The real reason the BlackBerry Storm doesn’t have Wi-Fi or tri-band HSDPA
You might have guessed it, but the reason is Verizon! We confirmed this a little while back with one of our really top-level sources (you know who you are!) and they did, in fact, confirm our suspicions — Verizon said hell to the no, we don’t play that up in here! Now, before the flamewars start, I will publicly say that although it might not be crystal clear, I love Verizon. Personally, Verizon has the best voice and data network in the US. Did you hear that? I lovez me some VZW.
With that out of the way, it’s pretty clear Verizon’s stance with Wi-Fi, but no tri-band HSDPA? We can only assume Verizon thought that with tri-band HSDPA, people would be unlocking these things left and right to use the devices on AT&T and Rogers. That would take out a decent chunk of their data revenue, but at the end of the day, are that many people who now can’t get a 3G Storm but rather a 2G one going to port to Verizon because of it? That remains to be seen, but all Storm first-hand impressions aside, this thing not having Wi-Fi at the very minimum is a major pain in the ass. Does anyone remember the “leaked” Expansys photo that had the Wi-Fi indicator in it? Funny, right? And to the commenters who will start saying, “It’s the best data network, you don’t need Wi-Fi!” You’re dumb, ignorant, and stupid. Plain and simple.
BGR, please don’t ever say anything like, “Verizon said hell to the no, we don’t play that up in here!” again.
You sound like a f*cking idiot, you’re not ghetto-fab, and you would never speak like that in real life. If you said that in front of me at a party or something I would knock your dorky ass the f*ck out.
First off… I dislike Verizon, and I dislike the Storm. I dislike Verizon because they never got packet data correct till VCast and even then, its iffy at best. Voice network? Umm, for a network that was “ALL DIGITAL” in my area of Seattle, I had that phone beeping off to “NO COVERAGE” in 80% of the areas Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T had coverage. The Storm – read Marc’s blog. Its pretty much a PlaySkool™ toy.
Secondly.. IF coverage is that great to anyone who needs it, then they are willing to pay for it. Personally I dont really leave the west coast, and while coverage isnt near as great as “east coast”, Im certainly not going to pay a company to offer me coverage in areas Im never at anyway. So if you HAVE Verizon and need Nebraska, Montana, and North Dakota coverage but live in say, Texas…AWESOME FOR YOU! And if you need coverage THAT bad, get a damned satellite phone.
Third… Data network? Ummmm…. When I use Comcast Internet at home, do they bill me airtime on my Sprint phone, or even Comcast Digital phone for using said internet packet data? No.. So why did Verizon do this for oh, EVER!!!??? Double charging is what I see. Hence why they of all carriers have the LEAST amount of data subscribers even if they soon will have the MOST voice subscribers. NONE of the people I know on Verizon except ONE has a data plan. ALL my Sprint, ALL my ATT and ALL my T-Mobile ones do. So..what about Verizon data?
Lastly… Flame me all you like. I know some people LOVE Verizon, clearly some people here dont, like me. Im a Sprint/T-Mobile loving boy all the way. Price, Voice QUALITY, DATA QUALITY are more important to me. If Verizon wanted to gain more customers, it wouldnt be “merging” with other carriers, it would be retooling its plans, phones to be less locked, and to offer more room for lower end plans. There is a reason when T-Mobile bought Voicestream, the customer count went from 12 Million to 18 Million (just by merging the companies it bought) and from 18 Million to over 31 Million (almost double) in 5 years they have owned said company. They can market to a MUCH wider crowd, even if their network was lacking. TAKE NOTES VERIZON. BIGGER doesnt mean LETS CHARGE MORE CAUSE WE ARE BETTER.
LMAO @ Eric…true indeed Fox news is the worst. BGR is not Fox news though…they’re bias doesn’t stretch that far. First of, stop condemning BG for his love Verizon statement. Yes he always has something bad to say about them because he hates their practices but in theory he really does believe they have the best network, with the worst phones and practices. He knows their data networks are the fastest and they have the best coverage as well as costumer service so leave him alone on that. Now on to what I really had to say
@ BG – Now said that Verizon’s the reason why there is no Wifi in the Storm. How is that even remotely possible when Vodafone and even RIM has said that Vodafone is the one that commandered them to make the Storm, and not Verizon? Whoever your ninja is at Verizon is an idiot because if it was Verizon’s decision to not include Wifi then at least the Vodafone version would have it. Vodafone is the parent company as I understand it, correct? It’s not like it’s the other way around where whatever Verizon says Vodafone follows suit. Vodafone told RIM to make the product and it was made:
“[Last summer Vodafone] invited Mike [Lazaridis] to come over and join us for a half-day workshop in New York, locked ourselves in and basically shook him and said ‘Mike, we want a real breakthrough innovation that helps us to reposition RIM from a pure enterprise tool into the consumer space, to the heart of the consumer space’.”
