It's too late now since you've already paid it but you are aware that you can be a "developer" without paying anything. Use your Microsoft account and register for the Windows Phone App Studio. Something to keep in mind next year I guess. 
Verizon was one of the fastest carriers, if not the fastest, to approve the GDR2 rollout to it's Lumia line. When can we expect the GDR3/Lumia Black update to come to our Lumia devices?
Nokia just started to release the update world wide. Keep an eye on this site, http://www.nokia.com/global/support/software-update/wp8-software-update/availability-in-north-americ... It will tell you when via the Lumia Black Update column when it says Available for the 928 or 822.
Thanks for the link primortal. I figured that would be the case. Since it released for the other devices on 12/19 though, I figured I would see some response from Verizon at this point. The site seems to imply that it's in Verizon's court to approve/deny Lumia Black/GDR3 Update at this juncture.
Is there a way that I can get the black update myself? I have already installed the "Preview for Developers" app on my phone and have paid the $19 annual fee for individual developers and I already have GDR3 installed on my Lumia 928.
There is no way to get the firmware update we have to wait on Nokia and VZW.
It looks like the released Black for the 925 on AT&T so it seems the US has started getting its updates.
It's too late now since you've already paid it but you are aware that you can be a "developer" without paying anything. Use your Microsoft account and register for the Windows Phone App Studio. Something to keep in mind next year I guess.
GDR3 is out for the Lumia 928! It's weird though, I installed it and it said it's done and migrated data(took about 20 miin) but when I look at info and extra's it still says I have Amber and I don't see the new features!!
Sadly, it wasnt Lumia Black. I think it was just an update to the latest GDR2 version in preparation for the GDR3/Black update. Hopefully the real update will be coming soon. What a C-tease
Have you tried restarting your phone.
Sent from my Windows Phone
Yes, multiple times.
"Lumia Black will roll out to most handsets by end of January
It's January 29th VERIZON, better get your act together quick.
http://wmpoweruser.com/lumia-black-will-roll-out-to-most-handsets-by-end-of-january/
As usual, Verizon takes it's time to get an update out. AT&T already has 5 Windows Phones with the GDR3/Nokia Black updates updating as we speak, two of which are INFERIOR Windows Phones to the 928, and yet Verizon can't get out this same update for the TWO windows phones it has in its lineup! Yes, they will try to tell us its because they want to ensure everything works great and there are no problems, but that is the SAME EXCUSE they gave me for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and it took them 5 months to get the update out for that phone, so I'm not buying it! If a phone update is so problematic that it takes their team 5 months to put out an update, then they need to hire more staff for this purpose! If I don't have these updates in the next few weeks, this will be my LAST phone at Verizon! I'll be returning to AT&T! Hear that Verizon, ONE MORE CUSTOMER GOING OVER TO YOUR COMPETITOR AND I'LL BE CONVINCING OTHER CUSTOMERS TO COME WITH ME!
VZW has and always will be late to the game; it's just how they roll.
Enjoy going to AT&T because unless you get get 1 million + customers jumping ship in a quarter VZW wouldn't bat an eye if 1-10 people leave. VZW added 1.6 million customer last quarter so threatening to leave has no ill effect on them.
Exactly my point. Recent JD Powers report shows AT&T beating Verizon in customer satisfaction survey. AT&T is trying to please its customers. Verizon just doesn't care! To me, Verizon's attitude is "you'll get it when we are ready to get it to you and until that time, wait and don't bother us about status updates". Not a very "customer oriented" attitude. I switched from AT&T because of the coverage, but AT&T has recently upgraded their network to the point that I can get FASTER 4G LTE on their network than I can on Verizon and even in rural areas, their HSPA+ network is almost as fast as Verizon's 4GLTE, so I won't be missing coverage, but I'll definitely get Windows Phone updates MUCH FASTER than on Verizon and also get a better selection of Windows Phones over there as well. So, like I said, if I don't get the update on the 928 in a few week, I'm going back to AT&T and will be a huge spokesperson AGAINST Verizon.
