Subscribers fume over what has become yet another bungled Sprint launch
Why can’t Sprint launch a handset? That’s the question countless subscribers are asking themselves as the release of the BlackBerry Tour 9630 continues to look more and more like a paper launch. A fair number of people who ordered the handset have received it by now and many were able to snag a unit at retail locations, but it seems that for every happy new Tour owner there are three enraged subscribers looking for answers. At this point, you can’t find a Sprint or BlackBerry forum without reading post after post from people fuming over the bungled Tour launch. Since July 12th, the official launch date, we’ve also received countless emails from Sprint subscribers venting their frustrations and recounting various horror stories. The consensus among them: Sprint can’t launch a handset to save its life — or business, as it were.
Beyond a few emails we have from people who got their Tours at retail locations and couldn’t activate them, the biggest problem being reported is a seeming lack of candor with regard to inventory. We have tons of emails from people who ordered the Tour within the first hour of online availability — within the first 15-30 minutes even. Despite the website showing the handset as being in stock and ready to roll, they received a backorder notice immediately after ordering. Here is an example of an email received by a Sprint customer shortly after submitting his order online about a half hour after the Tour went live on Sprint’s site:
Product ID: SP9630RIM Description: Blackberry Tour 9630 Qty: 1 Order Date: 2009-07-12
Status: Your order or a portion of your order is in backorder status. If you would like to select an alternate product or cancel your backordered item, please call 866-789-8292 between 8:00 a.m. EST to 11:00 p.m. EST Monday to Friday or 9:00 a.m. EST to 9:00 p.m. EST on Saturdays and Sundays.Please note that cancellation requests may not always process successfully due the speed of warehouse processing. If you cancelled your backordered item but still received a shipment, please refuse the shipment or call us to process a return within 30 days of receipt.
Why is it that Sprint just can’t seem to stock a handset — and perhaps more importantly, why was the handset listed as being available if in fact it was not? It has gotten to the point where the carrier even confirmed to us ahead time that the Palm Pre launch would be a mess. Fast forward to the Tour, Sprint’s next flagship handset, and we’re seeing the exact same mistakes all over again. We understand it was a big deal for Sprint to finally get a hot new BlackBerry out to market at the same time as Verizon. Great. Golf claps. If doing so simply means the carrier is going to have to snub half of the people who want to buy the handset however, we have to think waiting for shipments would have been the wiser move. In fact, we’ve received several comments from people who decided to switch to Verizon for the Tour because of this mess. If you’ve looked at Sprint’s numbers over the past couple of years, you know the last thing the struggling carrier needs to be doing right now is giving subscribers another reason to jump ship.
Of course Sprint isn’t the only carrier plagued with launch issues, it just happens to be more in need of smooth sailing than any other at this point. Trust us — we want nothing more than to witness and report on a great and successful launch at Sprint. The company has made plenty of good moves of late in an effort to strengthen its network and focus on better customer service training. It shows, it really does, but it’s all for naught if Sprint continues to stumble where top-level strategy and execution are concerned.
I thought that I could buy one at the store but when I went in they said no and to buy one by tele sales or something like that. Now I wont eve be able to get one.
I think this is Sprint hating. Plain and simple.
We received our two Tours from Verizon today…but issues activating them all day already. Put them away so we could do some real work..will tackle again tomorrow.
tOR nice!
Yep, I ordered mine 5 minutes after they started selling, and through some system crash got put at the end of the line, while people who ordered 12-18 hours after me have already received theirs. The don’t seem to be willing to do anything about it either. Apparently they have been handing out $50 bill credits left and right, but after 5 calls i haven’t gotten shit.
Go Verizon. Got it in the store the same day and I have a better network
rafael thats good for you, could you please provide details on why its a better network?
Oh BS, the tour sucks, stop tring to make excuses for its poor luanch.
This is from http://www.pocketnow.com:
“PC World recently held a 3G comparison test and found Sprint as the more reliable network over Verizon and AT&T, supporting their claim as the “most dependable 3G network.” The test took place in 13 major markets during the months of March and April this year.
Verizon and AT&T delivered faster download speeds, averaging 951 kbps and 812 kbps respectively, while Sprint was not too far behind with an average speed of 808 kbps. The difference maker was in the dependability category.
For the tests, PC World measured reliability by the percentage of tests for a given city in which they could detect a signal, connect at a reasonable speed, and sustain an uninterrupted connection for the duration of a 1-minute streaming test. Sprint delivered a solid connection in 90.8% (100% in Boston, Denver, and Seattle) of the tests. Verizon followed closely with 89.8% and AT&T performed poorly with 68%”
So when it comes to actual network reliability, Sprint wins…
damn you simpson you stole my thunder! lol
@mdlsimpson
1% is negligible, and Sprint’s coverage in rural areas is pathetic compared to Verizon’s.
