Verizon please snag a deal with Nokia and bring us the Lumia 920!

[hopmedic]

I'm with all y'all... I want the 920.  Enough of this medocre Windows Phone hardware stuff from Verizon.  We were hobbled by them with the Trophy, but we suffered through so that we could enjoy the best OS out there, but now we're through.  We want the top hardware to go with the best OS.  VZW needs to realize that the best OS doesn't necessarily mean the most popular OS.

I wrote the following message to 6-8 of the VZW execs yesterday (including the CEO, CFO, Marketing, National cust service, southern cust service, etc.):

Last year, in March/April, I left Verizon, not once, but twice, after making contact to several of the executives through this site.  The reason I did so was because I was disgusted with Verizon taking so long to release the Trophy that had been known to be headed for Verizon since the prior December, due to the Microsoft employee promotion posters that were seen in many sites on the internet. 

As a long-time Windows Mobile user, looking forward to the fresh new Windows Phone OS, tired of waiting on Big Red, I jumped to Sprint the day they released the Arrive.  Sprint's coverage was too poor, so I came back within a month.  Then I again got tired of waiting, and jumped to ATT.  But then the Trophy was released.  Having been a long-time Verizon customer, I came back.

I was angry when Nokia phones started coming out and none were destined for Verizon last winter, but recently when I learned that none would be able to be upgraded to Windows Phone 8 (I'm a Windows Phone developer with apps in the marketplace), I was glad, because I would have been angry had I bought a phone that would not upgrade.  I thank you for that. 

I was thoroughly excited when I heard that Verizon had changed its tune about Windows Phone recently, and was going to back Microsoft as the "third ecosystem" and that there would be a Nokia phone in the lineup.  Yesterday, as I watched Nokia's launch event with their partner Microsoft, I was thrilled when I saw the Lumia 920, and to a lesser extent the 820.  As an amateur photographer, the optical image stabilization in the 920 is what I really want, along with the low-light capabilities demonstrated with it.  The 820 doesn't have this. 

Today, I saw a leaked screenshot of a Verizon inventory system showing a Nokia Lumia 822 on wpcentral.com.  Now I do realize that you are not going to be at liberty to discuss future products.  Personally, I believe this is a ridiculous policy, as you announced the iPhone a month in advance, and have announced numerous Android devices in advance, but with Windows Phone devices (oh, wait - there's only been one) you've been tight-lipped, and even a couple days in advance of last year's launch, I couldn't find anything out, including that the phone even existed, even though I knew since the prior December that it did, due to your own advertisement to Microsoft employees. 

I'm not asking for information this time.  I'm telling you something.  I'm telling you that I will be quite disappointed if a Lumia 920 (or variant, since carriers seem to feel the need to change the name for some unknown reason, like changing 820 to the 822 above), and if that phone doesn't make it to Verizon before Thanksgiving, I will be going to ATT so that I can have that phone, and I will be taking the other two lines on my account with me.

Your CFO stated that you made Android what it is, and you can do the same with Microsoft ('s phone), and he stated that the way to control iPhone subsidies was to have a strong third ecosystem.  Well, I suggest that you put your money where his mouth is, and show us that you mean what he said, and build that third ecosystem.  Market Windows Phone like you have Android, and bring us the best of the phones in that ecosystem, which includes the Lumia 920.  Prove to us that you are committed to bringing us the best phones, and not just the mediocre ones like you did with the Trophy.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

[primortal]

Keeps getting more interesting....

Remember that image sent recently by an anonymous tipster showing two versions of the Nokia Lumia 822 nestled comfortably within Verizon's device management system? Turns out there is something cooking between the Finnish phone maker and Big Red after all. The Wall Street Journal reports that Verizon has confirmed plans involving a Nokia Corp. tie-up, with sources familiar with the deal saying that the companies have been in talks since the spring. Just exactly what it is they're working on, however, still remains a mystery. Apparently, Verizon and Nokia are playing their cards close to the vest and refusing to disclose specific details about a potential deal. Still, the betting money is on some sort of tie-up involving Nokia's Lumia line. The Windows 8 handsets have seen a deluge of news this month, mostly involving the new 920 and 820 models. Whatever Nokia's got planned, several analysts also said the company needs to act fast. With Samsung's popular Galaxy S III already out and Apple's new iPhone expected to launch soon, Nokia's new phones are expected to see some tough competition.

Source: Engadget

[jrlrph]

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Nokia-Samsung-Events-Herald-Windows-Phone-8-Surge-24757...

obviously this news should be taken with a grain of salt but it does mention that Verizon confirmed carrying both versions of the new phone.  fingers crossed

[hopmedic]

This is indeed interesting.  The wording of the statement is vague enough that it can go either way, but obviously I hope that it is correct if read to mean that the 920 comes to Big Red...  We shall see...

[wookietim]

I am ready to upgrade from my current Droid X... The problem being that right now Verizon offers Android, Android, Android, Android, Android, iPhone, Android, Android... See the pattern? I want to switch to the Windows phones. Android is nice but Windows phones just are sexier right now. So really... Verizon has about another month to get it's ducks in a row and offer a real Windows phone (And the one that they have now is not it) or I am jumping ship to Sprint or someone.    

