Urgent News for Everyone in the UK re tomorrows Launch.

[Darrell]

I just got off the phone with Sophia Parviez, a T-Mobile PR Manager. I asked her, on behalf of everyone here (or at least everyone from the UK) about tomorrows launch. Here are the facts from her lips.


If you preregistered you should have received an e-mail today with a link and instructions on how you can get your phone. However this link will not work till 9am tomorrow!!!

The store in Oxford street wil be opening from 7am tomorrow. It is not a Launch event as such, more of a chance for people to get a hands on with the phone. However you will be able to get a phone there.

She tells me that contrary to what some people have been told all shops should be getting both black and white phones.

My advice to you all is this.

If you pass a T-mobile shop on your way home tonight, pop in and ask them if they have the phone in. If so, ask if they will sell you one now (can't hurt). Find out if they are opening early tomorrow and make sure you get there before that.

If all else fails and you can't find a G1 in your local area, then use the pre-registration link.

Hope this is helpfull to you all.

[dookieshoo]

Did they fix the white paint chipping issue I wonder or are they passing off an inferior product? Why in the UK and not US if it's fixed. Would still rather have my black one, but seems a little unfair to me. Want to get my wife the white one.

[Darrell]

Did they fix the white paint chipping issue I wonder or are they passing off an inferior product? Why in the UK and not US if it's fixed. Would still rather have my black one, but seems a little unfair to me. Want to get my wife the white one.

Don't Know about this, didn't think to ask as I want a black one.:)

[pllb]

Yay, we now get a larger userbase which equals more developers and more apps in the market =)

[Darrell]

Yay, we now get a larger userbase which equals more developers and more apps in the market =)

Not to mention that UK developers will be able to try apps out on the phone that they have allready written as a final test before release.

[Darrell]

Incidently if you are a UK member and you read this post, Please can you post to keep it boosted untill tomorrow.

[pllb]

Not to mention that UK developers will be able to try apps out on the phone that they have allready written as a final test before release.

Good point. I forgot a lot of people over there have been running their apps off the computer until the release. The coming days should be exciting here.

[Darrell]

Yes I might get my finger out and finish my app, assuming I can drag myself away from playing with the G1 that is.

[andyuk]

After calling one of my Local store (there are 2 in my town). They said that they will have 10 phones each. The sales girl I talked too said she would put on by for me (if that happens or not who knows). But, I will be there for 8:45am with my McDonald's breakfast :D.

[Darrell]

Where are you located?

[K.Krstnsn]

with my McDonald's breakfast :D.

i like how one of the big things english people rant about americans are being fat and eating mcdonalds.

[andyuk]

i like how one of the big things english people rant about americans are being fat and eating mcdonalds.

I don't say they are fat only stupid :p. I kid, I am in Leicester there is also a store in a town about 10 miles north if the worse happens. I have changed shifts so I am in at 10am (not 9) hope the T-mobile guys get a move on getting me set. Could do with my PAC code from O2 as well.

[Darrell]

i like how one of the big things english people rant about americans are being fat and eating mcdonalds.

Sorry, what was your point? and why say it here?

[pllb]

US is fattest..it's a fact sadly

[K.Krstnsn]

Sorry, what was your point? and why say it here?


wow. really?

did you at all look at the post before you said that?

[K.Krstnsn]

I don't say they are fat only stupid :p.


haha theres 2 types of americans..

the proud to be american type <<-- those are the ones you speak of.

and the "please let me move to another country" type

[sparkster778]

I phoned my local T-mobile store today to check they would be getting the G1 in tomorrow. The girl on the phone was really nice and took my name and number down and said she would put 1 aside for me as they were on a first come first serve basis.

worst comes to the worst I will try the T-mobile shop in Leicester when Im up on the weekend....theres probably less demand for them there than in london.

[Krispy]

I work for T-Mobile in a retail store (UK). All stores in our area (Wales + West Midlands) have G1's in although many only have white and some only have 3 or 4 (mainly the smaller stores). Banbury store is the only one close that I know won't have any for tomorrow morning. Got mine today in white (that's all we had delivered) and is working well :) UK box is different to the USA one and comes with some god aweful stickers. Also the answer/end call keys aren't green and red. They are the same as the other ones. Most stores I've spoken to haven't got huge pre-orders but its worth getting in early as stocks seems fairly limited even in larger city stores.

[andyuk]

worst comes to the worst I will try the T-mobile shop in Leicester when Im up on the weekend....theres probably less demand for them there than in london.

There one down already :D. Loughborough also has some as do both Leicester shops. The Sales Rep at that I talked to was really nice and she asked ME if I wanted one putting aside.