RIM’s Lazaridis confirmed: “Vodafone initiated it [Storm].”
Here’s the article itself so please judge for yourself.
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/0,1000000091,39500477,00.htm
Verizon just happened to be the US carrier who received it because of their relationship with Vodafone so how is it that they determined whether Wifi was included or not??! It’s mind boggling how you, as a journalist or avid blogger, can make such a claim when you know all these facts already. But then again you do like to throw jabs at Verizon so it’s understandable I guess. I do see your Wifi argument though that whether it is needed or not it should be available as an option, to either travelers or those in hotspot areas. Not everyone uses it though so to each its own.
And to anyone making this Verizon cripples their phones argument it has been repeatedly noted on here that the XV6700 (which I currently own) and the 6800 both have Wifi, so does the Samsung 760 so why are they all on Verizon and have Wifi if Verizon is so adverse to it? Furthermore there are no CDMA RIM devices in history with Wifi so why should this be any different? Maybe if there was one that set precedence and then it was ommitted out of this then the argument can be even remotely made that it was Verizon’s fault, but even that gets negated by the fact that Vodafone was the one who told RIM to make the device, not Verizon.
@ Nate – Verizon does not call the shots on CDMA phones idiot. How is that even possible like they’re the ones who determine what Sprint can and cannot do. If that was the case then why does Sprint have the Touch Diamond and Pro out already and Verizon doesn’t. Some of you sideline commentators are just dumb. Period.
@ Terry – The GPS is unlocked…aGPS is also unlocked so quit confusing people.
@ … Tha Dod or whatever your name is…the article says Verizon was out for 5 hours…so where the hell did you get three days from?? Don’t post facts and then say something contrary just to get your invalid point across…you just come off looking like an idiot.
@Tom:
Let’s all all throw WiFi away and run our home networks on 3G!
Nah, probably not a great idea since it is slower than WiFi and sharing files between devices would not be so easy. In fact running VoIP and apps that can be used peer to peer over a local network would NOT exist.
How about when traveling and want to call home over a VoIP app like Skype so you do not have to pay the crazy international rate that you have to pay.
Moving files between a smartphone and your computer is fast and easy over a local WiFi network. There are many games where you can play head to head over WiFi local network that exist, this is a no go for a non-WiFi phone.
Watching SlingPlayer or other video streaming at a hotspot is pretty popular with many folks. 3G being slower and metered makes this hard or impossible.
I use my smartphone inside my own home and office where the 3G signal is weaker (in some locations non-existent) to do all sorts of tasks (it is supposedly a smart phone).
Why not be able to use the WiFi connection that Verizon SOLD ME with FiOS!!!!!
Ever get stuck in an airport for 9 hours and like to use the FREE hotspot for getting some work done or entertainment. I have, the 3G signal sometimes is not great and slower at best then the FREE WiFi there.
The devices we carry called smartphones are hardly phones at all these days. My smartphone is used on WiFi more than any network in my home and office daily!
@ Paul: WRONG. The xv6700 had wifi, as does the xv6800. The i760 has wifi, as will the i770 and i910. I’m not sure about the xv6900 (HTC Touch) as I never used one, but the xv6850 and xv6950 should also have wifi. For whatever reason, other OEMs have been able to pair wifi with CDMA on the Windows Mobile platform. I don’t know what the deal is with RIM + CDMA + wifi but I wouldn’t blame a single carrier.
@Kidd Supreme, There is no Wi-Fi in the CDMA or Vodafone version of the Storm.
@Likeabite
Everything aside, I can promise you this is actually what happened. This comes from one of our most trusted and accurate sources who has first-hand knowledge of the events.
FIRST!!!!!
@ likeabite:
Standalone GPS is unlocked on the Storm, but aGPS is locked down (can only be used with Verizon-certified apps)
@likeabite Are you positive on this? I have heard a lot of things against this and from someone who has tested it. aGPS will be locked to VZ Nav because it’s faster and VZW will use this as a selling point to sell VZ Navigator to users that don’t know any better.
I can’t remember who asked if there will be a GSM version of the Storm with Wi-Fi. I heard that there will be one sometime next year.
