Friday, August 22nd Update:
- Should be available in most stores today! Can be ordered online or over the phone. Read on for a whole mess of info and comments. Be sure to let us know if/when/where you got one!
- Wow. It was dicey, but I GOT A BOLD. Seems most stores got very limited numbers with this first shipment. 2 units for most, our local flagship had 6. Really pathetic. Pretty much all of them sold out instantly. Some people got lucky, some didn't. In a few cases the Bolds that did come in got snatched by employees immediately. But I'm just happy to have landed one. And more should be coming daily now. Lots of stuff to come!
Updates:
- Bold now showing up on Rogers' business website >>
- Rogers has changed the BOLD section of their site. Go to Rogers.com/bold >>
- 8:44est - Wow...just called into the 1-866-647-2371 number listed on the Rogers website. Talk about not knowing what's going on. First guy told me $624 to upgrade to it on a 2 year contract (I said that seemed a "little high") so he forwarded me through to a nice lady in Customer Retention. She spent 20 minutes trying to pull info up, and said she had nothing other than the tech specs. Since it wasn't in "stock", she had no data, so couldn't do anything for me as of yet and had no clue as to pricing, availability, etc. Nice Rogers. Nice.
- Be sure to view the comments - some people are having success it seems.
- Check out THIS IMAGE from the Bold's Product Listing on Rogers.com. Hilarious Pricing.
- Sick of talking to people on the phone who seem to be COMPLETELY uninformed about everything related to the Bold. Leaving my office. Going Rogers Bold hunting in person. There's got to be one available for purchase in this city. If I don't come home with a new Bold, KEVIN SMASH.
- Have called everyone local who sells. Have *some* hope in one place still, but for the most part not looking good to pick one up in person.
- GGGRRrrr.... It seems trying to hunt down a Bold in person did not pay off. There were none to be had in my city at this time. They're coming... perhaps on late day UPS shipments, though most likely they will be in stock tomorrow. I did snap some consolation photos - here's a nice one of my Curve and KickStart beside a Rogers Bold dummy model. Really sucks when dealers have the dummy displays set up, but don't have the device to sell. Looks like Simon got his hands on a Rogers Bold out in Ottawa - you can check his unboxing pics here. My name is on a ton of call-back lists.... should know as soon as they arrive. Now to wait...
- it's FRIDAY. Back to the Hunt Again today. Hopefully with Better Success.
Original Post:
And by Red we of course mean Rogers Red BlackBerry Bolds. So the big day is here! August 21st, 2008. And according to Press Releases and Rogers Emails and Launch Invitations, that does mean TODAY is the day that Canadians should be able to buy a BlackBerry Bold from Rogers.
I say should, because as I write this we're really not sure that anyone will actually be able to walk into a Rogers store today and buy a BlackBerry Bold. Our buds over at BBcool posted yesterday evening that Rogers has failed epicly on this one - that Bold shipments have now been delayed until the end of August. It's 4:15am as I blog this (too darn excited to sleep... I want to go and buy my Bold in person!!) so am not quite ready to give up hope for an August 21st Rogers BlackBerry Bold just yet.
At this point, the last I have heard is still the same story we told earlier this week - Rogers gave the final stamp of approval to the Bold last Friday and the 9000R hit Rogers Sales Central system on Tuesday, meaning dealers could begin placing orders then. Assuming Bold shipments hit delivery trucks for Wednesday, there should be devices in stock for Thursday (today). They may not be there quite at store open, but hopefully soon after (drive FAST Mr. UPS man). And if the orders were put in a bit late on Sales Central, then we can still keep our fingers crossed that most dealers will take delivery of their Bold shipments on Friday and have the devices available then.
But honestly, I just don't know. I guess the FULL STORY will unfold over the course of the day. So use the comments on this Blog Post to keep the Rogers CrackBerry Community updated! Find a Bold at your local retailer? Let us know! Have further confirmation that we're SOL untill the end of the month? Let us know! Time to put the power of positive thinking to the test... puhleaze don't let us down Rogers!
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First comment!!!
But seriously, good luck on the Bold. I know the excitement of buying that new gadget all to well. I for one just don't feel all that motivated by the Bold. I think it is an great phone(like all BB's), but it doesn't move me to give up any of my current ones to get it. It has great features. But just not enough for me. I'm waiting for the Thunder or I might get one of those HTC phones. Whose to say. I love my Curve and I hope you get your 2nd Bold if I remember correctly and love it like I love my Curve.
I went into my local Rogers Plus store in Markham, Ontario yesterday and inquired about the Bold. I asked how much I could get the phone at with a hardware upgrade.
