HTC Thunderbolt Release Date

[electric6]

OK after reading the above posts. If I get a 4g phone and I already have the unlimited data plan then as I see it, there shouldn't be any changes. Because the plan doesn't say unlimited 3g, 1X or anything else. It is unlimited data! Right?

You're paying for unlimited data over a 3G network. You will pay tiered pricing for using data over their LTE network GUARANTEED.

This blows lol. So what youre saying CK is even though there is no LTE in 96% of their coverage area, they are going to upcharge anyone who desires this phone? My area wont even have LTE until late next year, so for me, I would literally being charged a premium for a service that I cannot use. Is this a correct assumption?

 

[cereal killer]

. If I were a betting man I would say yes because you are still buying the equipment and it will be able to utilize the network once in an area that supports it.

I also find very curious that there is no toggle to turn LTE connectivity on or off which leads me to believe that customers will be stuck with an LTE plan even if they don't live in an area. Verizon will simply tell you to buy a different device if you don't want to pay for the data plan that comes with these devices.

LTE devices will be just that an LTE device. You don't have it in your area you don't buy it or if you do want to buy it you will pay.

Makes perfect sense to me.

Sent from my Droid

 

[rage151]

. If I were a betting man I would say yes because you are still buying the equipment and it will be able to utilize the network once in an area that supports it.

I also find very curious that there is no toggle to turn LTE connectivity on or off which leads me to believe that customers will be stuck with an LTE plan even if they don't live in an area. Verizon will simply tell you to buy a different device if you don't want to pay for the data plan that comes with these devices.

LTE devices will be just that an LTE device. You don't have it in your area you don't buy it or if you do want to buy it you will pay.

Makes perfect sense to me.

Sent from my Droid

"4g" connectivity can be toggled on the Sprint EVO. is anyone CERTAIN that the TB release model does not allow toggling 3g/LTE?

We can toggle data on/off, OEM...

 

[ilikemoneygreen]

OK after reading the above posts. If I get a 4g phone and I already have the unlimited data plan then as I see it, there shouldn't be any changes. Because the plan doesn't say unlimited 3g, 1X or anything else. It is unlimited data! Right?

You're paying for unlimited data over a 3G network. You will pay tiered pricing for using data over their LTE network GUARANTEED.

This blows lol. So what youre saying CK is even though there is no LTE in 96% of their coverage area, they are going to upcharge anyone who desires this phone? My area wont even have LTE until late next year, so for me, I would literally being charged a premium for a service that I cannot use. Is this a correct assumption?

Good point....So do you think lte data will be required? How can they expect you to buy a service you cant even use? Will they only offer the tb in the 4g areas?

 

[sidsixseven]

I agree. It's a solid bet that you will need a 4g plan for this phone even if you are not in a 4g area. If I'm VZW, my counter-argument here is that there are plenty of 3g phone options to choose from and that what is "special" about the Thunderbolt is the LTE functionality.

Understand that I, personally, recognize other reasons for wanting this phone. I'm just telling you that I expect that to be the answer VZW will use when people voice that objection. The will simply "recommend" the Droid X or Incredible if 4g won't be available in the near-term for you.

 

[ilikemoneygreen]

I agree. It's a solid bet that you will need a 4g plan for this phone even if you are not in a 4g area. If I'm VZW, my counter-argument here is that there are plenty of 3g phone options to choose from and that what is "special" about the Thunderbolt is the LTE functionality.

Understand that I, personally, recognize other reasons for wanting this phone. I'm just telling you that I expect that to be the answer VZW will use when people voice that objection. The will simply "recommend" the Droid X or Incredible if 4g won't be available in the near-term for you.

Well yes but i don't see a VZ store in lets say Yuma, az where 4g is nowhere near it to even sell the TB. If the arguement was their are plenty of phones to choose from then Why would you even offer it in a non 4g area? VZ would absolutly know if the area could take advantage of it or not... Why pay for a service you have no chance at using?

 

[cereal killer]

. If I were a betting man I would say yes because you are still buying the equipment and it will be able to utilize the network once in an area that supports it.

