Galaxy Note 4 Android 5.1.1 Update - VZW FAIL

[emlspencer]

I am beyond irritated that as the flagship of exactly one year, Verizon continues to provide less than vague answers as to when we will be receiving this update.  I used to laugh at Sprint as a provider and swore that I'd never consider AT&T again as an option.  However, I have been awaiting Android 5.1.1 since June this year and have watched carries such as Spring and AT&T release 5.1.1 to their customers.  At this point, considering I pay about $125/month, I have been investigating other carriers and their service records and can honestly say, I am considering paying the fee to break my contract with Verizon to receive support and tech that keeps current.  In my estimation, Verizon should be offering credit to those of us that have been waiting months to receive this update to our [removed] devices which haven't worked properly since 5.0.1 was released.  I've been a customer with Verizon for 10+ years and can honestly say I have never been so disappointed with the service or lack thereof.   Get with it Verizon.  Stop treating your customers, whom are probably paying the highest bills based on the handset of their choice, like second rate piles of [removed].

I'm rather curious how much time and money was spent on Verizon creating their fancy new logo - perhaps the developers, designers and others on that team should have focused their energy on testing and releasing the update for their note 4 customers.

VERIZON FAIL!!!!!

[Removal required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service]

[Miller6386]

Something else everyone here should remember is we are not entitled to any updates after the initial release that comes with the phone. Who else in this world offers free updates to software versions like that?? Microsoft went years and years without giving any discount or free upgrades for windows... Samsung and Verizon are NOT legally bound to update these devices... Granted they released an update that caused more issues than good and they should have been a little more rushed to fix it.... But again as I stated above a simple thread from VZW with status updates on what the progress is would keep everyone from having the TRUE need to start these threads demanding answers and hazing VZW... I have just as many issues with them as the rest of you but I also weigh out the options. Where I am Verizon is the only good service provider so I have to deal with the negatives in order to get the service I need.... Once someone else in my area can compete that will change.. Until then I have to accept what I have....

I also keep in mind that is is a phone 15 years ago my phone only made calls and sent very short text messages and I survived perfectly fine day to day without worrying about updates and all... Technology is destroying this country and the people in it.

[Toxicle]

Miller6386 - You're missing the point, greatly. This isn't about just getting an update because we feel entitled, this is about getting an update so that what I pay for, which is a working product, can do just that - work.

There are days when I cannot use my phone. Simply using the dialer, or even random backround data, can cause my phone to overheat to the point where I cannot hold it, and will cause the battery to drain in a matter of hours. This is basic usage of the phone. Many people have the same issues, some even worse - even after factory resets, new phones, and everything else Verizon has suggested. This is not the fault of the user, therefore falls to Verizon to make sure what I pay for works in the most basic way. And do you know what? My phone is part of my livelihood. I use it for work.

Other networks have been able to push it out, so it's within reason to seriously wonder why Verizon, claiming to be the best and largest of the bunch, cannot.

This has absolutely nothing to do with technology 'destroying' this country. That's silly. It's money, greed, and poor support for your customers, that is.

[invertedspear]

>Microsoft went years and years without giving any discount or free upgrades for windows

What the what? Every version of windows since the internet (95 and on) where it became possible to offer effectively OTA updates has included at least 2 free updates. They are called service packs and contains tons of fixes and a few new features. 5.0 to 5.1 would be the equivalent. We would not be entitled to 6.0, but we should be entitled to the fixes for the bugs introduced in the initial release. You may now claim "but it shipped with 4.4" but in many cases, including mine, I had 5.0 out of the box. I am, in fact, entitled to bug fixes, especially when they were promised to be imminent by the salesperson that sold me the phone.

You are right about VZW being needlessly closed about info regarding this. If they have plans I don't need a date, how about a periodic update saying, we passed or didn't pass milestone x of y. If they don't plan to give us this update, they need to tell us as much.

Your final point is completely pointless. I didn't buy a phone. If I did I wouldn't be complaining. I bought a small portable computer that just happens to make phone calls as well. If you don't like smart phones or technology, good on you, VZW still sells flip phones for you.

