T-Mobile and Virgin Mobile’s lackluster performance on firmware claims another victim; the Lumia 710. I’m sick and tired of catching fire from them, for talking about it. Here we go again…
Today word comes out of Finland that one device in particular won’t get the improvements of Windows Phone 7.8; T-Mobile’s first Windows Phone. The T-Mobile USA version of the Lumia 710 will apparently be stuck forever on Windows Phone 7.5.
As usual, the problem appears to come down to cost: T-Mobile routinely refuses to pay for the testing and approval costs of firmware updates, when competitively they don’t feel it’s necessary.
Last time with T-Mobile & Nokia, same story… different device. The Nokia 5230 Nuron was Nokia’s promised first round of S60 touch devices to hit American shores, and carrier doors over here. Back when Nokia was insisting it finally understood the American market, it clearly didn’t. We could tell, we told them so, and they just didn’t listen.
But, when it came to patching up the Nuron’s lackluster feature set, web browser, and performance, T-Mobile was the one unwilling to raise a finger.
It’s not that T-Mobile is alone in this one. Virgin Mobile also won’t pay for testing and approval on firmware upgrades. They will test and approve bug fix releases – but it’s a no go when pushing out firmware that actually adds stuff. If you’re wondering why your Virgin Mobile Galaxy S II and EVO V’s chances of getting Jelly Bean got smaller, it’s because of that.
These problems show a painful part of the wireless industry, where manufacturers and carriers simply are not getting along. Carriers insist on testing and approving code that hits devices for which they subsidize… but then, they don’t want to incur the costs and resources needed to do it.
For carriers, it’s a calculated business decision. The failed Sony Tablet P on AT&T didn’t get Android 4.0, because approximately ninety percent of units sold, were sold as rebadged “refurbished” units, that actually were new old stock for which neither Sony nor AT&T could convince anyone to purchase new. This decision hits carriers like T-Mobile, and prepaid operators like Virgin Mobile the most.
Carriers defend this action, of course not on record to PhoneNews.com, as being necessary due to the risk they take. If an over-the-air update bricks a phone, they are going to be named in the class-action lawsuit that will follow… unless they bite the bullet and replace all the bricked phones. After all, the carrier is typically the company that purchases and resells the device, and has tested the firmware that came with the device, as well as powered the network that delivered the update.
But it’s the tech-savvy that are also most likely to be the ones who seek out, and will pick the winners in budget wireless. Virgin Mobile and T-Mobile have both realized this on the plan/pricing side of things, as they’re the ones pitching unlimited data once again.
Once again, we’re left calling in people that shouldn’t be involved in the situation, to fix the problem. Consumers need to complain to the carriers about their interdiction of firmware updates, even if it’s for an old device that is no longer for sale. Often times, the carriers make it downright impossible to file a complaint properly… does anyone at T-Mobile or Virgin Mobile think that customer service is going to log that kind of a complaint properly?
In the end, we’re left calling up Google and Microsoft for help. Microsoft has promised to offer “unofficial” firmware updates for Windows Phone 8 devices (at least, whenever a carrier pulls what T-Mobile apparently did here), though they have admitted to PhoneNews.com on background they really aren’t sure if that’s going to be possible, let alone how it will be implemented. While Android is more powerful, its freedom makes Android far more technically difficult for Google to modularize. Google is going to have a tough time taking over updating Android System as a component, a la Windows Update on desktop Windows, or Software Update on a Mac.
One could just say buy Apple, and you’re promised firmware updates… since Apple controls both the hardware and software. Problem is, as we’ve noted in the past, Apple doesn’t hold their own there either. iPhone 3GS gets iOS 6.0 and 6.1, where as the equal-or-better iPod touch and iPad get left in the cold at iOS 5.1. We don’t think it’s a good idea to let one company control everything, it tends to get rid of the competition that forces firmware updates (and continuous improvement) in the first place.
We do give credit where credit is due. T-Mobile woke up on unlimited data. But, they had to or face complete irrelevancy. From the old Nokia Nuron, to the atrocities that Sidekick 4G owners had to endure, to the latest slap-in-the-face to Lumia 710 owners… they still don’t get it, apparently. We’re getting tired of telling the about it for free.
To T-Mobile and Virgin Mobile, our message is pretty clear. You’re on an island with your firmware update policies. And it’s a bad island to be on, because we’re on the verge of telling customers to jump ship over crap like this. It sure stinks already.
Well said but you need to add Metro PCS to this, since Metro started selling android phones,only ONE phone had an official upgrade the horrible Huawei Asend from android 2.1 to 2.2.
None of the others have received any upgrades since then and no one seems to say anything about it.
Do you ever research anything? You do know that Sprint/Virgin Mobile updated the S2 and HTC Evo from gingerbread to ICS before they released on Virgin Mobile. In fact, Virgin Mobile customers with the Evo got ICS before the contract customers on Sprint.
John, the editorial still stands unless you can provide proof that Virgin Mobile is still actively updating devices after they’ve been released. The issue isn’t about Virgin Mobile releasing new devices with updated versions of Android, the issue is Virgin Mobile refusing to provide updated versions of Android for existing devices.
