They had it in a store right across the street from my building, but the owner was not interested in helping me out with the same deal as T-Mo online ($199 w/a 2-yr. agreement/upgrade).

Anyway, I'm just now off the phone w/ T-Mo, and the CSR told me its still "pending shipment", and that it is in stock. Hmph.

What's the real story?

I typed up my experiences and sent a fax to Customer Relations. This is getting ridiculous.

just to jump on the band wagon here. I ordered mine on the 13th. I just got off the phone with Tmo CC and they said mine was due to arrive on the 22. Then he went on to tell me that the phone was on back order and the phone hasnt shipped. Also said that he wasnt sure when i would get it. NICE WORK! They really should have more of a plan/resolution for this. I'm not placing the blame fully on them as im sure the demand is high. However they should at least have some details as to whats going on with their order status!

In a word: ignorance.

They can't tell us whether they have the phone, when it will ship, when it might appear on our doorsteps, what the hold-up is, why they don't have any of this information available... or who to call to get more details.

The real story is ignorance. In a company this size, that saw this launch coming a mile away and didn't properly prepare, ignorance = shoddy customer service.

In full agreement. It is not the employees, but it is the info, or lack of info, the employees have that is deplorable. I can understand this lack of info for a day or two last week, but by now, the "powers that be" KNOW there is a problem. Any company that cares at all about it's public image and customer service would be sure CS has the proper info by now. If the computer system can't handle it, a MEMO, albeit old fashioned, still works!

Absolutely...

In my fax to Cust Relations I praised the employees that I've talked to, they've been totally nice and as helpful as they are equipped to be, but somebody dropped the ball...

Check the tracking again.

I ordered mine on Wed morninig and today it finally has shipped!

They are shipping it 1 day air too! I guess to make up for the fact that I ordered it almost a week ago.

Oh well, I went to a corp. store yesterday and picked one up, so I guess I'll have 2 LOL.

PJ

Did you call for that info, or did you just check the ref. # @ UPS.com?
Had you checked earlier this morning, and then later on today?

Hopefully mine will be waiting when I get home from work in a couple of hours...I've also had my shipping refunded...I just wish there was a T-Mo store in NC so I could go pick it up in person

Same question from me...

I can only hope for it to be at home when I get there from work, but most likely it won't. I ordered mine on Tuesday and nothing. I've already been on the phone with T-Mo twice and had my shipping refunded. I told them I would give the phone until Tuesday if not I'm cancelling my account, they said that "if the phone doesn't show up by then, they would do their best to rectify the situation"...yeah...ok.

Here was MY reply to that flaccid assurance:

http://www.blackberryforums.com/320040-post66.html

Ok...so I ordered mine Tuesday morning-a full day prior to your order. Why would yours ship before mine? Nothing against you for being lucky enough to get your order shipped--but what's the deal with that?

!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a very interesting situation... We have not received our unit either (ordered on Tuesday). I have just called to check on today's reason and when I say "upgrade" then "BlackBerry" to the IVR I'm promptly hung up on.

I finally talked to a rep and she tells me Backordered - even though the website still accepts orders. She was of course "nice as pie" and very apologetic. When We checked on Friday the rep filled out a "handset research form" and the response was the above updated today.

I'm speaking to retention right now to try to get a clear answer regarding the handset.

[In a way I feel bad for T-MO... we have to deal with RIM all the time and tell us when they are sending stuff and then change that date all the time - I wonder if TMO is in the same boat???]

She's back on the line... no help.

So in closing it may be a situation [My opinion] that they have pulled it to flash which is not un-precedented - I guess we will see.

Why won't they tell me that? WHY!??! I've asked 'em 3 times; "Is it backordered?" "No, sir."


"pulled it to flash"? What does that mean?

Maybe happy ending...ordered online 10am Tuesday the 12th as an upgrade. Called on Thursday CS said pending, called Friday am, CS said it is pending but should arrive on Friday. It didn't. Called 7pm Firday, CS said pending but will refund my express shipping; Called Monday Sept 18th a noon, CS says my phone is backordered (she also said people who ordered over the phone still say pending). She cancelled the online order and called a local shop to check stock. I am suppose to get the same pricing and they are holding one for me. Kind of a pain in the ass, but at least they are trying to resolve it for me without any more stress.

I'm thinking about heading that route.. I do kinda enjoy being able to "defer" payment by ordering online, but I guess I can just pony-up the $ and do the in-store thing... I'd really like to hear from my friends at Customer Relations first...

Well, all I can say is what a bummer for everyone. This thread is the most replied to thread in the 8100 forum. It's now surpassed the Holster thread! What a way to start the rollout of a device!

just got home.....no phone, no ups notice...sigh.

Just negotiated a cancel / store pick-up for tonight. Phew!!!

