[NJBlackBerry]

It is out. Just not for "consumers". It has been out in the business channel for several weeks. It's superb.

[EGottlieb]

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

It is out. Just not for "consumers". It has been out in the business channel for several weeks. It's superb.

You are so mean to egg them on like that... but you are right. I also have a TMO 7290 and it is fantastic. I did prefer the 7230's blue color over the greyish-barely-blue-sorta color of the 7290...

And one of the best parts, for those of us not on a BES, is that it actually has both the t-zones browser and the elusive Blackberry Browser.

[NJBlackBerry]

I specifically chose the word consumers instead of prosumers, a phrase I detest. Frankly, I have no idea why T-Mobile is dragging their feet getting the 7290 out into the retail channel. They certainly would sell well. Only thing I can come up with is a large inventory of 7230s.

I like the greyish-barely-blue-sorta color (they told me the official name last week, but I've forgotten it) over the 7230s blue, but that's personal preference.

I didn't mean to egg anyone on. Sorry

[BBTMO]

For all of you that want the 7290 it will be available for upgrade from Customer Care on Wednesday May 4th. It will only be available to purchase in a 108 stores nationwide on that day. It will then rollout to other stores in the coming weeks.

The reason that they launched the device first to corporate customers is to try it out on them first. They did this with the Treo last year and the 7730. I know that it isn't fun but that is the way it goes. Trial and error.

The price of the 7290 will be $349.99. As of yet there are no announced rebates available.

Have fun!!

[jacobsaa]

How much will it cost if you dont add a new line of service?

[BBTMO]

If you are more than 11 months since the last time that you recieved a discount or upgraded and you are on a plan that is 39.99 or higher probably the same price or they might have a mail in rebate?? Don't have that answer yet.

If you are less than 11 months than it will $349.99 plus 20 if you renew your contract so that it ends 1 year from the day that you do the upgrade.

Hope that helps ya.

[BBTMO]

For those of you that are asking questions about unlocking a phone, the only carrier that will do it if you ask is T-Mobile. The only requirement is that you have had your service for at least 3 months (90 days to be exact). Then you call customer care and tell them what you want. They will in turn take down your email and fill out a form and you will recieve the unlock code within 3 days to your email.

I have only seen it happen once where ATT gave a customer a unlock code. Other carriers don't want to share. When you see a phone that is unlock, it is because someone online has recieved the unlocking program that will perform an unlock for that type of phone and carrier. All unlock codes are IMEI/carrier specific. There is never a generic unlock code for a phone. If someone tells you otherwise they are wrong. It is a formula made up of your IMEI and the MCC-MNC (the carrier codes for that country) that has it locked. Most of the Cingular phones before they joined ATT were unlocked if they were US Cingular.

Sorry about the long speech. Just trying to help.

[NJBlackBerry]

My only additional comment (and because BBTMO works for TMO, he is 100% right) is that you can only unlock one phone per phone number every 6 months (correct me if I am wrong - I think it is 6 months). I ran into that because I got a 7730 and shortly after that a 7100t, and they wouldn't let me unlock the second one since I had just recently unlocked the 7730. T-Mobile has been great about unlocking. I travel to an occasional place that does not have a roaming agreement with T-Mobile, so I like the freedom of unlocking phones.

[BBTMO]

Correct on the 6 months. Although you can sometimes get away with not having to wait, depending on the situation. Let me know if anyone has any questions. I have been and Indirect dealer for 4 years (Selling every carrier) and then went direct T-Mobile for the last 3 years. I will help where I can and try and clear up misconceptions when they come.

Thanks

[JoeCoolosu]

I have been waiting patiently since the beginning of Apr for the 7290. I really hope that it become available on the consumer market soon. I returned my aniversary present a 7230 to wait out the 7290 because of the better features. I am hoping out of those 108 stores on Wednesday that one of them in the Northern-VA area has it!

Thanks
Joe

[blkberryboy]

Hey I think those of us wanting the 7290 and that are not cooporate users should start a line in front of a T-Mo store, much like those Star Wars fans, and camp out till the release date.

I am still waiting and wanting the 7290. I have even found myself paroosing Cingular stores just to get a look at one in person.

Holding my breath and turning blue,

[BBTMO]

You will be holding your breath a little long. Just make sure that you call CC on the morning of the 4th. It should appear on there list that day. Those of you that want to go to a store. GOOD LUCK. There is now 1100 Direct stores in the US and 108 are getting maybe one to 10 of them. You need to uderstand that sometimes when stores get the phones the system won't let them ring it out for an upgrade. When a phone just comes out it blocks out the upgrade program for that phone. Policy is that when a new phone comes out there is limited stock therefore and existing customer can wait 3 to 5 days to recieve it in the mail, whereas a brand new customer won't wait at all and we seek other places (including indirects, online sales, etc) to get the phones and the direct store will lose the sale. It also has to do with the manager. He or She will usually set a limit of when no more upgrades going out with a model. It the stock for example of a phone is down to 5 or 10 or 15 left depending on the model and no more coming on the way then they will not do upgrades in the store for that model for the same reason above. Sorry but that is the way that it goes. It sucks but if you think about it that way from a sales/corporate plan it makes sense.

Call all day on the 4th. If anything changes today I will let you guys all know tonight.

[NJBlackBerry]

Also be careful what color blue you turn. For the 7290, you probably want to turn more of a gun slate grey rather than a blue like the 7230s.

[blkberryboy]

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

Also be careful what color blue you turn. For the 7290, you probably want to turn more of a gun slate grey rather than a blue like the 7230s.

LOL... Good One... Gun Slate or Gun Metal??? Is there a difference? I guess its an east coast thing like pop and soda, the debate rages on

Still I'm waiting for my 7290, but look out forum when I get it...

[NJBlackBerry]

I can live with gun metal. I think if you hold your breath long enough you turn the 7230 blue...

[Soapm]

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

I can live with gun metal. I think if you hold your breath long enough you turn the 7230 blue...

Blue steel?

I hope my wait is over, I just got a 7290 for $242 of ebay. It says it's unlocked. Time will tell!

[wangta01]

Originally Posted by blkberryboy

I am still waiting and wanting the 7290. I have even found myself paroosing Cingular stores just to get a look at one in person.

Sorry of this is out of line or in the wrong section, but I was wondering why everyone here is waiting for the Tmobile version of this when the cingular version is out (besides the obvious $$ issue)? I've heard Cingular is better coverage wise, and the CDMA version for Verizon is supposed to be incredible.

I'm a current Tmobile member and have been thinking about switching to a different carrier due to coverage and the fact my 7100t resets 50% of the time in the middle of phone calls....

[blkberryboy]

I prefer T-Mobile. It is as simple as that. When I last looked into it the same plan on T-Mo was much less than other carriers. Besides the fact that I have been with T-Mo for almost 4 years, and we all know (I Hope) that membership has its rewards, especially when I have any kind of dispute.

[freakyshiat]

T-Mobile 7290 'request for info' form
http://www.getyourblackberry.com/

[jacobsaa]

If you own service already, I am pretty sure the only place you can go is a T-Mobile Store. They will discount the phone, based on how long you have been a customer. You do not have to wait (when going to a tmobile store) until you are eligable for an upgrade, however, you will pay more the shorter amount of time you are with T-Mob's.