Is AT&T Saying The Way To Get NoDo Is Through Buying The HD7S

[Richard Chao]

<p>Like all of you I've been patiently waiting for the NoDo update. &nbsp;But by now, I'm just looking forward to the bug fixes and not so much for the cut and paste. &nbsp;With the fiasco that has been, namely&nbsp;two previous false launches of the pre-update update (I have a Samsung Focus on AT&amp;T) and slipped ship dates, I've begun to think my phone will never be updated. &nbsp;Then, news of the HD7S shows up and I started to think maybe AT&amp;T is more&nbsp;committed to WP7 than I thought. &nbsp;I was therefore understandably excited&nbsp;when I heard Microsoft was finally officially pushing the update out. &nbsp;Well, AT&amp;T has popped my bubble once again. &nbsp;</p><p>It seems the carriers have much more power to block updates than originally told. &nbsp;Microsoft's update matrix is showing that AT&amp;T is blocking not one but two updates on all their WP7 phones. &nbsp;Whereas T-Mobile USA is in queue to update their device soon. &nbsp;At this point, I feel AT&amp;T is telling me the way to get NoDo is by going to their store and plopping down a few hundred dollars for a HD7S and&nbsp;not by tethering my existing phone to Zune. &nbsp;</p><p>Please Microsoft, you need to push your carrier partners to stick to their prior commitments and start approving and pushing updates to users. &nbsp;Especially when the OS is still in its infancy stage.</p>

[BobbyCannon]

Microsoft states that the carriers can only block one update but there are now two updates release.

Guess what I still don't have either one of them. This doesn't make me to happy.

AT&T - Samsung Focus.

[virain]

I guess I in AT&T vocabulary, NoDo means Don't Do:(

[txa1265]

Jeez ... as if MS isn't having a hard enough time this go-round.

Not to bring Apple into this, but that is the reason I think what they did with the iPhone was so smart - the 'you worry about network, we worry about phone' thing.

I know with multiple carriers and makers and models such simplicity is unrealistic, but I see this issue with Android as well, although it has gotten better recently (or so it seems).

... and THIS is why people hate the carriers!

[Richard Chao]

Just wait until AT&T is the only GSM carrier.

[txa1265]

Just wait until AT&T is the only GSM carrier.

Ugh, that is SO true - every time you read something about GSM it is how T-Mo is doing good stuff for their customers while ATT is screwing them over (cue Lily Tomlin: we're the phone company, we don't have to care!).

[TKETZ196]

This is why AT&T is a terrible carrier. All carriers in general are terrible but AT&T is the worst. this make me happy I did not jump ship from my HTC Fuze and get a new Windows Phone 7.

I would like to see the platform mature more before I make the jump to Windows Phone 7. I really like the new platform; I think MSFT did a great job at reinventing the OS.

I do not blame MSFT for the stagnant updates, although I wish they would speed up the updates rather than create full service packs like the forthcoming "Mango" update. I really blame the wireless carriers for their poor treatment of their customers. I 100% agree with Paul Thurrott that the wireless carriers are to blame. I think it was a dumb move for MSFT to let the carriers have the power to block updates. It stunts the growth of Windows Phone 7.

As a side note, I hope AT&T T-Mobile merger does not go through.

[Richard Chao]

This is why AT&T is a terrible carrier. All carriers in general are terrible but AT&T is the worst. this make me happy I did not jump ship from my HTC Fuze and get a new Windows Phone 7.

I would like to see the platform mature more before I make the jump to Windows Phone 7. I really like the new platform; I think MSFT did a great job at reinventing the OS.

I do not blame MSFT for the stagnant updates, although I wish they would speed up the updates rather than create full service packs like the forthcoming "Mango" update. I really blame the wireless carriers for their poor treatment of their customers. I 100% agree with Paul Thurrott that the wireless carriers are to blame. I think it was a dumb move for MSFT to let the carriers have the power to block updates. It stunts the growth of Windows Phone 7.

As a side note, I hope AT&T T-Mobile merger does not go through.

I think mini updates with bigger service pack every once in a while would be good too. Maybe the mini updates can come over the air while the service packs are tethered.

[BobbyCannon]

... I do not blame MSFT for the stagnant updates, ...

Why not? It's there fault that they allow carriers to block updates.

[TKETZ196]

Why not? It's there fault that they allow carriers to block updates.

I was only looking at it from a technical point of view. Contractually (with wireless carriers/ and possibly OEM handset makers), yes you are correct about the stagnant updates. From the tech p.o.v., I think they have done an "ok" job with updating the operating system and the features/bug fixes they are doing and trying to include. Like I said i wish they would work faster, or at least have a bigger team devoted to updating process.

