PhoneNews.com can confirm that MetroPCS is planning to rollout EVDO data access in non-AWS markets beginning at the end of this month with the launch of the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330, which will be an exclusive to Best Buy locations in Metro PCS markets with legacy CDMA band support (such as Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Dallas, Atlanta, Sacramento, San Francisco) on 800/1900 MHz.
The Curve is identical to the models found on Sprint and Verizon, and will also feature full BIS support for an additional $10 on top of the $50 rate plan.
The cost for the device is set at $449.99 according to the most recent roadmap with corporate locations and third-party dealers offering the device after the requisite training has been completed by both dealers and techs, with customer issues to be handled by Best Buy until the device launches through the direct store and dealer network later on in the year.
AWS markets will not be carrying the Curve as it does not feature the necessary support for CDMA AWS 1700 with no word on availability outside legacy markets.
That should get the IDEN Curve on Boost all the sooner then
[…] If you’re new to the site, you may want to subscribe to the the feed.According to a report on PhoneNews.com, MetroPCS will begin offering data services on their EVDO network in non-AWS markets. The plan, as […]
MetroPCS does not have EVDO, nor do they have plans to launch it. They may carry a Blackberry but it will be on 1x.
“Nice But Wrong”:
Incorrect. Try again. Metro offers EvDO in certain regions.
Nice But Wrong
I covered this almost two years ago:
https://phone.news/metropcs-to-upgrade-and-launch-new-markets-with-evdo-service-2480/
Read harder, please. 🙂
That’s all the more reason for to bring out the IDEN Curve
Well, you can put a Curve 8350i on Boost service, you just can’t access the BlackBerry Messenger Service. And, SMS Messaging doesn’t work well (speaking from experience using the 7250 on Boost in the past).
Considering that Boost is already cutting profit margins quite thin to do the $50/month Unlimited Plan, I suspect they’ll avoid offering the Curve on Boost for at least the short term. It would require adding to the price-point for just the Curve, and in doing so, make MetroPCS service appear more attractive. Not to mention that MetroPCS has EVDO data, the Curve 8350i is sorely lacking in that department.
Knowing how Boost picks products, I suspect they are waiting for Motorola’s iDEN messaging handsets to fill that void on Boost, encouraging customers to migrate back to Sprint for the iDEN BlackBerry… Boost has had many chances to pick up BlackBerry in the past, and they’ve continued to ignore the market potential. MetroPCS, on the other hand, had to build out the BlackBerry server support (Boost could have easily tapped Nextel’s existing servers, making the burden much less on their part).
Makes sense, I see them adding a $15-$25 BIS fee, charging the same or $50 less than MetroPCS and letting it ride
[…] this dated Feb 3. Metro PCS to Launch BlackBerry Curve 8330 with EVDO Data Access | PhoneNews.com Wonder if they will flash released phones, like they will a […]
Hey Humberto,
Where can I get more info about this subject ?
Can I ask where did you get the information and how reliable is to become a fact ?
I don’t mean to discredit you I just want to believe this is for real since I have heard this in so many forums in the past.
Thank you for any input.
Metro is also launching a touch screen phone next month in GA it is out in FL already..
i live in FL and i havent seen any touch screen phone in metro pcs
I went 2 metro 2day and they say the touchscreen phone is comin out at the end of march its not out yet. And since u kno so damn much what is the brand and model of this phone? bcuz they havent release dat much info 2 us
It could very well be the Huawei model we found at CES:
https://phone.news/ces-huawei-shows-off-touch-cdma-phone-6230/
Or, Samsung may have taken one of their Instinct-alikes and ported it to MetroPCS.
The touch screen for metro will be a Samsung Finesse (it’s the same as Samsung Delve but AWS capable). A motorola touchscreen is also coming out. A non touchscreen phone that looks nice for MetroPCS will be the Motorola Hint (already offered by Alltel)
Also I believe there’s a rumor of another Samsung Touchscreen based off the Samsung Omnia… but I’m not 100% certain on that.