The guy took my information and looked up my pricing details and told me that being a Rogers customer, my hardware upgrade would mean that I get the phone at $649, plus the $35 charge, and then I could also take advantage of a $50 mail in rebate that gets deducted from my bill.
Being an educated Crackberry addict, I told him that $649 should be the retail price and all he is saving me is $15 dollars. He then tried to get me to commit to a three year contract including the $30 per month 6GB data plan asserting that it would save me money off the phone. Wrong again. Robbing Rogers wont even offer me a decent discount then.
If retail is $649, heck, even if its $700, Id rather pay retail then save $15 and have another 3 year contract.
Ive been waiting to patiently to get screwed over and it sucks.
So, I called around to alot of Rogers Stores in the Aurora/Newmarket area and got the same response " we are hoping to get the shipment in today,call back around 4pm"
I decided to call Rogers direct and I have been a customer for 9 years and I spend about 4K a year with them. They said for being a good customer we will give it to you for $599.00 - essentially I said F.O and let me speak to someone who knows what they are doing. They put me thru to Retention and told them I refuse to be taken for a ride and threatened to cancel my account for price gauging.
After discussing for 30 min, they gave me the BOLD for $399.00 plus they will credit my account $100.00 each month for the next 3 months. so after all is said I am paying $99.00 for the phone. It pays to know what WE ARE talking about and it pays to be a loyal customer!!
Good Luck to all, but I highly recommend calling Rogers direct and going thru customer retention, because the store level people don't have any authority and neither do the customer service people on the front lines of the call centre. - bypass them and go right to the people who are paid to keep you happy.
2-5 buisness days is what I have to wait to get my hands on the new device!!
I will start my whining on Monday - I spent 30 minutes (although it was 11pm in TO) with a CSR who said I could have it for $624 for three years, and hold on, $624 for two years. Have with with rogers for 9 years, am a BB addict and usually have found them amenable to change my plan to save me money. Sad thing was she had only heard about the Bold and could not find the listing in her computer. I will work on Rentention on Monday.
Any other interesting "First Day" stories out there? I am certain Rogers CSR managers read this site hourly!!
Well, you can purchase it off the site. ;)
I surely hope that Rogers doesn't drop the ball on this one. I am so pumped to get the Bold today. I went to a local Rogers store and asked if they would have it in stock for today and the guy says he didn't have any yet but he said to check in the day of the release. Then I called another and she said the same thing but she did say it's getting released today so....It's basically try your luck at Rogers stores today. If there is anyone in Brampton who gets one, I'd love to know where you got it!!
If all else fails, I will buy it online from Rogers...
I would buy one that is un-locked but these independent guys are asking for the World....So F*CK them!!
I walked into a Rogers Plus in Ottawa last night to ask if they were getting the bold today, and one guy told me they received an email at lunch saying they won't get it for another couple of weeks. He has a "Trainee" pin on though, not sure if we knew 100%. I'm going in today again to check.
The Bold is available for purchase on Rogers' Business site but I didn't see it available on the list of phones on the consumer site....
I just checked my hardware upgrade options on the Rogers website in my account and to my surprise the Bold is available. They're giving it to me for $475 on a 3 year contract. Not too shabby. So we'll see what CS has to say if I call and complain about my 3rd Curve going on the fritz. I'll keep you guys posted.
I can't buy the device without a contract?!?!
I thought it was available with no contract aswell, Anyone know why??
I haven't seen any change to the rogers website maybe they flick the switch at 9:30 .. nothing yet.
I'll be going to the store . store chat them up and try a bold out
my fear is the unit will be too big ... but if I hate it .. I'll get a curve
don't think I 'll hate it but - I am pretty picky hehe
Just tried getting the Bold off the rogers bussiness site and got this error:
"An error has occured. This may be because the wireless plan, phone or device you have selected is no longer available. Please make another selection or try again later.
If you continue to experience problems, please call online Customer Service at 1-877-343-5745. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Return to previous page."
http://your.rogers.com/business/wireless/products/business_products.asp
OK - your on Crackberry WAP site....How many of you are in line, eh?
Good luck in procuring your bold...I'm sure the reviews will be posted later today!
Rogers now has the bold on their website for order
Rogers has changed the bold part of their website!
www.rogers.com/bold
http://your.rogers.com/business/productsservices/wireless/blackberrybold...
Nice new website
And i just spoke to a Rogers customer retention staff and they said the bold has been released today and will start shipping today.
Purchased the Bold on Rogers.com consumer end... works! $599.99 without contract.
