[CanAm89]

After the launch and Q&A sessions (and the subsequent loss of money through my shares dropping like weights), I angrily called AT&T to see what the hold-up was.

Initially I called their corporate headquarters (210-821-4105) and when the switchboard lady asked me who to be transferred to, I said, "Whoever the **** is in charge of product acquisition." After a brief delay and two rings, I get the general "we're not answering our phones" message- "Thank you for calling the office of the president. All of our agents are currently busy, please press 1 to leave a voicemail... blah blah blah".

(1)... Beep

"Hello, my name is Mathew [Lastnamerson] and I am a shareholder and stakeholder both in AT&T and RIM. Today, Blackberry 10 was launched around the world, with many countries bringing the new phone to market within the week. It was revealed that Blackberry 10 devices will not come to market until sometime in March. This is unacceptable, my stock is tanking, and you're missing out on a huge sales opportunity. Please call me back at [my number]."

About 20 minutes later, I receive a call from a number I didn't recognize, and let it go to voicemail (verbatim)-

"Hello, sir- Justin here with AT&T's office of the president returning a message you had left with our offices regarding the launch date of Blackberry 10. It sounds like your issue would be best served by the wireless division of our office of the president- we usually handle land-line out of my office. So, their direct telephone number when you're able to give them a call, is (866)751-5784. Thank you."

I called that number and got a response this time. A helpful lady told me she had heard nothing about any new Blackberry devices but could check their inventory for me. Nothing- no training materials, no phones, no accessories, nothing. I asked her if she could forward a message however high-up she could go that touched on 1) Superbowl commercial, 2) Potential loss of enterprise customers, 3) Guaranteed loss of private customers, 4) Their contribution towards me losing money, and 5) Why they needed 60 more days than the rest of the world to bring one phone to market. I thanked the lady for her help and hoped for a call-back.

About 30 minutes ago, I received a call from the "executive comment response division". I reiterated to the rep my concerns and questions regarding BB10. Their answer- "Check the Blackberry website and you can sign up to be informed as soon as anything develops, or you can go to [the AT&T Z10 mailing list URL]." I asked again why it was taking so long to release one phone- "[Blackberry] hasn't released any information to us yet."

Absolutely ridiculous.

[Real Estate Appraiser]

I would be mad if I had to wait another month.

[00stryder]

Absolutely ridiculous.

[jonty12]

They're not going to lose customers over it. Everyone in the U.S. is in the same boat. It's not like you can go to VZ next week and get one. It doesn't really matter to them as long as the timing is similar for the Big4.

[ljfong]

So...is this the case of AT&T dropping the ball or BlackBerry (nee RIM)? I am a little confused now.

[donmateo]

I also got a "I don't know anything, not in the system, etc." on chat with AT&T. Very disappointing...

[ctuffy]

So...is this the case of AT&T dropping the ball or BlackBerry (nee RIM)? I am a little confused now.

That is the million dollar question. Someone who knows how should put up a poll: Blame BB or Blame Carriers. It would be interesting to gauge opinions.

[darkehawke]

you got given typical stock answers.
If blackberry had deliberately withheld the devices you can be sure the carrier would let you know.

this sounds like the carrier deflecting because they know they are at fault

[rcab]

I think everyone should call the office of the President of AT&T daily asking when it is going to come out. If we swamp their switchboards maybe they will get off their tails and start moving toward making this phone available before our stock reaches $6 a share again. I plan on making a call tomorrow

[FlashFlare11]

I just spoke to a few carrier reps from AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile and asked them about BlackBerry 10. Every single person I spoke with (suddenly) knew all about the devices. Here were their general responses:
AT&T Rep 1: They will definitely be carrying BlackBerry 10 devices. They currently carry the Bold 9900 and other BlackBerry devices, so they can say that they will be carrying BlackBerry 10 phones. As for when, he didn't know.

AT&T Rep 2: They will be carrying BlackBerry 10 for sure, but didn't say or know when.

Verizon Rep 1: They will be carrying BB10 phones, but don't know when. He knew they were released today, though.