And the release dates for the touchscreens are late March to early April. The Motorola Hint is late February to early March.
What date exactly is the Blackberry coming out in Georgia anyone know? (Atlanta)
Has anyone been to the corporate stores of MetroPCS to see or hear of any business like phones
viz. Blackberry, Palm, Omnia, HTC touch?
Thanks
When will orlando market get the evdo Data for the black berry service
does anyone know when the blackberry curve for metro pcs will be released? Live in the sf bayarea need to know
I live in San Francisco.
I have needed a new phone since Aug of 2008. I heard way back then by a service agent at an offical METRO store that they were already testing a PDA (which is what i want to get). Since then, everytime i go in i ask for updates on the status of any kind of advanced phone (effective scheduler, internet/email ECT). I went in last week to an official store to buy a new phone – needless to say, it litterally hanging on a cord. Knowing my wants she suggested that i wait until the end of March to purchase a new phone. She mentioned that a samsung touchscreen will come out (the specific model she did state but i cannot remember). She did however, tell me that it was the same touch screen available through T-Mobile – which i now cannot seem to find on t-mobiles website.
In conclusion: This is merely a comment. Maybe the chick i was speaking with didn’t really know what she was talking about. But i have been told EVERYTIME i have went in to an official store that the PDA/Touchscreen will be coming out at the end of MARCH. She assured me one week ago that the testing has been completed and has passed and just has a little more red tape to pass through before it gets to us. Whether its a PDA or touchscreen i don’t know. But i have only heard of a SAMSUNG coming out – by the four service representitives i have asked. Never a blackberry or anyother brand.
THIS IS ALL I KNOW. I have never been on this website, but like you -more than likely- i stumbled upon it trying to find more information. It seems that i may have heard a little more than people in my area. I hope this information helps.
And also; ASK!! everytime you pay your bill in an official store or call Metro. They have to tell you. I’m not saying that anyone isn’t, cause i’m sure like me, all of you are. Be sure to get yourself updates though.. It seems that metro isn’t too big on introducing new things when all of us want it; They wait and want you to sck.
I asked a customer rep on the phone if metro was coming out with a smartphone, and he replied “yes. A Blackberry will be released in April.” He didn’t elaborate as to the model or anything.
P.S. I live in FarNorCal. By Redding, CA
The curve blackberry phone is hitting the market at the end of Feb,March.. it will be only at Best Buy.. Maybe it will roll out to all other stores in April 2009
I would like to know when the metro blackberry are coming to the miami forlaudale area.
thanks
No boost is not getting it all sooner.. Metro Pcs is the Way To Go… Tried Boost No good…
Metro Pcs is Best in NO CONTRACTS & But Beeter Yet BETTER PLANS THAN AT&T AND BOOST !
Sorry Go METRO PCS!! IM GETTING THE BLACKBERRY FOR M/PCS!
Does any of the forum moderators know more info about the main subject ???
Is the blackberry still going to be avaliable anytime soon for metro pcs ??
Thank you.
As a MetroPCS employee, I can confirm that MetroPCS will be offering…in most markets… a Blackberry Phone during the second QTR of ’09. This was announced in yesterday’s (2/26/09) earnings conference call. The Blackberry unlimited data plan will (most likely) be an additional $5~$10/month depending on the service plan you choose.
In addition, MetroPCS will also begin offering highspeed LTE service by the end of the year. System upgrades are already taking place.
Metro Employee, are you sure that Metro is in fact conducting cellsite upgrades to LTE? I live in the DFW area and keep in touch with a lot of contractors that do the field installs, and I’ve heard nothing to the effect that Metro has begin zoning or even preliminary site selection for LTE equipment installation or backhaul upgrades.
Everything I’ve been told from engineers and internal lab testers indicates that LTE is getting pushed back a year due to a lack of immediate capital for network investment
Metro employee or Humbero,
When will the blackberry or the motorola hint be out…..
Mac needs to offer the iPhone at other companies other than AT&T.
