NEW: When Will the ThunderBolt be Available for Purchase?

[nerdslogic]

I was never reallly impressed with the TB....I am holding out to see what he D3 is all about.

 

[mrmccain]

HTC's LTE phones are useless without Verizon's new network.

That is not quite correct. The TB uses 4G LTE only for data for voice it uses 3G. So if you could imagine a world completely devoid of VZWs new 4G network and that you also had a TB, the device would make voice calls just fine.

Unless everything has changed 3G, 4G, 5G, has nothing to do with voice only data?
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understood it, 3G is strictly for data, while 1X is strictly for voice. If you've ever watched closely on your 3G VZW phone, when you make a call it switches to 1X. The reason that voice and data didn't come simultaneously was the fact that 3G and 1X used two different antennas within the phone.

However, with LTE, voice AND data can come through at the same time while only being connected through the 4G LTE antenna. Also, I know I read somewhere that new VZW 3G phones will do simultaneous voice and data albeit the data will be a joke, apparently the reasoning was atleast partially to keep new iPhone uses happy because of all the hype AT&T always made about it talking and surfing.

Back on topic.....I have a good feeling that we'll get a Monday announcement for a release on the 10th :greendroid:

 

[shortsxit]

Source: HTC THUNDERBOLT ALREADY IN STORES, JUST NOT FOR SALE YET [INSIDE SOURCE]
SentNation have had a conversation with their Verizon Wireless contact who has not only all but guaranteed a March 10th release date for the HTC ThunderBolt, they’ve noted threats from HTC deciding the fate of advertisements for the phone and possible consequences for Verizon if they did not release the phone soon!

More unconfirmed rumor, but according to this "insider" the phones have shipped and we should have a release date soon.

LOL, that conversation originated in this very thread. It was Sentrix that had that conversation.,

Hey Sentris--have you given the okay to these sites to post your conversation? It looks like they're giving themselves the credit, saying that "our insider"...

 

[SpikeJones]

HTC's LTE phones are useless without Verizon's new network.

That is not quite correct. The TB uses 4G LTE only for data for voice it uses 3G. So if you could imagine a world completely devoid of VZWs new 4G network and that you also had a TB, the device would make voice calls just fine.

Is the phone still able to use data on 3G as well?
I don't live in a LTE area, and I just realized this is important.
I really dont want to derail this whole thread....sorry....

 

[C5Vette]

HTC's LTE phones are useless without Verizon's new network.

That is not quite correct. The TB uses 4G LTE only for data for voice it uses 3G. So if you could imagine a world completely devoid of VZWs new 4G network and that you also had a TB, the device would make voice calls just fine.

Is the phone still able to use data on 3G as well?
I don't live in a LTE area, and I just realized this is important.
I really dont want to derail this whole thread....sorry....

It's supposed to work just like any other phone except you can surf and talk at the same time 3G or 4G and you benefit from faster speeds in 4G areas.....

 

[wvdroidman]

so the closest to the evo is the incredible right now? Sprint doesn't have good coverage here for some reason. Alot of dead areas.

 

[SpikeJones]

That is not quite correct. The TB uses 4G LTE only for data for voice it uses 3G. So if you could imagine a world completely devoid of VZWs new 4G network and that you also had a TB, the device would make voice calls just fine.

Is the phone still able to use data on 3G as well?
I don't live in a LTE area, and I just realized this is important.
I really dont want to derail this whole thread....sorry....

It's supposed to work just like any other phone except you can surf and talk at the same time 3G or 4G and you benefit from faster speeds in 4G areas.....

Okay, thanks so much.
Now!
Back on topic!

 

[Shiven416]

The Atrix is a buggy, Motoblur-tainted POS. Don't get it.

Thunderbolt update:

There's a possibility Best Buy will start selling it exclusively on March 8th, beginning with those who pre-ordered. Rumors have been circulating just today that some of the more knowledgeable Best Buy staff have been throwing around that March 8 date when asked about the TB. Others say the 10th. Most don't know.