On the consumer page....So I don't know how it's possible to buy it if it's not even posted on the page.
Just spoke to rogers business dept. and ordered a BBB, they owed me a customer relations upgrade. She put the order trhough no problem and said it will be shipping out today. I told her that I wanted to go to the store and get it, but unfortunatley she said I couldn't get the credit if I went to the store... But in anycase, I COULD have gone, which means they're there!! Can't Wait!
its on rogers.ca website already
and its $599.99 without a contract!
I called Rogers customer service yesterday they said that they had stock, so I ordered 1, will take 3-4 business days for shipping, I said ok, I should have by Monday/Tuesday in my hands.
When I called they told me my upgrade price for a 3 year is $425.00 minus $50 mail in rebate, I complained and they applied they credit instantly , will show as a goodwill credit on my bill. So I end up getting the BB Bold for $375.00 on a 3 yr/contract. and they are shipping it out. They told me to call back today and I could get a UPS Tracking number if I am curious to track the shipment.
ROGERS 1-800-704-2474 to track your shipment.
There is still the MSF offer showing on the Rogers Sales Central Hardware Upgrade Page, allowing me to upgrade to a Bold for $449.00.
This offer has a prerequisite of at least an $82.50 a month total bill for your plan.
Will update later after the stores have opened.
Nice to see with my upgrade options:
Device Price: $599.99
Monthly Price: Voice and Data - $599.99
1-Year Price: Voice and Data - $599.99
2-Year Price: Voice and Data - $599.99
3-Year Price: Voice and Data - $599.99
Interesting...not gonna see me sporting a bold anytime now...unless I get one for free or cheap on fleabay!
When I choose hardware upgrade on the Rogers website, it says I can get the Bold for $450, if I continue my existing contract, which expires in just over two years. There's a $50 mail in rebate on toip of that. I think I'm going for it, but I'll call Rogers first to see what they will offer ovcer the phone.
I jumped the gun, I thought it was not available on-line and not available without a contract, It is on both counts.
Now I'm torn because I want one today but I'm not sure if I can wait for a few more days.....Decisions...Decisions....
Atleast it's available :D
notice the iphone ad on the business frontpage now? it wasn't there yesterday .... ... ... http://your.rogers.com/business/business_overview.asp
http://www.cnbc.com/id/26313200
CNBC likes the Bold
I called yesterday and the guy I spoke to was all excited for me, told me I was a Tier4 upgrade so I should be able to get the phone for $399 (or a little more with a rebate to bring it down to 399) when it launches + the data plan 6gb for $30. Nice as heck and I really wished I got the same guy this morning.
At 8:30 this morning I first spoke to Ranjit in mobile sales, and he told me the phone was $649. I was a little shocked but before freaking out, I asked him if that upgrade price was with the 3 year data commitment. He decided I should speak to the data reps instead, and put me through to Dave.
Dave told me the phone upgrade with a data plan would be $649 - $50 rebate. I peaked. I asked him how much for a new customer and he advised 399. "What's the difference?" I asked (I have less than a year left on my current voice contract). Then I asked how much to buy the phone outright without a data plan or contract...get this...he responds with $599..hahaha!
So he puts me on hold (of course) comes back and says that after some investigation he discovered that the phone will cost me $399 with a three year contract + data plan. The clincher is that I have to change my voice plan to something current (5 years ago I got free incoming and 1000 evening & weekend minutes for $20.00 and I was still on that plan). So for obvious reasons they want to me to sign on to a different plan, although they didnt force any I-phone buyers to do this.
I begrungingly agreed to let him find me a comparible voiceplan and I started talking about the $30/6Gb data plan and Dave pipes in with "oh and that plan is not available to the Bold at the reduced price.".
What the hell is going on!! This offer was held over to August 31st because of the expected release of new phones like the bold!!
So I asked Dave again if he was sure about this and he is either grossly misinformed or Rogers is seriously trying to screw us. Well I am not about to pay $70.00/m more for a 6gb data plan so I told dave to forget the changes to my voiceplan, and that I would buy the bold for $599 and get the dataplan I want.
"We are only selling the Blackberry Bold on a three year plan"...
I am still trying to clear the cloud of steam around my head, but needless to say it does not seem I am ordering/purchasing my Bold today.
Any Rogers experts here that can HEEELLLPPP!
So I called as well and got a guy named David. I tried to start off by asking him how his day was and he was silent and after a few seconds he asked what I was calling about. I was hoping to get somebody nice but this guy seemed like the drill sargeant of reps. So after a little short convo about why my bill was so high I ended it and said I would call back later. I knew I was going to get nowhere with him so I just spun the wheels for a bit and I'll call back in between 1 & 2 which is supposed to be good time cuz the reps just got back from their lunches. Maybe I'll land somebody nice. And if not they'll have to transfer me to Retention.