@Terry… or anyone for that matter. Any chance this could all be a ploy for Verizon to get people to buy the phone twice…once, without the WiFi… then 6-9 months later come out with a version with WiFi. Knowing that BB addicts will go and drop the coin to have that feature and not wait.
LMAO at “The One” getting bashed for speaking the truth.
Honestly, why do you need wifi? Most Wifi networks are locked now. The gen pop is getting smarter.
If you’re at home, use you laptop. I dont get the big deal for wifi. I mean to use on the few times you are at the pool on vacation at a hilton? The local starbucks/mcdonalds? Really why is WIFI such a big deal?
So much vzw hate on this blog, and the only things people can respond about the ones comment are insults becuase they cnt refute what he posted.
@Kidd Supreme,
Not sure, but it goes along with what BGR was saying how VZW made them build it without Wi-Fi. I had an iPhone and Wi-Fi was great to have when I was in a building without signal but had free Wi-Fi.
I am planning on picking up the Bold and then going to pick up the next version of the Storm. I waited for the 3G iPhone I can wait for the next Storm –
@ Tolu Verizon is not forcing you to get data idiot you have to get it with any smartphone.
@ Dikolaus If you ever come on here and claim T-emporary Mobile’s superiority again you should be banned. Get off this site permanently.
@ Paul Blackberry is creating it’s own App Store in case you haven’t been on BGR in a while buddy.
@ Kidd Supreme There is no Wifi and Verizon was not the ones who had the device made in the first place.
@ Verizon Guy thanks for the correction.
@ Roger A let’s see how much you love Sprint when it’s no longer around in a year or so.
@ BG So I still don’t understand how if a device was made at the request of Vodafone, how did Verizon come in and dictate to them what they could and could not include in the device. I’m pretty sure Verizon is nowhere near the size of Vodafone and would pretty much have no say in a phone that they did not personally request but is only getting because they are the sister company of Vodafone in the US…but MAAYBE there’s something I’m missing.
@ likeabite
I never said they call the shots for all CDMA phones. Of course there are going to be some phones that are released for other carriers that have features that aren’t included on Verizon phones.
The point is, Verizon has more subscribers than any other CDMA carrier. If a manufacturer is going to cater to a provider, there’s a much better chance they’ll cater to a provider the size of Verizon than a carrier Sprint’s size. Their size give them clout that the other carriers, sometimes, have to live with.
If you don’t get that, I don’t know what to tell you.
@ Nate I get what you’re saying but you can’t honestly say that’s the reason why all the CDMA Blackberries don’t have Wifi. Then the same argument can be made for all the HTC and Palm phones that have ended up on Sprint and Verizon but we all know those vary in specs and features and whatnot…hence the reason why Sprint has exclusive rights to the Diamond and Pro months before Verizon even gets it.
Can anyone comment as to the actual voice quality of CDMA vs. GSM?
As factually as possible please. While “my phone sounds great!” means something to you, it’s probably not terribly helpful in this situation.
I’m not disagreeing with you. I does appear that Verizon and RIM have a pretty close working relationship.
All told, I’d guess that the iPhone has a lot to do with this. RIM is gunning for Apple. Verizon is gunning for AT&T. They both have a lot to gain by the Storm being a success.
I can’t speak for why Sprint gets their short exclusives on some of these phones. However, I’d guess it has something to do with money, and Sprint’s is as green as anyone’s.
Sorry for the typos. The first paragraph should read:
“I’m not disagreeing with you. However, it does appear that Verizon and RIM have a pretty close working relationship.”
@ NA – Just listen to BG, Verizon has the best voice network thus CDMA over GSM
@ Nate – You’re right that it has to do with money but Sprint’s is really not as green as anyone else’s right now. They’re losing record customers and there’s talks of a takeover but who would want them is up in there air as Verizon is already busy with the Alltel merger and AT&T has no use for CDMA networks at this moment.
Let’s see a show of hands of Blackberry users that care about WiFi??? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?? If a VZW, or any other CDMA customer, needs WiFi then it available on other devices. Would I like it to be a perfect world and have the Storm have every option available? Of Course! However this is not the case. Everything about the wireless industry is give and take. If you want a workhorse of a phone with great battery life, reception, & email reliability then you go with a Blackberry. If you need WiFi, then go with a HTC. It really is that simple. Oh, and let’s be honest here, has VZW or RIM came out in ANY advertising saying the Storm is an iPhone killer/clone? No! That is what the bloggers and media have conjoured up. Let’s give them credit that they and HTC are actually trying to improve on touch technology instead of just turning out another wannabe imitator of a phone that still has serious flaw…the iPhone.
