WP7: "Listen" to what IS being said.

[MadDogFL62]

Last night I was reading over some of my forum posts and some of the responses I have seen.  With the exception of Verizon contacting F-Tom about his petition, we have not heard much from Verizon regarding WP7.  Or have we?  I decided to drop a few notes to the Windows Phone Product Manager and Nokia regarding Verizon; the future of WP7 with them, how to get their attention, etc.

The Facebook and Email responses from Derek Snyder and Nokia can be found below.  Both seem to indicate that things could be in the works and progressing at "Verizon Speed".  For many years, I was a BlackBerry/Verizon subscriber.  Every BlackBerry phone release would hit the other vendors first, while Verizon would "test" the handsets - or so they would claim.  Typical release cycles for the new BlackBerry phones would be 30 to 90 days behind the rest of the carriers.  Perhaps that is what we are seeing here?  Derek Snyder seems to indicate network concerns that Verizon is having (thank you very little iPhone) and that they want to be sure about future handsets and 4G LTE.  Nokia also indicated that "carrier tests" could be a reason for the delay.  I think that Verizon "kind of" said that they wanted to hear about 4G LTE from Microsoft.  They never came out and said "no" or "no interest" like Sprint.

We also have to give Verizon credit for where they are today with WP7.  They carry as many Windows Phones today as Sprint and almost as many as TMobile.  The Trophy is a nice phone.  Fast, reliable, nice size, nice screen, etc.  Also note that Verizon is being pro-active in pushing out subscriber updates for the OS and device.

There seemed to be a lot of focus on the forum about what Verizon is not doing or saying.  We may be mistaken.  Maybe we need to be better listeners?  Been there, seen that with Verizon and BlackBerry.

From Derek Snyder - Microsoft Product Manager for Windows Phones Worldwide:

12 hours ago

MadDogFL62

Hi Derek.  I am an old friend and neighbor of Joe Belfiore.  Just like you and Joe, I caught on to this Windows Phone a few years ago at the MS Partner Conference in DC.  Unfortunatly, I am a Verizon subscriber and not feeling the love for WP7 from Big Red.  Any advice on how to get more attention?  We have been hitting the customer forums pretty hard and have a pretty sizable petition for WP7 devices out there as well.  Any advice or direction would be appreciated.  Best of luck to you and please give my best to Joe if you see him in the near future.

MadDogFL62 - Clearwater, FL

9 hours ago

Derek Snyder#

Hey Ken - thanks for the note. We're definitely feeling the pressure, and passing it on to Verizon to be sure. The thing with them, though, is that their networks are going to be at saturation soon and, as such, need to get all of their customers to 4G LTE. That will also help solve the issue of them getting cutting edge phones a bit later than the rest of the carriers (as they'll now all be on one network standard and one radio chip standard).

As such, not expecting a big push from them until we launch 4G LTE handsets. It's a function of OEMs ramping up product and us doing the work to make it function on Verizon's network. Stay tuned!

Derek

From Nokia USA:

Hi Kenneth,

In response to your concern, we would like to inform you
that new product launches are carrier and market dependent in all countries due
to the tests carried out to ensure the compatibility of the phones with network
and government regulations. Please be advised that Nokia will only make the
phones available to network providers when all local requirements have been
met.

Your patience and understanding on this matter is much
appreciated.

If you have any additional questions, please do not
hesitate to contact us again. To ensure proper handling of your case, kindly
continue using the current subject line.

You may also call Nokia 1-888-665-4228 from
Mondays to Fridays at 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. EST and on Saturdays from 10:00
a.m. - 7:00 p.m. EST for immediate assistance.

Thank you for your e-mail.

Kind regards,

Rob R.

Nokia, Inc.

[LE2Strat]

After the 900 annoucement at CES, I had sent e-mails to both Stephen Elop from Nokia, and Steve Ballmer at Microsoft.  I got responses, but can't be to sure if it was actually them that responded personally.  With Stephen, we shared two different emails on Verizon/CDMA Windows Phone devices:

Stephen Email 1

Sorry, we can't share all future product plans with you, but it is our intent to serve the widest variety of customers in the US as we move forward.

Regards,

Stephen

Stephen Email 2

Hello there,

Just for clarity, we announced in October that we will be supporting CDMA in 2012, although we have not made specific announcements about with which operators and when, so there is no issue with CDMA support.  And for a variety of competitive reasons, neither ourselves nor operators want to announce some of what you would like to see announced until we are closer to actual dates.

Thanks for the continued interest.

Regards,

Stephen

Ballmer Email - now, this wasn't an email questioning Verizon, it was me questioning if Microsoft and it's partners just plan on neglecting CDMA customers with WP7.  His response was short and sweet, which makes me think it was him personally.

We also love cdma and will push the partners

Sent from my Windows Phone

[chinch]

Don't be a tool.

TM has 4 great WP7 devices. HD7, Dell Venue Pro and two 4G "mango" models the HTC Radar and Nokia 710. Plus any at&t WP7 can be unlocked to work on TM also with 2G data (fine if you are in the office/wifi and want a great "phone").

[Tidbits]

Don't be a tool

T-Mobile doesn't have a 4G network. It's 3G marketed as 4G 🙂

[MadDogFL62]

Looks like the girls with the pink dresses are trolling the WP forum.  Enjoy your WP devices.  We're "jelly". 

[chinch]

TM 3G and 4G is faster than VZW cdma.Also you can do voice and data at once (talk while using a gps for example).

The MS guys spoke down to you with nonsensical answers also. Verizon and ATT, etc. LTE phones won't work on each other's network!!! Verizon wouldn't even activate it if they did going by past history. (Verizon won't activate a sprint cdma phone for VZW)

Even worse for Verizon and customers is that for the next decade VZW LTE phones must have a 3G and 2G cdma chipset (which ATT phones dont' require) adding expense and complexity. Plus a GSM radio if it's to be a world phone (3G/Edge).

[Tidbits]

It is no different that AT&T and T-Mobile uses two radios as well. 2G(GSM voice/data) works just like CDMA can't do voice and data at the same time, and WCDMA(data which is a CDMA offspring).

You need to learn more about current LTE verizon phones... They all only have two radios... Only the Thunderbolt had 3.

[chinch]

3G has been popular and widespread on GSM before iPhone shipped (as a non-3G phone).

You are spreading misinfo if you think VZW will magically get all the latest LTE devices. ROTFLMAO. Not going to happen

[Tidbits]

don't make me laugh... I am not spreading FUD go over an read. There's plenty of evidence that proves your statements wrong. Also I NEVER said Verizon would get the "latest" LTE phones... I am just correcting your FUD that you are throwing around.

[Tidbits]

Also talk and gps is a poor example. I can do that with any Android and iPhone... even a wp7 device. You need to say something like call and surf the web without wifi... Then that is a moot point when Verizon completes their LTE network YEARS before any other carrier(except Sprint, but they won't own 100% of that network).