If my memory servers me correctly, VZW released GDR2 (Update 2) long before AT&T did. Now it seems the reverse; whether that's a Nokia or VZW (or both) issue on why it's taking so long.
I'm hoping this week being AT&T released theirs last week.
Before you switch take into consideration your contract (if applicable) a smart phone contract is $350 early termination fee prorated for each completed month for each month $10 cones off of the fee so I hope you have savings that you can dip into when they hit you with that final bill. AT&T does not do the contract buyout program that is only T-Mobile at this time.
Sent from my Windows Phone
First of all, I can afford the fee, but let's do this mathematically anyway for anyone else who is watching their purse.
If I have 16 months left of my contract and my monthly bill is 113 /mo, then I will continue to pay Verizon $1,808 until my contract is up. How many of those months will I be without GDR3 and Nokia Black firmware update? Let's give Verizon the benefit of the doubt and estimate it will have taken them 4 months to get this out to us (since Nokia Black firmware update was released in December 2013 and we probably won't get this until March 2014), that equates to giving Verizon $452 for a phone that is INFERIOR to the phones over at AT&T (which have had the Nokia Black firmware update since December). Now, to end my contract with Verizon, it would cost me about $250, of which AT&T will give me a $100 credit if I have Verizon unlock my 928 and bring it over to AT&T. That means for $150 I can go over to AT&T, get the Nokia Black update installed on my unlocked 928 from AT&T, get the GDR3 update installed and have a no-contract plan on AT&T which would be about $25 less per month than I'm currently paying for the same data plan. So in 5 months, I will have gotten my $125 back.
The only reason I haven't done this yet is that I'm trying to give Verizon a chance to show that they care about the happiness of us customers. Show me you care about me and provide either the update, OR A VALID REASON FOR THE DELAY, and I'll gladly stay with Verizon. Otherwise, unlock my 928 and I'm going back to AT&T.
Why not just take my suggestion to get GDR3 right now? Keep in mind when Verizon does approve it the call/SMS blocker will probably not block calls just as is the case for the GDR2 and Amber update. Plus which Microsoft have stated 8.1 will be available to anyone on the preview program on April 2 so if you follow my lead you will have 8.1 in April while everyone else has to wait as long as August for it and whatever Nokia calls the next firmware update?
Sent from my Windows Phone
It's not just the GDR3 update that we are waiting for. We need the Nokia Black firmware update in order for things to work in GDR3. There are apps that will NOT work on GDR3 unless you have the Nokia Black firmware update first. Also, I don't know where you received the information that Windows Phone 8.1 will be available in April, but even if that is true, I've recently read that we won't be able to update to WP8.1 without the Nokia Black firmware update, even if you do the Developer Preview. This is why Nokia is pushing out the Black firmware update ahead of WP 8.1. So, if Verizon doesn't push out this firmware update, we 928 users will not get WP 8.1 and we won't be able to take full advantage of WP 8, update 3. And if that happens, I'll be saying goodbye to Verizon!
I heard about the update for developers on several Microsoft podcasts and a YouTube channel that subscribe to on top of that being a developer ebtitles me to get email updates from the Microsoft Windows Phone team.
Sent from my Windows Phone
rednibkram wrote:
It's not the just GDR3 update that we are waiting for. We need the Nokia Black firmware update in order for things to work in GDR3. There are apps that will NOT work on GDR3 unless you have the Nokia Black firmware update first. Also, I don't know where you received the information that Windows 8.1 will be available in April, but even if that is true, I've read online that we won't be able to update to WP8.1 without the Nokia Black firmware update, even if you do the Developer Preview. This is why Nokia is pushing out the Black firmware update ahead of WP 8.1. So, if Verizon doesn't push out this firmware update, we 928 users will not get WP 8.1 and we won't be able to take full advantage of WP 8, update 3.
Some clarification, Nokia Black goes inconjunction with Update 3 (GDR3). Granted the firmware might be required for WP 8.1 on Nokia devices but nothing have been official. We'll not know until Microsoft BUILD in April when they announce WP 8.1.
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