I totally agree there.
I won’t be surprised if we’re talking about Sprint in the past tense a few years down the road. If I were HTC, I wouldn’t care about that, though. Usually these exclusives are more of a lump sum payment, thing.
verizon has the best service hands down i never needed wifi, Its use for carriers that suck like t mobile and att. Verizon doesnt need a fuck starbucks wifi because it works everywhere unlike att and tmobile and the gps is unlock so now what are you going to complain about? If you cant afford it just say that.
@Verizon Guy:
I guess the name says it all!
I have owned a Windows Mobile i760 phone with WiFi (only reason I picked it and it sucked). But if I were you, I would take another look at ALL the phones Verizon offers. All but two have NO WiFi and this includes several Windows Mobile phones! You mention the two and one that is discontinued and no longer offered. In fact they got rid of the Samsung phone you also mentioned.
Verizon offers NO other phone with WiFi and as far as I know never have. They have NO Blackberry and never had one that had WiFi.
I work in the industry and Verizon absolutely neuters their phones. They do not support WiFi and for years did not even allow USB connections that would allow you to take off the pictures you took with your camera phone without PAYING for this service from them. I owned TWO of these camera phones with USB!
Think you will see a phone on Verizon that has turn by turn directions build-in? I doubt that as they want you to pay $10 a month from them for that. Think the nuviphone will be on Verizon when it comes out next year? I think not!
It is already known that VZ will not be selling the Google Android phone. They never joined the alliance and are going to take a pass. They do not like open.
Some of reasons they passed on the iPhone was WiFi, iTunes, Visual Voicemail included. They no not like competition on their own networks. They only push their own services and charge for everything. This is their right, but our right as consumers to choice someone else.
Verizon has a great network, but offers the worst phones. See any Nokia smartphones at Verizon? NO NONE! Motorola Q and Palm phones, NO WiFi either on Verizon.
If you are claiming that RIM or others could not build a CDMA phone with WiFi, you are nuts. Since Verizon is the ONLY major carrier that is CDMA why would RIM bother if VZ would NOT sell it! Especially now that Verizon is buying Alltel.
How is it that Samsung and others have made WiFi available on their CDMA devices? RIM is not smart enough? Is this your claim? Or maybe they have no market for any since Verizon is their biggest customer and will NOT sell it.
When the Blackberry Storm (or whatever they may call it) shows up on AT&T or other carriers with WiFi, what will it be than? CDMA’s fault? If so sounds like a good reason to not buy CDMA since few in the world actually use it anyway.
Phones today are more like mini computers, they are not just for calls and email. File sharing, head-to-head games, watching videos, etc.
WiFi is pretty important to many users, maybe ONE reason why AT&T is a larger wireless provider in the US and Verzion is buying customers to compete (Rural Wireless and soon Alltel).
Since Verizon sold me FiOS and I have Verizon in my home with WiFi, wouldn’t it be nice to have the ability to use this FASTER connection in my OWN home and office to share files with my computers, watch video, play head-to-head games over WiFi?
This is why I have Blackberry Curve on Verizon (company gave it to me, I have no choice) and PAID for an iPhone on AT&T with WiFi. That’s right I PAID for a second smartphone as even the iPhone was more open to apps and tasks and had WiFi!
Verizon is NOT in the WiFi business, they have NO hotspots. They are pushing their own agenda like all companies do. Except they are telling us they are moving toward an open network? Then they release an iPhone competitor without WiFi! Open how I ask?
Anyone who does a lot of travel are usually on an AT&T or T-Mobile plan. Why? WiFi for one, so VoIP calls and data can be used in hotspots overseas or in weak areas without paying a ridiculous rate and GSM the more global cellular technology.
Be a fan boy, the name says it, but do not be delusional. Verizon does NOT support WiFi or openess, period! It is certainly NOT that RIM and others can not put WiFi on their devices!!!
If that were true, RIM is in bigger trouble.
Snart devices are not too smart when they can not connect to the fastest networks that are all over the world WiFi. Most every bookstore, restaurant, coffee stop, mall, office, school, airport, has it including MOST PEOPLES HOMES!
Here is a thought about why it doesn’t have Wi-Fi. Maybe RIM left it out so they could put in all those radios so they could get it onto Vodafone, Telus and Rogers.
Now the GSM version will have Wi-Fi because it won’t have all those radios, which in turn will leave room for the Wi-Fi chip.