In my area I find sprint to be better then verizon, and worlds cheaper!
Sprint was under pressure to launch the same day with Verizon… it was a mere paper launch. they should be honest and launch when they are ready to roll-out. this is no iPhone phenomenon. I waited months for the Tour and can wait another week – if Sprint had been honest in its advertising and execution ability. Now, I am twice as pissed at them. Thinking of leaving ship after 12 years as its customer!!
Yep mine still saying backorder after I ordered mine on Sunday morn @1 am… I have no problem with Sprint service it works faster than my iPhone and a get a great discount thru the job… But come on now this is the Tour a hot blackberry not none of the other bull crap phones they have….get the phone and ship the shit already… My friend got his yesterday thru sprint lucky bastard…and the wierd thing is that he ordered it after I did… Now that’s crazy!!! I’m starting to think they didn’t have much to none in stock smh…I went to verizon Sunday and they had them and posters and all the promotion stuff.
@mdlsimpson
Key words here are “where they could get a signal”. A Sprint signal can be hard to come by. My past experience with their customer service has been a nightmare as well.
I’ll take my great nation-wide VZW coverage and try to live with their sh!tty phone selection.
“Not in one of 13 major metro areas”
So verizon had faster download speeds and was 1% behind sprint in reliability in “13 major markets..” And thats a victory for Sprint? If you dont live in one of these 13 “major markets.. Verizon still has better NATIONWIDE coverage..
cmon haven’t you seen the commercial where they throw the darts at the map of america!?
I have Palm Pre. Have benn with Sprint for years. I can tell you from experience, Sprint is hell bent on going into bankruptcy. They have something against the customer having a good experience with their handsets. For example, they have ripped wifi out of good devices like the Tour and the HTC Snap!!! Sprint loves it this way. They like looking at happy ATT customers with all their phones with wifi, especially the one that have iPhones!!! Sad Sad Sad…
Finally Happy Pre owner
I must be a lucky one! I ordered my Tour thru telesales late on Sunday and received it by 3pm on Tuesday. I was able to track it on UPS right to my door.
Took it to the Sprint store and had them activate it for me. I’ve had no problems since. Only problem I can think of is that the Tour is SO new that the Sprint store doesnt have the code for it yet that they use in order to transfer your contacts from your old phone to your new one. I’m coming from a Treo 700w abnd now I have to do it manually or wait a couple weeks until they get the code. That sucks, but I LOVE the phone.
The large majority of Sprints Network is on roaming agreements with Alltel and Verizon. If you look at a map the Sprint built network is really small. Now the operations of their network are being outsourced to Ericcson I believe.
I love people who try to defend Sprint. They sound so desperate to stay on ship. If you were to switch you would know. I’ve had countless people tell me they were overcharged in a bill an Sprint simply would bot refund them. And I’m talking about obvious mistakes such as double billing. I guess these few stranglers are people who don’t go out and have good reception in their one town in their 15 mile radius. And they try to quote one study that was done for two months in major cities. Well ok guess what t-mobile has been proven to have the best coverage in Los Angeles but it doesn’t mean they are even noteworthy nation wide. Can’t you just admit that Sprint sucks? Swollow your pride. Even AT&Ts greedy business can launch a phone that sells 1 million hand sets in 3 days!!!!!!! With no to very very little complaints. You could even order online the entire weekend of the sales. I’m a sprint hater because I hate bad business. The only good that might come from them is a sliver of competition.
I think we have a bipolar poster here. Are you a happy Pre owner on Sprint or do you hate the company. Make up your mind douche
I have Palm Pre. Have benn with Sprint for years. I can tell you from experience, Sprint is hell bent on going into bankruptcy. They have something against the customer having a good experience with their handsets. For example, they have ripped wifi out of good devices like the Tour and the HTC Snap!!! Sprint loves it this way. They like looking at happy ATT customers with all their phones with wifi, especially the one that have iPhones!!! Sad Sad Sad…
Finally Happy Pre owner
You iddiot he’s just speaking the truth. He upgraded to a great phone with a crappy carrier… SPRINT. How much simpler does he need to make it or you.
Tour de Sprint! What part of the country are you from? Perhaps Sprint is using different warehouses to ship the Tour. Wondering where they have back-ups and where they don’t. Anyone knows Sprints’ warehousing system?
VERIZON – FTW walked in monday to my local store and bought my tour and no problems activating it
LOL @ the jackoff trying to be me up there. You’re an idiot.