[BBHermes]

Greetings,

I have an idea for Chen and his team to consider, but not sure what's the best way to reach his radar screen. Since he said,

"And for our loyal customers on the T-Mobile network, know that we have an offer in the works designed especially for you. Watch this space for an update very soon."

My suggestion: Make the Z30 available to T-Mobile customers with the latest OS appropriately compiled for WiFi calling to work. Then, if TM still doesn't want to sell the Z30, sell it from the BB store. It's a win win for both TM and BB. That would be a wonderful offer!

So my question: What's the best way to get this idea (and related ones) to Chen's desk while the iron's hot?

[raino]

I'm not sure if BB can unilaterally release WiFi calling without TMO's approval. There is probably a contract rider for this (funny how contracts can come into play only some of the times. Otherwise, it's "upgrade to an iPhone for a $48 discount!")

[BBHermes]

I'm not sure if BB can unilaterally release WiFi calling without TMO's approval.

Absolutely, BB could work with TM on this. TM has nothing to lose, BB does the heavy lifting (coding and sales), and TM could attract more customers and even good will. w

Otherwise, it's "upgrade to an iPhone for a $48 discount!")

That, plus NO WiFi calling on iPhone, lol.

[Old_Mil]

Better idea...how about T-Mobile appropriately update the OS or we just unlock our blackberries and take them over to ATT

Posted via CB10

[BBHermes]

Better idea...how about T-Mobile appropriately update the OS or we just unlock our blackberries and take them over to ATT Posted via CB10

No, TM has a competitive advantage to ATT in prices and WF calling... Already switched *from* ATT and not going back anytime soon... But if the update to 10.2.1 isn't out in the next month we will definitely have a problem...

[raino]

Absolutely, BB could work with TM on this. TM has nothing to lose, BB does the heavy lifting (coding and sales), and TM could attract more customers and even good will.

I think it's the carrier's (self-assumed?) responsibility to test OS' compliance with their network (to do so in a timely fashion, however doesn't seem to be ) So there may be some proprietary stuff involved here that TMO may not want to share with BB, even if the latter is willing to do all the legwork that is "testing."

[gariac]

I think it's the carrier's (self-assumed?) responsibility to test OS' compliance with their network (to do so in a timely fashion, however doesn't seem to be ) So there may be some proprietary stuff involved here that TMO may not want to share with BB, even if the latter is willing to do all the legwork that is "testing."

As I said a few times, wifi calling is a seriously complicated thing to do correctly and not get hacked. Just sit back and reflect on it from the carrier's viewpoint. You are taking the low latency part of your network, voice data, and hooking it up to the great unwashed internet, full of people who like to screw it up for fecal matter and giggles. The carrier has to certify it is their customer making the wifi call from their phone. Certainly certs are involved.

It has always been my experience that getting that last 5% of perfection is about 25% of the total effort.



Posted via CB10

[BBHermes]

<sigh> My point is getting lost. As I said above: "BB could work with TM on this", viz. work with TM to get the OS compiled properly and then sell the phone themselves, and both companies benefit. I really don't see a downside here. If any Z10 phone sold by BlackBerry Store in the US works fully on TM, then joust work with TM to make sure the same goes for the Z30. When TM can afford to carry the Z30, then great. But until then... well I hope the idea is clearer now.

Posted via CB10

[raino]

<sigh> My point is getting lost. As I said above: "BB could work with TM on this", viz. work with TM to get the OS compiled properly and then sell the phone themselves, and both companies benefit.

But that's what TMO's public position is, right? That they're "working with BlackBerry" to bring 10.2.1? How's that worked out?

[modifier]

BlackBerry already writes the code and bakes it into the radio files. Tmo owns the feature. They (Tmo) don't develop any of the code, only test it on the network. It will never be unilaterally released to all carriers unless Tmo sells the license. That won't happen anytime soon.

