T-Mobile is making the BlackBerry Priv available to its customers. According to CrackBerry, a leaked internal launch schedule from T-mobile revealed that the BlackBerry Priv will be available for its customers on Tuesday, Jan. 26. If the rumor is true, T-Mobile will become the second major U.S. carrier to offer the phone to its customers. In November 2015, AT&T became the first major carrier to offer the phone on a two-year contract to customers. Blackberry sold the Priv unlocked through its website and at third party retailers including Walmart and Amazon .
While T-Mobile and AT&T draw in BlackBerry Priv fans, Other carriers have yet to announce a release date. Crackberry reported that Verizon won’t be getting the new Android phone until early 2016.
BlackBerry did not allow pre-orders for CDMA networks at its Nov 6 launch. Customers with Sprint, Verizon or any carrier that uses a CDMA based system can not pre-order the phone. Blackberry is only shipping pre-orders for the phone for GSM based phone carriers, including AT&T and T-Mobile. GSM networks require a SIM card, great for international travelers.
BlackBerry released more details about the phone when it listed the full range of specs. On Nov 6, Blackberry only shipped pre-orders for the phone for GSM based phone carriers, which is great for most carriers including AT&T and T-Mobile . GSM networks require a SIM card, great for international travelers. Sprint and Verizon are on CDMA networks, no SIM card needed. CDMA networks often have a stronger signal in the United States than overseas.
BlackBerry could be temporarily skipping a CDMA model of the phone in order to keep production costs down. The Blackberry Priv may be the last chance for cash strapped Blackberry. The company has been struggling financially for years, falling behind major cell phone manufacturers and losing customers. Loyal BlackBerry users have been waiting for a new phone that has updated functions and more apps. The BlackBerry Priv has modern features with the business tools made famous by Blackberry.