Verizon Rep 2: They will definitely be carrying the devices, but didn't know when. Said he isn't privy to that info.

Sprint Rep 1: Has heard of BlackBerry 10 and said to keep checking back as to when they'll have the devices.

T-Mobile Rep 1: Said the company is waiting on RIM to launch the devices in late-March.

In summary, I'm a bit skeptical if every U.S. carrier is launching in March or every U.S. carrier should launch BY late-March. If March was supposed to be common knowledge, why would carrier reps (who had previously known nothing before today, by the way) know that the phones are definitely coming but simply don't know when?

[rjkolo]

Yea I will make a call, I have no problem doing that. Last I checked they worked for their customers...with out us where would they be.

[rgorman]

Hardly an "Official Response"... It's a response you got from somebody NOT in marketing or 'device aquisition'.

[Deu2e]

I honestly think AT&T is waiting to reap more sales from the iphone 5 first before they release the new BB10 devices. Just my thoughts.

[Clinto]

I wonder what the heck happened?! This is a huge mistake like they used to make when Mike and Jim were in charge. This is absolutely unacceptable. It's not just 1 month behind, its 2 months. Late March?? That's 8 ******* weeks!!

Either way BlackBerry is to blame. Even if it was the just carriers being dogs.. Then either BlackBerry should have given them a device earlier or announced BB10 4 weeks later, so that the wait wasn't so long after their announcement. You can't announce a new product and then launch it in the US 8 weeks/2months later... WTF is Thor thinking???
Last time I checked Wall Street was in the U.S. and that is where BlackBerry is getting pounded financially. Why would they heck up the U.S. market so badly??

I am simply stunned by this.. This is going to cost BlackBerry A LOT of business.

[PapiPabs]

Well, the "possible late March release date" news had me feeling deflated this morning, but this just steamrolled the rest of the air out of the balloon. I'm still going to hold out for one of the new BB10 devices, but what a bummer... This was supposed to be a happy day. Way to go [insert whoever's fault it is here]!

[mathking606]

I actually blame the carriers. I know it is not RIM or else the rest of the world would not be getting it. They said its still in carrier testing. You could always buy one online unlocked and get a sim for it. If I remember correctly the rogers one uses the same LTE bands as the Att one.

[Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes]

what a complete and utter JOKE

talk about WORMING out of it!

They didnt answer the questions

WHy longer then everyone else??? ANSWER IT

keep asking if they avoid it

"blackberry hasnt released information to us" ???? BUREAUCRACY LIES

information was released to the WORLD

[PapiPabs]

I actually blame the carriers. I know it is not RIM or else the rest of the world would not be getting it. They said its still in carrier testing. You could always buy one online unlocked and get a sim for it. If I remember correctly the rogers one uses the same LTE bands as the Att one.

True, and I may actually go this route, but this is disheartening for those that don't have the extra cheddar laying around to buy the phone off-contract. Perhaps the countdown clock got my hopes up too high.

Anyone else hoping at least a few of the major US carriers drop a "just kidding" after the Super Bowl commercial airs? Hahaha...

[raysgrumpy]

With Iphones and Android handsets flying off the shelves, it almost seems like the US carriers are dragging their feet and waiting to see how successful this launch is. I'm a former Blackberry user and I thought I read that there hasn't been a new Blackberry phone in a year and a half. I hope they succeed, but you can't keep telling people to wait forever

[Tinomane]

Something smells fishy over this whole thing. Why have a huge superbowl commercial and not have the phone available until a month later?

Is it possible they have an exclusive deal with one of the carriers and they will reveal it in the superbowl commercial? How crazy would it be if AT&T had exclusive rights to the bb10 and they reveal it in the commercial? The other carriers would **** a brick lol

[FlashFlare11]

Something smells fishy over this whole thing. Why have a huge superbowl commercial and not have the phone available until a month later?