Posted via CB10

[chiphazard]

Better idea...how about T-Mobile appropriately update the OS or we just unlock our blackberries and take them over to ATT

Posted via CB10

That's the ticket

BlackBerry Since 2006. Rogers Halifax, NS - Official 10.2.1

[chiphazard]

As I said a few times, wifi calling is a seriously complicated thing to do correctly and not get hacked. Just sit back and reflect on it from the carrier's viewpoint. You are taking the low latency part of your network, voice data, and hooking it up to the great unwashed internet, full of people who like to screw it up for fecal matter and giggles. The carrier has to certify it is their customer making the wifi call from their phone. Certainly certs are involved.

It has always been my experience that getting that last 5% of perfection is about 25% of the total effort.



Posted via CB10

My wifi calling worked great on Rogers with curve. No more talkie with bb10.

BlackBerry Since 2006. Rogers Halifax, NS - Official 10.2.1

[raino]

My wifi calling worked great on Rogers with curve. No more talkie with bb10.

That's because everyone but TMO pretty much dropped WiFi calling for newer devices.

[BBHermes]

T-Mobile expected to roll out BlackBerry 10.2.1 in March, cites WiFi calling integration as the reason for delay | CrackBerry.com

"Blackberry 10.2 release delay due to perfecting the TMO exclusive WiFi calling feature. BB working hard on it, release expected early March."

Note the "BB working hard on it"... To repeat myself: They should make a deal with TM and work just as hard on compiling it for the Z30 as well and sell it themselves until TM decides to carry it. :-)

[gariac]

T-Mobile expected to roll out BlackBerry 10.2.1 in March, cites WiFi calling integration as the reason for delay | CrackBerry.com

"Blackberry 10.2 release delay due to perfecting the TMO exclusive WiFi calling feature. BB working hard on it, release expected early March."

Note the "BB working hard on it"... To repeat myself: They should make a deal with TM and work just as hard on compiling it for the Z30 as well and sell it themselves until TM decides to carry it. :-)

Wifi calling is a carrier feature, not an OS feature. So BlackBerry can't create a feature then hold Tmob hostage. ;-)

The 3gpp standard has a hook for wifi calling. This isn't totally rocket science. But I think it is more like tmob is writing an app and BlackBerry is helping them. What we don't want to have happen is Tmob getting a different version of the OS than the other GSM carriers. That could, albeit remotely possible, make the tmob phones not work on other carriers.

I could breath life into my old Bold 9780 and look at the wifi calling schemes. I think there were three in the phone. They all worked. One was 3gpp standard. Then there were two Tmob versions. A certificate was required on the phone, presumably to prevent hacking.



Posted via CB10

[BBHermes]

Hmm, if I buy a prospective T-Mobile compatible Z30 or a even a current Z10 from the BlackBerry Store and then sign it up for TM service, how is that holding TM hostage? To the contrary, TM gets the benefits without even carrying the phone :-)



Posted via CB10

[crackberry_geek]

It is BlackBerry that built something into 10.2 that makes it conflict with Tmo wifi calling.

And it is BlackBerry's responsibility to fix it.

This is just one more epic failure on the part of BlackBerry.

Posted with Z10 via CB10

[gariac]

It is BlackBerry that built something into 10.2 that makes it conflict with Tmo wifi calling.

And it is BlackBerry's responsibility to fix it.

This is just one more epic failure on the part of BlackBerry.

Posted with Z10 via CB10

And you know this how?




Posted via CB10

[TheQuietRioter]

Why can't TMO offer the Z30 without having to stock it?

Why can't customers order through their carrier and BlackBerry ship directly to us a TMO compatible phone?

Posted via CB10

[crackberry_geek]

And you know this how?




Posted via CB10

Talking to BlackBerry support at Tmo.

Reading forums.

Reading Tmo press releases.

Reading BlackBerry press releases.

Putting 2 and 2 together.

It's staring us all in the face...really.

Posted with Z10 via CB10

[raino]

Why can't TMO offer the Z30 without having to stock it?

Why can't customers order through their carrier and BlackBerry ship directly to us a TMO compatible phone?

Two possible reasons come to mind.

1. I'm guessing (and this is just a guess) that TMO doesn't want to put in a purchase order for even a small number of units, possibly because BB may not be willing to take back unsold units. Plus I think the STA100-1 (not the -5, even though it works) was always intended for the US.

2. The Verizon exclusive. It may not have expired yet.