...Until I got what I wanted.
Called sales again. This time mobile sales, talked to a girl who says Bold is not available yet. I told her about my conversation this morning.
So she decided to look into it. Came back with 649.00 - $50.00 credit but I keep my voice plan and can get dataplan for $30.00.
Told her that I would like a better price on the phone after having been told yesterday that I would qualify for a reduced price. So she said she would talk to Customer Care rep (customer retention).
CRR came on to talk to me and I explained the same to her. She explained some things about upgradability and how much revenue I generate and why I can't have the phone for the same price as a new customer. I reminded her that my cell phone is not the only way I generate rev and that I have all other telcom services exclusively with Rogers and I always pay on time. She caved and gave me $399 + 35.00 administration fee. I also get to keep my current voiceplan, she added an early weekend option which I will not be paying for (charged then credited monthly) as well as the $30/6gb data plan.
I guess the lesson is be persistant but be polite, and be sure to back it up with being a (good) customer for more than 5 years. If you have that going for you, eventually someone will be able to help you.
I am doing the happy dance! (remember last week when we were all freaking out about paying a whopping $399..LOL)
Tony, the $30/6GB plan is availavle until August 31st and YOU DO QUALIFY for it... email me of you have problems. You don't have to change plans... Most retail sales reps don't know what they are talking about
Re: 6GB data plans... check on the website, as I did, the $30 promo data plan is most certainly listed online - actually it`s listed twice for some reason. Call rogers back, you often get someone who doesn`t know their stuff from a hole in the ground.
This has gotta be the top 10 worst marketing / pricing / communication fiasco's for a tech product.
Who is making decisions at Rogers and who's is in charge of this product. Heads should roll because first they piss off potential Iphone customers and now business users with this disarray.
i was told the reason it was listed twice was that one is for the BLACKBERRY bold and the other is for all 3g phones. that is what one person told me. I was able to get the phone for 399.99 with the promo of 6 gigs.
Thats the reason why, i don't have rogers.....half the people their don't know what they're talking bout... they screw up my roger cable bill every few months and it takes me days to get it back in line...only if bell had a box instead of dish...i would switch without hestiation.....
I would wait a couple days, or even a week or 2, so everything settles down...
i went into a rogers store to purchase the device for a friend of mine outright and they DID have it in stock but the guy would not sell it to me and he said that they want to limit it to 3 year contract people and that they will not sell it outright for another week or so!!!!! i was so pissed and told him that you guys are basically denying a customer who wants to purchase ur product!!!! and i stormed out of there pissed!!!
Technically that is not rogers product. Rogers stores/retailers make $$$ in commission after the new activation. vs $ prolly a few bucks for an outright purchase.
Do you blame a store trying to profit off of hype?
Technically that is not rogers product. Rogers stores/retailers make $$$ in commission after the new activation. vs $ prolly a few bucks for an outright purchase.
Do you blame a store trying to profit off of hype?
Has anyone actually walked into a retail location and walked out with a bold yet?
If you plan on using BES, you can't get the 6GB Plan. FYI
Your Stuck with there new Crap arse plan. 350MB for $45!
Saint John, N.B. now has them in store! They just arrived with the morning delivery about five minutes ago. Purchased one with a three year contract for $399.99 AND purchased one without for $599. If a small crap hole city like Saint John has them in stock, I'm assuming the rest of the country will too in the next few hours.
Now to test out this beautiful device....
Which store in Saint John? I called a few in Saint John and all in Moncton and no one got any. Although when I had called yesterday, 2 different person told me they expected shipment from Saint-John warehouses.
An ottawa Rogers store rep told me they would have them in-store on Saturday the 23rd of august.
Just called a Rogers store in Markham. They claim they will have them in stock this afternoon.
I tried the location at Major Mack, and they said the same thing.
Hello,
It seems the Bold is on sale at futureshop at 649$
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=...
Not available online but does show in-store availability
I just called the Rideau Centre store, and they said they were anticipating a shipment today after noon, but to call ahead first to verify. I also called the Montreal road location, but they said they were anticipating it`s arrival for tomorrow morning.
just tried ordering the phone as an upgrade off the rogers website got a message saying We are experiencing technical difficulties and are unable to complete your request at this time. Please try again later.
So going to go in to a local Rogers wireless store later today and see what I can get. wish me luck.