[Docjonel]

Bought my Verizon Galaxy Note 4 in January of this year so I could also use it with the Gear VR. I am waiting for the 5.1.1 update as well and find Verizon's response to this thread flabbergasting. Instead of answering a direct and simple question Verizon asks us to describe our problems and suggests we update to a new phone?! It seems clear to me that they don't have any intention of supporting a phone I updated to only a few months ago. I really feel left out in the cold by Verizon. I have been a Verizon customer for many years but this poor support and lack of communication has me looking at other companies. I will base my decision on which provides the best service and am finding Verizon lacking in that area.

So again, a simple question- when are Galaxy Note 4 users getting the update to 5.1.1? Soon, or never?

[Cdubb82]

I had my first note 4 replaced because of all the issues after 5.0.1 caused. Thankfully they shipped it with 4.4.4. I, being the optimist I am went ahead and updated 2 days ago because Netflix for the gear VR wouldn't install without lollipop. Now I'm back in the my phone isn't good camp. I may go figure out the odin flash back to 4.4.4 thing. There are enough resources out there. I really hope we get marshmallow before December, and its stable ... Glad I'm not the only one having issues. Darn first world problems. But on a serious note , what's up with Verizon's replies, yeeesh. I don't think they read hardly any of the posts.

[Crapola125]

Let's face it, BOTH Samsung AND Verizon have terrible track records when it comes to customer service (been with Verizon for many years and have had several Samsung phones) but according to Samsung's own website, they have finished the update for ALL variants of the Note 4 (link below). This would lead me to believe that Verizon is to blame at this point. Maybe now we can all stop bickering with each other and put the blame where it belongs.

http://Samsung.youmobile.org

[Cdubb82]

I wonder of they're trying to troubleshoot the update better than the 5.0.1

update before letting it loose.

[Ann154]

That website isn't a Samsung official website.  It is basically a blog site and it is incorrect.

[Ann154]

This link http://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00031284/244480/SM-N910VZKEVZW is the official Samsung website.

[Docjonel]

I want the 5.1.1 update but would feel better about things if we had some basic information such as, is an update coming at all? If there is a delay because of technical issues, then I would be fine with waiting for those problems to be ironed out. But at this time, I don't know if Verizon is even planning on providing further support for my Note 4 and that uncertainty is causing me a fair degree of anxiety and dissatisfaction that could easily be alleviated by being more transparent with us. The longer they go without giving us information, the more anxious I become that we have been left with a problematic update I would not have applied to my phone if I knew there was no subsequent fix coming.

[Ann154]

Samsung knows that answer not Verizon Wireless.

[emlspencer]

Ann, you are simply wrong.  Verizon has the software and the answer.  This is out of Samsung's hands.

[Ann154]

Your assessment is uninformed and incorrect.

[epiieq1]

Ann - you appear to either be an employee of Verizon or an employee of Samsung.  If this is the case then, by most standards, your participation in these forums is deceptive if you're not stating that up front.

[Ann154]

Neither. Never have been and likely never will be.

[invertedspear]

Ann, what is your background then? You have made some general statements about software development that, as a software engineer, I know are blatantly false, or at least is would be incredibly expensive and foolish if Samsung did things as you indicate. You keep making the same statement over and over, like you know something no one else does without citing and sources (a consumer facing page which tells tells people the current official version is not relevant to the question of where the hold up of 5.1.1 is). I agree that the youmobile.org link is about as reliable as any other blog would be, so not at all; but the fact is that other carriers have received the update. VZW has been keeping us in the dark as to progress, or even if 5.1.1 is coming. They continuously dodge the question and you are the lone person in this thread defending them, hence the accusation of being a company shill. Honestly I don't know why you keep at it. Even if you are right about everything, unless you have some sort of documentation, no one is going to believe you for the simple fact that they don't want to, so everything you say comes off as just being argumentative.