What we know right now is that an announcement is imminent and will come by Monday at the latest. I'm pretty confident the release date isn't going to be later than the 10th, even despite the announcement delays.

Thunderbolt devices began shipping to stores today. I think store employees are going to be notified of this sometime tomorrow, at which point maybe then we'll HAVE to have an announcement, by default, simply because everyone will know.

Has Verizon ever announced a smartphone over the weekend?

Friday and weekends are known as news-dump zone, since least chance of getting high coverage. Not a good time for a big product announcement.

Thanks...that's kind of what I figured. So if it's going to be a release on the 10th, I would hope we'd hear an announcement on Monday. Just hopefully if the Thunderbolt is really ready to go as we're hearing, the iPad release on the 11th doesn't make them push the release off to the 17th.

 

[HollywoodPR1]

I wanted so bad to stay off the forums but I don't think I can.

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[guitarchris123]

Friday and weekends are known as news-dump zone, since least chance of getting high coverage. Not a good time for a big product announcement.

Thanks...that's kind of what I figured. So if it's going to be a release on the 10th, I would hope we'd hear an announcement on Monday. Just hopefully if the Thunderbolt is really ready to go as we're hearing, the iPad release on the 11th doesn't make them push the release off to the 17th.

Agreed, not much tech news on Fridays and weekends. This is a huge deal to be VZW's first LTE phone, as well as a flagship device, there is no way a silent release or a quiet announcement would happen. Maybe one of the things HTC and Verizon have been arguing about recently is that HTC wanted a Thursday or Friday announcement, but Verizon wanted to hold out until Monday or Tuesday next week (for whatever reason) or maybe even later. Just spit-balling here...

I am still hoping for the 10th, and we will find out for sure on Monday or Tuesday if the stores are starting to receive their shipments yet (which they will if we are to believe Sentrix's post today and the recent Droid-Life article, but will not if we are to believe Bennnnn's from AC's post that the system did not show any shipment today). Hopefully we will get some sort of announcement or online pre-order Mon/Tues. If not, it will have to be more like 3/17 or 3/24.

Edit - what troubles me from reading other forums is that many people who claim to work for VZW or BB stores are saying that the shipments were not showing up in their systems yet today. To receive a shipment, I think there has to be a copy of the purchase order in the system (# of phones, price, dates, etc.). This makes me less hopeful for an actual release next week.

 

[rage151]

I wanted so bad to stay off the forums but I don't think I can.

Sent from my ADR6300 using DroidForums App

ummm...ok.

 

[HollywoodPR1]

It's just so Damn addicting with this phone waiting for it to come out. It's becoming a part of my life everyday.

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[cereal killer]

I don't know ladies and gentlemen. Something is up with this handset and I think they are going to release an unpolished product on you all.

I would seriously reconsider getting this handset upon release. Im predicting something wicked (as in bad as in not good ) comes this way with the Thunder Bolt. They are under tremendous pressure to get this thing out and I think they will release an unpolished product on you all.

You have been forewarned...........

Sent from my Droid

 

[Martin030908]

I don't know ladies and gentlemen. Something is up with this handset and I think they are going to release an unpolished product on you all.

I would seriously reconsider getting this handset upon release. Im predicting something wicked (as in bad as in not good ) comes this way with the Thunder Bolt. They are under tremendous pressure to get this thing out and I think they will release an unpolished product on you all.

You have been forewarned...........

Sent from my Droid

quite possible... and I hope HTC makes a point with VZW... as I don't see the phone as the issue, more the network being the culprit. They're both losing money with the delay... but HTC is the one who will take the worst of it... people aren't going to leave VZW because they have the coverage... but they'll avoid HTC products on VZW.

Speculation purely on my part.

 

[pc747]

sounds like the first lte phone will have lte bugs. Yeah nothing like paying 300 bucks for a single core phone with problems. Maybe I may have to look to LG after all.