Is it possible they have an exclusive deal with one of the carriers and they will reveal it in the superbowl commercial? How crazy would it be if AT&T had exclusive rights to the bb10 and they reveal it in the commercial? The other carriers would **** a brick lol

Yeah, I find that strange also. While the Super Bowl is broadcast in other countries, it is, by far, the largest single sporting event in the United States with a huge emphasis placed on the ads aired during the game. It makes no sense, from a marketing perspective, to air an ad in early February for a product not launching until late March. Maybe Heins meant that all four U.S. carriers should release by the end of March, but some may release earlier?

[jbiggdaddy]

Something smells fishy over this whole thing. Why have a huge superbowl commercial and not have the phone available until a month later?

Is it possible they have an exclusive deal with one of the carriers and they will reveal it in the superbowl commercial? How crazy would it be if AT&T had exclusive rights to the bb10 and they reveal it in the commercial? The other carriers would **** a brick lol

I know how you feel. I'm with verizon. Lets be real about this. When the average person that has been walking into a AT&T, Verizon, Tmobile, or Sprint store for the last 2 years 9 chances out of 10 their walking out with the hottest android or Iphone. Our carriers aren't hiding their affection for android and Iphone. Blackberry is the lowest selling phone on all US carriers. The carriers know this. Their attitude is probably " Whats the rush" ? Its not are top seller by far. Unfortunately this is the hole RIM has dug for itself over the last 3 years. Blackberry 7 wasn't much of an improvement over blackberry 6. Then the failed launch of the playbook. Then the twice delayed blackberry 10. Android and Apple took full advantage of all those failures from RIM. And in between that they bring out another curve. Who would buy that now or ever? What's worse was that porsche design. A waste of time and money. I can bet that the galaxy s3 and note 2 are looking pretty good to frustrated blackberry loyalist right about now.

[bbmtna]

Yeah, I find that strange also. While the Super Bowl is broadcast in other countries, it is, by far, the largest single sporting event in the United States with a huge emphasis placed on the ads aired during the game. It makes no sense, from a marketing perspective, to air an ad in early February for a product not launching until late March. Maybe Heins meant that all four U.S. carriers should release by the end of March, but some may release earlier?

The only thing i could think of is:
It takes a LARGE commitment to do a Super Bowl Add. Heck i'd imagine that there's months of planning, shooting, some weeks in editing, heck who knows. I bet this has been in the works for some time.
Now Blackberry went into carrier testing when? Let's say both individual items started at the same time (carrier testing / and super bowl add shooting). The Add had a specific deadline. Carriers around the country knew of a deadline too. Who's to say that the carriers in the States, a: gave it a worth while push or b: had more in-depth testing to do.
This could be the very reason why the timing of the Add doesn't line up with the launch.
Again just my thoughts.

[Rickster1]

Well, it seems as if US carriers and RIM can't strike deals. This also shows how global this launch was and how global BB is as a company. The US is a big market but why waste time, money and energy going head to head with Android, Apple and all the carriers?? BB has 150 carriers in on the launch. If the phone takes off in other markets, the US will want it too. The UK and Canada are getting the phones first cause they are good markets for BB. BB has 79 million users, of which a small percentage are in the US so go with the easy fruit and see what happens. The product is excellent and will do well elsewhere in the world. I am just disappointed that the qwerty model was not available at this time. I don't want it but it should have been available sooner than April. As well, this quarter is the slowest and softest for handset sales in the US typically so not really missing too much by waiting. As mentioned, with Apple launches usually in June, that is when the market will start to rumble again with contracts coming up. BB will have pretty good timing with phones available in April and the phone will still be fresh as of June and the summer months. Hey, look at Android, it's not like it was a given that the SG and Fascinate series were just expected to be winners, they caught on in the market place with users. The same thing can happen with BB as well. Let's look for sales in other markets than the US. Course most of the analysts are US centric and things the sun rises and sets on the US. We shall see how things go. Sorry you have to wait, I will be buying, probably from Telus as soon as it is available. I expect it to be in short supply for a while in Canada too!!

[00stryder]

Maybe Heins meant that all four U.S. carriers should release by the end of March, but some may release earlier?

We can only hope...