I think people have made a logical assumption that VZW have the update based on other carriers having released it already. Can you cite any proof as to why this would not be correct? If they do have it, either VZW is testing it and finding problems, or they aren't testing yet, or they won't at all and have no intention of releasing it to their users. No one is asking VZW for a date, as we know they can't commit to one, and honestly I don't want them to if they are finding bugs and awaiting fixes. But I don't think its unrealistic for VZW to at least tell us where they and Samsung are in the process. It would clear up so much ill will and allow us to make an informed decision about what to do next (upgrade to note5 / swap for a different phone / ditch VZW completely / whatever). No matter what the hold up is, it's incredibly poor and rude of VZW to not provide us any information at this point.

[Tidbits]

See the problem with your logic... There's no proof on your end. There is no proof Samsung gave it to Verizon and it passed the testing and wasn't sent back to Samsung to fix the problems. A low level rep is hardly proof. Their little computer would not tell them any of that information. If Verizon was actually delaying and Samsung wanted to support their product then why doesn't Samsung higher ups put their name on it? Just some food for thought.

[invertedspear]

Oh I realize that there is no proof. It's a logical assumption, a fair one really, and what pretty much everyone is operating under. Probably because we want to believe that the update is there and could be release any day now. Whether it's there or not there is still a huge gap in customer service from VZW in that just the slightest bit of actual information would alleviate so much of our worry. It's become more about how VZW dodges the questions and refuses to tell us anything than it even is about the update now. Also many of us raising a fuss about this hopefully drives VZW to make the right decision for their customers, if they don't keep customers happy, they are likely to lose a bunch of customers and right now the best way to keep all of their note 4 customers happy is to give us something. I would prefer they give us the update, but would settle for some clear indication of what is actually going on in the process.

[Tidbits]

All low level reps will not know. The only people that know are done is Samsung. As their teams are the one that develops the software and if they were completed and passed all testing they could easily say something.

Another food for thought. If Samsung would put their name on it and give something factual then we know where the accountability lies at that point, but they won't especially if they are not finished. They'd rather have you blame the carriers as it allows them to spend less resources.  Did  you know in Europe they blame manufacturers and talk with their money. How do you like their updating schedule and process?

[invertedspear]

I'm not suggesting low level reps know unless VZW higher ups make the info available to them. Saying Samsung are the only ones that know is false. There are at the very least engineers and management at VZW that know what the current situation is, even if that situation is that Samsung are not giving them anything to test. But guess what, I don't give any money to Samsung directly, so I don't talk to Samsung. I talk to VZW, and they aren't talking back. And by not talking back they are putting themselves in the same boat as those small market carriers that don't care about their customers. You are correct that T-Mo users are also missing the update OTA, but at least they can manually pull the update via ODIN (not sure why no OTA yet). The unbranded version and half the major carriers in the US DO have the update and VZW isn't in that half, which combined with their lack of communication on the subject shows us that VZW does not care about their note 4 customers as much as AT&T and Sprint do.

Seriously, saying "neither does x have the update" is not the point. I think us squeaky wheels want to know 'Why not us?'

You make a good point of voting with my money, and if I hadn't been lied to by a VZW sales rep, and told that 5.1.1 was imminent when I bought the phone I would have done the same and gone Nexus. But considering how VZW is treating this situation (again with a complete lack of communication), a new carrier may be in order instead.

[Tidbits]

They are not updating using software intended for them. The software is from a different model which the kernel was removed for. There's an extensive thread on T-Mobile forums about. I have T-Mobile and I have a Note 4. I have AT&TT, and Verizon as well. Long story short my job requires it.

Also yes only Samsung knows when they are done. They write the code. The update schedules or process has already been said on multiple occasions.  If Samsung believes they are finished they could put their name on it. Like with any Beta you don't know when the company that writes the code is finished or not until the company itself believes they are finished.

HTC, Motorola, Sony, and LG spoke of the process and some of them gave pretty little timelines of the process. Each one showed carriers had little to no involvement until testing. Different companies have the same process other than the names of each process was slightly different. I don't see Samsung process being all that different either.