I just called TMO customer service and found that my 8100 is backordered! Like most people here, I placed my order Tuesday morning (with standard free shipping) and it went on backorder today.

The TMO rep was helpful (filed a missing handset form) and apologetic, but she didn't quite know when to shut up... When I told her that I didn't understand why a phone I ordered early on the first day it became available should be backordered, she said, "My supervisor ordered his on Tuesday as well". I asked if his was on backorder. "No", she replied, "He has his".

Arghhh.

What I meant by flashed is ... Sometimes on new handsets a last minute software change is implemented - those handsets in the warehouse get flashed (updated to the new OS) before being shipped. Handsets in the field will be field flashed by the customer.

Maybe they are fixing the problem with missing phone calls due to the track ball moving in your pocket. If That is the case, it is worth the wait.

I too have had the same issue as the rest of you. I was told it was pending, then it shipped, then it is pending. So Friday, I walked in a store, bought one for the upgrade price. I still have one coming in via UPS some day. I may return it or keep it, unlock it and sell it for a pretty penny on Ebay.

haha, you know what? If this phone doesn't show up by Wed, I'm telling them the same exact thing...see what they say...or not say...haha.

I just thought I would add my tmo situation on here....
I called the morning of the 12th- and placed order- and express shipping- I was told it would arrive by Friday. It was an upgrade so pearl price was $199-- Wednesday AM I received a text message stating my account had been billed $433, thanks for the upgrade. I called tmo- the rep I spoke with miskeyed the model number and ordered me a Nokia. The rep apologized and placed the pearl order, as well as told me to not accept the shipment on the Nokia to get credit. She also told me her sup rushed shipping on the BB.
Thursday there was no shipping info on ups website. I called and was told neither phone has been shipped. The Nokia would arrive Monday and the Pearl on Friday the 22nd. This rep credited me the express shipping on both phones (like this was a big favor- why would i pay express on the wrong phone! and a phone that is delayed one week!)
I looked on ups today and there was one tracking number arriving today- I called tmo- it is the Nokia-- the rep today tells me the Pearl is on backorder--I asked when that happened- she told me it has been backordered since the day I ordered the phone (wed!) and she was shocked no one told me.
I asked if I could go into the store and just pick it up-- well the answer was NO! this past thursday I filled out migration forms so I could use my corp discount. So now it appears as a business phone and they dont allow in store upgrades!
The rep today again was very sorry but had no clue when the Pearl would be available!

that suxx man... well goodluck

Was able to cancel my online order and pick one up in my local store a few minutes ago... Good luck to those still waiting...

I just got off the phone with CC and have been told that T-Mobile has now been officially told (by whom I don't know) that the device is on backorder, AND that the backorder is 4 days. I've been instructed to add 4 days to the original arrival estimate. In my case, that would mean the phone would arrive on Thursday.

Given all that's happened, I'm not going to hold my breath, but... it's good that they're finally saying something.

Get this: My corporate rep told us to check back in mid-October for upgrades. Holy balls. I might just cry. Stupid gadget addiction.

Not trying to make anyone angry here, but I ordered my pearl from T-mobile today at 2pm( I'm a NEW customer), and it has already shipped, and I've already gotten a tracking # that says delivery on the 20th. does it seem to anyone else that they're reserving these for new customers, and putting existing cumstomers on backorder?

The phones are coming from different warehouses.

Same thing here, I'm on the phone with them right now...but they say that my arrival date is the 26th now. Yet I ordered the phone on the 12th and was told by two reps that the phone was in stock. Great.

OK just an update for you guys and gals. I posted earlier and i ordered on the 13th. I just checked UPS ( had been checking it all day) and it said it shipped. says i will get it on the 21 and the orginally told me the 20th. Says it's comming out of HORSHAM, PA, US. I guess thats might be the closest place to Kansas City they have, but i doubt it. Maybe they are just in short supply. Hope others start getting theirs.

I just randomly checked tracking info for our order and it now shows up... UPS next day saver coming from Phili.

Did my call to TMO-Retention team work or is it just a coincidence?

I will let you know when we get it.

My Billing info and tracking # are up it notes to check back for shipping info. I placed my order on the 14th around noon.

I have a 7100t (for about 6 months). Ordered the 8100 from CS. Very new to Blackberries.Now you guys have me all worried. I ordered the 8100 on Wednesday close to midnight. Guess I wont see it till October??? That makes me wanna cancel my order and go back to Cingular. I'll wait till Friday.

I ordered mine on Thursday, have you checked UPS lately to see if they have it yet?

FINALLY SHIPPED!!!!

man that felt like forever and jsut today i caleld to check on the status (again) and told it probably wouldnt ship til thursday or friday so i advise everyone check the reference number on ups.com

I started laughing when I read this! I feel the exact same way!