As metro employee stated, the BB is to release at Best Buy stores in the 2nd quarter of 2009 (that’s sometime in April, May or June). Except in the AWS markets.
Moto Hint is due out March 25th or so.
Moto Evoke is being released soon by Motorola, but not sure when Metro will pick it up. I know that at least one of the touchscreens is to be released with the Hint … https://direct-secure.motorola.com/hellomoto/us/qa4/registration.html
But no idea when it will hit metro. There are also the Huawei C7500 touchscreen and the Samsung Finesse (sch-r810) coming.
Some of you guys act like damn babies getting all emotional about some dumb phones. Believe me, when the new cool phones are released, you can best believe you will hear about it…Gosh…relax
I live in the Metro Detroit area of Michigan. Will the Blackberry Curve 8330 be available in my area, or only the areas listed in the article?
my sis works for metro (assistant manager) and she said the samsung instinct is coming out on the 3rd week of this month and its gonna be about $300 and some change. she said that he blackberry curve and the instinct is already in her system but it hasnt launched out yet. but she said for people to start going to corporate and check out the phones and see if its there cause your not gonna see it online on metropcs.com right now.
I work for MetroPCS in the Orlando market. The Motorla Hint will be released at the end of March, the Motorola Evoke is the touch-screen Motorola and will be released when New York and Boston open as a MetroPCS home network. The Samsung R810 Finesse is just an upgraded form of the Samsung R800 offered by US Cellular. Touch screen and expandable memory with an mp3 player and video technology. The Blackberry Curve will not be released until at least the 3rd quarter of 2009, if not later. It just went into testing with our Metro Corporate Rep. The BIS plan will be $10 added to the current $50 plan. For those that don’t need a touch screen, MetroPCS is also coming out with the Kyocera Neo. It’s a dumbed down version of the current Kyocera S4000 MAKO. Haven’t heard a woirk about the Huawei touch screen except that I believe it will not be a reliabe phone as all Huawei’s are pieces of crap.
Thats correct MetroPCS Orlando
The Motorola Hint (March 25 Launch)
Motorola Evoke
The Black Berry
Samsung R810
They are all in the system and ready to go..
What’s highspeed LTE, EVDO and AWS? Can anyone enlighten me on what these terms pertain to, or their accurate definitions?
Anyone there to answer my question?
AWS – The 1700 MHz of radio spectrum, reserved for Advanced Wireless Services
EVDO – Evolution-Data Optimized, an upgrade to CDMA networks that gives broadband-like internet access
LTE – Long Term Evolution, a 4G network platform that MetroPCS will be replacing CDMA with
Next time, please run a few quick Google searches. All of those acronyms could be found easily with searching online.
How long will it take for Metro to replace CDMA with LTE? Will we have to get new phones?
Eventually, yes you will have to get a new phone. But, that will be years after 2010. MetroPCS will keep the existing CDMA network active for years after they introduce LTE in an area.
It’s not known how long it will take for MetroPCS to roll out LTE… mostly because nobody has deployed LTE technology yet anywhere in the world. It’s an unproven technology at this point.
Awesome! Thanks! I’m going to get my Crackberry when it’s released to Best Buy next month. If you get it at Best Buy, you can get the jump on everyone else, who will have to wait till the 3Q.
Thank’s for the info Chris, BTW, didn’t have time to google, editing video.
Any of you guys have a date for the blackberry (metro pcs) release at best buy ?? I understand it will come out first at best buy and then at metro stores.
This will be a hit for sure.
Not an exact date. I’ve read anywhere from April up to May. I hope it’s sooner rather than later!
its supposed to hit best buy march 10th and the finesse march 29….third quarter release for the blackberry is retail stores and dealers
March 10?!!! Dear LORD in Heaven!!! I’ll have to beg someone to give me a ride to Best Buy on Tuesday. I can’t wait a week.
[…] (RIM), CDMA2000, EV-DO, MetroPCS Following up on our initial report regarding the forthcoming release of the BlackBerry Curve on MetroPCS, the first image and […]