I also find very curious that there is no toggle to turn LTE connectivity on or off which leads me to believe that customers will be stuck with an LTE plan even if they don't live in an area. Verizon will simply tell you to buy a different device if you don't want to pay for the data plan that comes with these devices.

LTE devices will be just that an LTE device. You don't have it in your area you don't buy it or if you do want to buy it you will pay.

Makes perfect sense to me.

Sent from my Droid

"4g" connectivity can be toggled on the Sprint EVO. is anyone CERTAIN that the TB release model does not allow toggling 3g/LTE?

We can toggle data on/off, OEM...

I was told no toggle. Miami and another guy on the forums have the unit maybe they can chime in if their devices have one.

Sent from my Droid

 

[stuigi]

RHUTT RHO. I don't know if this has any cosmic meaning but this is the first week since my preorder That the TB is NOT in my local BB ad.

If I was a real positive person (which I no longer am) I would think that this is reverse psychology.

 

[kodiak799]

I don't see the fuss...It's going to be 2gig for $30 and 95% of you won't be materially affected, other than your web pages will load a whole lot faster.

 

[dajogejr]

A few questions and comments from an excited, hopefully soon to be, one day or another...T bolt user.

1. Can the bolt be used without the 4G/LTE sim card? If so...that's their claw. If it can be used as a phone and data device on 3G without the SIM, they can sell/market it another way. If not...they've got a fight on their hands if they're going to charge a premium for LTE service in non-LTE areas.
2. I think they should grandfather unlimited data on the TBolt for two reasons. One, it'll give those who've been waiting for it a long time something to feel good about...and two, it'll give them a little better grasp on how much load/strain will be put on the network. A few LTE modems/USB cards out there do not put the strain/load on the network like thousands upon thousands of phones will. Or...for any original T Bolt owner, a soft cap after 5GB of data a month. You can have unlimited and full bandwidth up to 5GB, then it ratchets down speeds.

They will make more customers happy who have waited for this device and want to experience LTE first hand by giving in just a little.

Keep this LTE policy in place for 30 days upon the launch of the first LTE phone. Give the others a chance to get a phone to market in that same time frame to grandfather others users in....

 

[Vulcan1600]

A few questions and comments from an excited, hopefully soon to be, one day or another...T bolt user.

1. Can the bolt be used without the 4G/LTE sim card? If so...that's their claw. If it can be used as a phone and data device on 3G without the SIM, they can sell/market it another way. If not...they've got a fight on their hands if they're going to charge a premium for LTE service in non-LTE areas.
2. I think they should grandfather unlimited data on the TBolt for two reasons. One, it'll give those who've been waiting for it a long time something to feel good about...and two, it'll give them a little better grasp on how much load/strain will be put on the network. A few LTE modems/USB cards out there do not put the strain/load on the network like thousands upon thousands of phones will. Or...for any original T Bolt owner, a soft cap after 5GB of data a month. You can have unlimited and full bandwidth up to 5GB, then it ratchets down speeds.

They will make more customers happy who have waited for this device and want to experience LTE first hand by giving in just a little.

Keep this LTE policy in place for 30 days upon the launch of the first LTE phone. Give the others a chance to get a phone to market in that same time frame to grandfather others users in....

If tiered data rolls out with the TB and not available in your area, there is no difference, you can still travel to a 4G LTE area. Therefore, if it's an affected phone by the tiered pricing, that's the end of the story.

To the person who said about not offering the TB in a non-LTE area, why not? They're going to sell it where I live and I won't see LTE for at least 2 more years. Again, you could travel to a 4G LTE area with the phone but for those buying the TB expecting 4G LTE speeds out of the box, unless you're in one of the major cities, you'll be sadly disappointed.

I don't believe VZW has been getting this message out at all about the rollout of their LTE service. It takes a long time to convert towers.

 

[ilikemoneygreen]

A few questions and comments from an excited, hopefully soon to be, one day or another...T bolt user.

