise it, but you could ask and depending on your bargaining skills work out a deal.