First, I was pointing out that Phonenews should do some research. Second, in reference to the S2 and The HTC EVO on Virgin Mobile, why should Sprint/ Virgin Mobile update those 2 phone twice. Sprint, Verizon, AT&T do not update there contract phones 2 times. But a prepaid company should. Get real. Straight Talk released the S2 with gingerbread for there customers.
John Brown,
The S2 and EVO updates were contractually agreed to prior to the device’s launch. They were part of the initial offering. That’s why. Further, if you read our articles, you would know that HTC was considering/working on Jelly Bean for the EVO V 4G on Virgin Mobile. We broke that news at the time. Didn’t you research PhoneNews.com? Yes, we can get snarky in our responses, too.
Nowhere did we say these companies do not offer, or ban generational firmware updates. We noted iPhone on Virgin Mobile gets updates, and we noted Windows Phone 7.5 for the Lumia line on T-Mobile, right smack dab in the article. Didn’t you read it?
The Galaxy S II is based off of the Galaxy Nexus, and costs next to nothing to engineer Android updates for as a result. It is an exception as a result, not the norm.
We do our research… you just look silly now for claiming we don’t. It’s always free to ask (politely) why we didn’t address one particular situation or outlier.
John Dow,
We thought about addressing MetroPCS, but since it is going to be acquired by T-Mobile, it really is the same situation under the same umbrella now.
Many regional/rural carriers don’t offer updates at all, and that’s because of legitimate cost/resource constraints in many cases. Still, it is good advice for rual telecoms to make room for firmware whenever possible.
T-Mobile was the second carrier by only a few days to release JB for the SIII. Even the middling Samsung Galaxy Exhibit (exhibit II 4g) received firmware updates through late summer. And yet HTC’s flagship at T-Mobile, the One S, still sits on ICS. If you’re going to “…give credit…” why don’t you give some to the hardware makers? Clearly when the manufacturer has influence and penetration they can get their devices supported.
Also, isn’t Virgin a value carrier? What type of support do you expect by aligning yourself with one of the lowest cost providers? Make no mistake, Virgin is bad but I do remember getting a Gingerbread update on my old Samsung Intercept and thats on an MVNO at that. Wait, do I see a trend here?
Matt, I can tell you from my Optimus V being stuck forever on Froyo, that Virgin Mobile’s quick response with one device… can be equally depressing on the other side of the device fence.
We tallied up all the Virgin Mobile device updates (or lack thereof) and there have been more misses than hits when it comes to generational updates, especially when overlaying the exact same devices on the Sprint roadmap.
DING. DING. DING. The winner and still undefeated. J.B.Real. You made no point at all in your reply.
I checked the Sprint newsroom and there was no mention of HTC making a Jelly Bean update for the Evo. HTC does not speak for Sprint/Virgin Mobile. So that is just a rumor or a article filler. Like I said Research before you post.
BTW. I had the Samsung Intercept on Virgin Mobile when they did the froyo update. It did not go a smooth as they liked judging by there facebook page response. So Sprint may feel OTA are not worth the hassle.
John Brown, you’re not making any sense at all. You’re seriously saying that because you can’t find a press release on Sprint’s site about a topic that it either didn’t happen or wasn’t correct at the time? Please.
And that “J.B.Real.” makes you sound like a real tool. Which, it sounds like you really are.
@Tom S. If you can read? Sprint owns Virgin Mobile. Sprint’s newsroom has all the official press releases on Sprint phones. So I’m a tool because I choose to believe what Sprint says about there phones updates over phonenews.com. Tom, you do know that phonenews.com is not the NY Times. Phonenews.com can say whatever they want.
Tom. Question. Do you know the difference between the NYTimes and Phonenews.com?
7,8,9,10. Tom has been knocked out like Manny Pacman.
John, seek help. Professional help.
Sprint doesn’t issue a press release for every internal decision or action, like contemplating/planning a firmware update. There would be no need for sites like PhoneNews.com if they did.
You are the only person on the planet that cares that Sprint didn’t publish a press release on some internal decision making related to one of their prepaid group devices. Sheesh.
@Tom. So I need help because you don’t know the difference between Phonenews.com and the NY Times (Facts). Also, What you wrote about Sprint newsroom shows you need to be sitting at the kid’s tablet when adults are talking.
7, 8, 9, 10. Down goes Tom. Down goes Tom.
@Chris,
What can we, as a consumer, do with a situation like this? Who can we contact, or write a letter to?
Jose,
There’s not much you can do, other than to vote with your wallet. We did note you should call customer service for your carrier and complain, but dumping a carrier that denies your device an update will do much more.
Carriers have impressive amounts of research and analytics. They can tell when customers with a particular device start to churn over to another carrier.
If one in ten Lumia 710 owners called up T-Mobile and ported out over this, it wouldn’t ever happen again. But that’s an unrealistic scenario, probably only one in ten understand the situation enough to even be aware that T-Mobile could block such an update.
Probably the best thing to do, whenever reasonable, is to purchase a device with minimal carrier influence, like a Nexus 4 or Galaxy Nexus LTE. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen much movement towards offerings like that in the Windows Phone, BlackBerry, or iOS universes. Android typically attracts nearly all the customers who are smart enough to know how carriers can (emphasis, can) screw up device firmware.