1. Can the bolt be used without the 4G/LTE sim card? If so...that's their claw. If it can be used as a phone and data device on 3G without the SIM, they can sell/market it another way. If not...they've got a fight on their hands if they're going to charge a premium for LTE service in non-LTE areas.
2. I think they should grandfather unlimited data on the TBolt for two reasons. One, it'll give those who've been waiting for it a long time something to feel good about...and two, it'll give them a little better grasp on how much load/strain will be put on the network. A few LTE modems/USB cards out there do not put the strain/load on the network like thousands upon thousands of phones will. Or...for any original T Bolt owner, a soft cap after 5GB of data a month. You can have unlimited and full bandwidth up to 5GB, then it ratchets down speeds.

They will make more customers happy who have waited for this device and want to experience LTE first hand by giving in just a little.

Keep this LTE policy in place for 30 days upon the launch of the first LTE phone. Give the others a chance to get a phone to market in that same time frame to grandfather others users in....

If tiered data rolls out with the TB and not available in your area, there is no difference, you can still travel to a 4G LTE area. Therefore, if it's an affected phone by the tiered pricing, that's the end of the story.

To the person who said about not offering the TB in a non-LTE area, why not? They're going to sell it where I live and I won't see LTE for at least 2 more years. Again, you could travel to a 4G LTE area with the phone but for those buying the TB expecting 4G LTE speeds out of the box, unless you're in one of the major cities, you'll be sadly disappointed.

I don't believe VZW has been getting this message out at all about the rollout of their LTE service. It takes a long time to convert towers.

I dont get it. You may be able to wonder in a 4g area but if your city is 100miles from the nearest 4g tower then how can they truly expect someone to pay a monthly fee on it? Would they really expect you to pay all that to not use it at all? How many people would really wonder into a 4g area when they are that far away... I know Vz is really rich but wouldnt it be smarter to have the network everywhere or at least in a majority of areas then require the monthly data? Currently in az to my knowledge PHX is the only city in the state with LTE. But somehow this phone will require a LTE charge to the whole state? I guess i think they should make that optional until its actually usable in more than one county in the state. Not that PHX is as big as the county but you get what im saying. haha and what about the states that dont even have one city with lte? Like look at the lte map, What if your in the middle of Montana?4G LTE Network | Verizon Wireless Are they really going to make thousands of people in the state pay for a service they literally have no possibility on having? I dout many of those thousands of people will travel to a city with lte...

 

[TheOldFart]

Are they really going to make thousands of people in the state pay for a service they literally have no possibility on having? I dout many of those thousands of people will travel to a city with lte...

They made people pay for 3G when they didn't have 3G service when there were still a lot of areas without 3G. I see no reason that they wouldn't do the same with 4G.

 

[ilikemoneygreen]

Are they really going to make thousands of people in the state pay for a service they literally have no possibility on having? I dout many of those thousands of people will travel to a city with lte...

They made people pay for 3G when they didn't have 3G service when there were still a lot of areas without 3G. I see no reason that they wouldn't do the same with 4G.

Did they really? Ehhh... 4g isnt even in 50 cities yet. I guess im a tad surprised by this. Hope people don't get ripped off, thats kind of what this is sounding like to me.

 

[TheOldFart]

Are they really going to make thousands of people in the state pay for a service they literally have no possibility on having? I dout many of those thousands of people will travel to a city with lte...

They made people pay for 3G when they didn't have 3G service when there were still a lot of areas without 3G. I see no reason that they wouldn't do the same with 4G.

Did they really? Ehhh... 4g isnt even in 50 cities yet. I guess im a tad surprised by this. Hope people don't get ripped off, thats kind of what this is sounding like to me.

4G was in 38 cities at the end of 2010 and will be in 49 additional cities by June. There will be many more by the end of 2011, but I don't think the 2nd half of the year have been released yet. Just because a certain person doesn't have 4G where they live doesn't mean that they won't use it elsewhere. I agree that most will not travel to a 4G area, but there are business people who will spend many days a month in a 4G area. There is no way that Verizon can determine who will or will not travel to a 4G area and use that service, so the only reasonable thing they can do is charge anyone who has a 4G phone. Perhaps they will do something differently this time, but I wouldn't bet on it. I won't have 4G until sometime in 2012.