[hopmedic]

Interesting - Hopefully it's true, but for now I'll call it rumor.  WPCentral doesn't cite any info in this article other than to say this:

Two sites today—TechRadar and the Verge—both with decent track records on rumors (not-ranked and 84% respectively, via Tracour) are claiming that AT&T and Nokia are looking to open the doors to the Lumia 920 and 820 on November 2nd. The phone is reportedly in testing at AT&T’s labs and if all goes well, that is the date that AT&T will be looking to put the phone on the shelves. The date is a bit odd as it falls on a Friday. AT&T as far as we know always release phones on Sundays and they have been quite consistent in that recently for the last few Windows Phone launches. Why the change if true? Perhaps to get the phone out as early as possible but also maybe they are timing it with the end of BUILD 2012, which coincidently ends on the same day. T-Mobile is expected to launch the Lumia 820 during the same week and later Verizon will launch the flaghship Lumia 920, hopefully in that fireball Red.

http://www.wpcentral.com/rumor-att-looking-launch-nokia-lumia-820-920-november-2nd

[headski]

I too will lend my voice to the point at hand.  Please offer the Nokia Lumia 920 and not another mediocre Windows Phone.  It seems from the posts made here that there are a number of your customers that all feel the same.  Thanks for listening to us!

[hopmedic]

In response to this message that I sent to several VZW execs, I spoke with one of the exec assistants yesterday.  I have her name written down, but don't have it with me, but she is someone here in the Atlanta area (Alpharetta) at VZW's offices here, and I actually spoke with her last year, when I was trying to get information about the Trophy prior to its launch.  At that time, I'd already known since the prior September that Trophy would be coming to VZW, due to fliers distributed to Microsoft employees which stated a December 2010 launch, and later a March launch, and later when the flier was distributed again, it had no date (launch was eventually May 21 online and May 27 in stores, IIRC, though I could be off by a few days).

So yesterday, she called me to respond to my letter, and in her voice message, she mentioned my complaint.  When I called her back, I made sure that she knew that it shouldn't be classified as a complaint, but as a suggestion.  Among my suggestions to her:

1. If the CFO is serious, and you are going to back a third ecosystem, bring us a range of phones which includes both low AND high end phones, and the high end should include this phone.
2. While I understand your policy is not to comment on upcoming releases, you have in the past announced the iPhone a month in advance, and announced certain Android devices a month in advance, so why so tight-lipped on Windows Phone devices?  Tell us what is coming, so we can plan for them - tell me so that I am not tempted to jump to ATT on November 2 when I already know it will be released on that network.

She told me (reiterating what she told me last year) that they don't release upcoming info because they consider it proprietary information, and that if they announce that the phone will be released on a certain day, then a competitor can release the same phone a week earlier.  I replied that I understand that is your policy, but you know that leaks happen, and I've already seen that you will carry the 820, branded as the 822, and that I also know not only that ATT will carry both the 920 and the 820, but even though they have not announced dates officially, it is common knowlege among those of us in the tech-geek world that the release date will be November 2.  She was shocked.  I can't imagine how in the world it is that I, joe geek, can know this information, and executive assistants at VZW can't.....  That itself is just mind-boggling to me.  You'd think it would be thier business to know this long before me, wouldn't you?

Anyway, I am pleased that they take the time to respond to queries like mine.  If you send a message to the execs like I did above, your voice will definitely be heard.    

[chris_k1]

+1 for me, too.  I am really looking forward to replacing my TB.

And not a dumbed-down, filled with bloatware version, either!

[Customer1234567]

I go as DavidinCT on XDA, PPCGeeks and WPcentral. This is from my personal verizon account.

It's good that the word is "big red" is in with Nokia. As the leak shows they will carry the 822 (820,We assume) , There would be no reason not for them to not carry the 920 (922 ?). They did state that they were going to go strong with Windows Phone 8, so maybe the leaks have not just hit yet. Who knows, I would like to know now so I can plan to use my next 2 year contract on it !!!!

If AT&T has an exclusive agreement on it, I am sure it wont be for a long time. The problem is, if it's a 3-6 month contract, a very long term in the mobile market, the new models will be rumored and I'll wait again. I want it while it's hot, not when it's yesterdays' news (Like GSM to CDMA conversion phones in the past, 6-8 months later).

With this being said, HTC's show is tomorrow, I know HTC is going to try to come strong against the 920 with their flagship device. I wonder what will be on the table and what "big red" will carry. It could possably blow away the 920 but, It's hard to beat a phone like the 920 in design and feature set, it will be interesting

Right now, the 920 is my top phone I WILL get, maybe Verizon will get it with a MicroSD slot, a special model for Verizon. As long as I can get my white one...

Come on Verizon, get on the ball and get HIGH END Windows Phone 8 devices like you do with Android... It's about time you give your customers other options besides iOS and the Android flavor of the month