[monkeybutler]

Well this is interesting. I'm due a contract renewal, and have been for a month. I called t-mobile a few weeks back to defer as I wanted a G1 - the guy I spoke to then tried to persuade me to "give it a few weeks after launch to let them sort out the bugs", which I thought was a bit odd at the time. Called them at the start of the week - sorry, can't help yet, try later in the week. Called again today, and got told they still couldn't tell me *anything* about the price plans or arrange for me to get a G1 as an upgrade until after the phone is officially launched. The phone is on sale tomorrow from 7am, you've been able to order it from the Carphone Warehouse online for a week, and they expect me to believe they have no info on it other than what's gone out in the email ads and they can't do anything with regard to making sure I even get my name down on a list for one.

So basically, my customer loyalty is being rewarded by me having to wait - probably now for the next wave of stock - while others can go out and buy a phone tomorrow. Not very impressed at all - seems like T-Mobile UK want to sell them to new people before giving them to current customers.

If I don't at least get a good deal or worse still get given the runaround again, I may just head off to an O2 store and pick up an iPhone instead.

[pllb]

dont let one crappy tmo store ruin it for you. probably crappy management.

[dkvitus]

Hey! I just wamt someone to get a Premiership Football (Not American football - Duh!) app... Will love to stay ontop of the scores instead of alerts from t-mobile @ halftime!
ManU for Life!

[monkeybutler]

dont let one crappy tmo store ruin it for you. probably crappy management.

Unfortunately this was their main call centre, not a store.

SERIOUSLY hacked off now. Been trying to get through to their upgrades people for an hour this morning - been cut off twice, put on hold on two occasions for 20+ minutes (and both times I've been told the queue is only a few minutes long), and every time I try again have to go through their stupid menu system then explain the whole situation to a call centre guy because as I opted to defer my upgrade I was put on a temporary contract, but there's no allowance for this in their systems so it won't let me get put straight through because it keeps helpfully telling me my contract runs out in 2010 and to call back then.

I bet they won't have any left when (if?) I get through either, yet someone could walk into a shop and walk away with one this morning in half the time. This is really lousy customer loyalty service, which is a shame as otherwise I've been very happy with T-Mob to date.

Update: ha ha, it gets even better. The next call centre drone has never heard of the G1 (asked me if it was made by Sony!), and the first thing she told me was I'd probably lose my loyalty discount!

I'd better get through to someone who knows their stuff, or I'm seriously going to just call it quits and give up.

Update 2: I was quoted a price of over £300 for the handset on a combi20 W&W tariff for £25 a month unless I wanted to wait until "at least January" because of "Christmas demand". No loyalty discount, no room to negotiate, nothing. Told the rep that that was waaaaaay too much (I can get an iPhone for £99 and pay £35 a month for 18 months with more minutes/texts and STILL be better off overall!!!) and I wanted to leave, and she didn't even try and offer me anything else or do a deal. So that's one customer lost.

I'm sure the G1 is a great phone and I'm sad I won't be getting one, but be warned that unless you're willing to go on a minimum £40 a month tariff, T-mobile UK are going to charge you the earth for it and I bet that's going to put a LOT of people off.

[Shaun]

I know where you're coming from, monkeybutler. Had to sign up when I saw your post; have the same story. Pre-registered (one big joke - the website was not updated at all), went to a store to get the whole sorry upgrade story. Congratulations to T-Mobile for all those new accounts where the next 14 days will be spent trying to get out of the contract so they can sell the phone on ebay. So faithful customers have to wait, and pay for applications do they? Not me I'm afraid. Was looking forward to this phone, but as T-mobile have run out of money (but they can afford to give away game consoles) high spend customers get the shaft.

[pllb]

Here's an idea open a new line for $10 that way you'll get the new contract and the phone at a discount...then report the phone on the first line stolen or lost and they'll cancel the plan I think for up to 30 days so you don't pay anything I believe. Then in January when that line is up just don't upgrade and let it expire and keep the 2nd line. You'll maybe have to pay 1 month of december on the first line only which would be a mere $10 or whatever it is you pay over there. I'm not sure how that will work for you but I thought I'd throw it out there.

[Shaun]

Thanks for the tip, but I don't think we have that in the UK. Besides which, the whole sorry affair has put me off contracts with T-Mobile. Since the summer, the network has offered free Wiis, Playstation 3s and PSPs to new customers, and yet upgraders are being told that the coffers are empty, and upgrades just aren't viable.

Frankly, it's absurd. The network has lost out on quite a few long term contracts over this issue I should think - surely they would have been better served by giving upgrades as well, if they are so short of cash.

[pllb]

Pity...that's how I got my G1 for $179 here..I opened a new line on an already existing account. Why do they give out wiis and stuff lol..wish we got that here.

[Shaun]

New customers only, on high tariffs. You would think T-mobile would have made provisions for the launch - all in all, considering they are part of the OHA, one would think that they would have pushed the G1 a lot harder. As it stands, they'll end up with a load of ebay scalpers amongst their new subscriptions, and lose existing customers, just to prove to themselves that they know what they are doing.