The misstep is the contract they have with the carriers, and I believe they only did that because they really wanted their OS to be on all the carriers. I am sure that if they tried to pull an Apple and try to strong arm them to not block updates I would imagine that we (consumers) would not have the handsets available on the carriers. We would have to resort to buying unlocked phones. In turn that would demotivate the manufacturers from creating more phones and support them because no one is buying the handsets. Not everyone can afford to go out any buy a $500 handset.

I do not believe MSFT is 100% to blame but I think they are less to blame compared to the carriers. It is really their fault for not supporting a product they were willing to buy and make available for consumers.

I think once people realize that Android handsets share the same fragmented fate as Windows Mobile did and now Windows Phone, I believe there will be backlash from consumers. I think it is utterly ridiculous how they treat consumers. I would rather buy an unlock handset than buy a phone from any carrier.

Many small updates would work better because then the carriers can not just block all of them (at least until there is an updated model of a handset). I think, from what I heard and read and i could be wrong, Wireless carriers can block the latest update, but once an even newer updates get released they have to push the previous one through. If MSFT only rolled out huge "service packs like" updates then the consumer would really be missing out on all the new features. For them it would be easier to constantly roll out small incremental updates (on a bi-weekly bases perhaps or weekly).

For tech savvy people, it would be easier to go on xda dev site and to install the latest cooked rom. I heard MSFT will turn a blind eye to that and for this reason I think it would be a work around until then update mess is resolved.

[TKETZ196]

I think mini updates with bigger service pack every once in a while would be good too. Maybe the mini updates can come over the air while the service packs are tethered.


Well that could work too which i believe was the original intention of MSFT and WP7 update process. I think windows Mobile was supposed to do the same. I remember seeing the Windows Update app on my device (before switching to a cooked rom) and it was meant for that - small incremental updates and then the carrier would release a full ROM update.

[virain]

Just wait until AT&T is the only GSM carrier.

Would play a devil advocate here. From what I've seen, AT&T will use T-Mobile spectrum for LTE and it's own for 3G, that means there will be no more fragmentation in GSM US 3G Spector. So hopefully, manufacturers will start making truly international 3G or even 4G phones, like it was before T-Mobile built it's own 3G network. So unlocked phones will be available, to buy in an open market. So, who knows...

[txa1265]

Would play a devil advocate here. From what I've seen, AT&T will use T-Mobile spectrum for LTE and it's own for 3G, that means there will be no more fragmentation in GSM US 3G Spector. So hopefully, manufacturers will start making truly international 3G or even 4G phones, like it was before T-Mobile built it's own 3G network. So unlocked phones will be available, to buy in an open market. So, who knows...

Less choice means less competition, and for the greedy carriers like AT&T means higher prices with less options and worse service.

[virain]

Less choice means less competition, and for the greedy carriers like AT&T means higher prices with less options and worse service.
I don't dispute that , what I am saying , spectrum merger will create market for unlocked devices, and that is only positive thing that may or may not come out from this deal.

[Richard Chao]

I don't dispute that , what I am saying , spectrum merger will create market for unlocked devices, and that is only positive thing that may or may not come out from this deal.

T-Mo had a plan where you could bring you own phone and not have to sign a contract. AT&T would make you sign a two year contract even if you brought your own phone. So I doubt the scenery will be any better. Plus manufacturers are perfectly capable of producing pentaband phones if they want to.

If T-Mo were buying AT&T, I'd be more apt to believe the unlocked scene will benefit. But as it is, I think they'll suffer instead.

[Sven Johannsen]

T-Mo had a plan where you could bring you own phone and not have to sign a contract. AT&T would make you sign a two year contract even if you brought your own phone.
Once they are merged though, where would you go with your GSM phone?

[virain]

T-Mo had a plan where you could bring you own phone and not have to sign a contract. AT&T would make you sign a two year contract even if you brought your own phone. So I doubt the scenery will be any better. Plus manufacturers are perfectly capable of producing pentaband phones if they want to.

If T-Mo were buying AT&T, I'd be more apt to believe the unlocked scene will benefit. But as it is, I think they'll suffer instead.

Again, I am not arguing about carrier plans and rates, I am talking about the headsets. If I am right, and sim free devices hit US market with AT&T 3G or/and 4G spectrum, we wouldn't have to be at AT&T mercy for updates, isn't it what we discuss here, updates?

[Richard Chao]

Again, I am not arguing about carrier plans and rates, I am talking about the headsets. If I am right, and sim free devices hit US market with AT&T 3G or/and 4G spectrum, we wouldn't have to be at AT&T mercy for updates, isn't it what we discuss here, updates?

Another thought... 1700 is U.S. only so only handsets made for LTE on 1700 will have high speed data in the U.S. I think this may isolate us more than before the potential take over. Currently, AT&T shares some data bands with European carriers. If they switch to high speed data on 1700, it's incompatible with European carriers.

[Janak Parekh]

Another thought... 1700 is U.S. only so only handsets made for LTE on 1700 will have high speed data in the U.S. I think this may isolate us more than before the potential take over. Currently, AT&T shares some data bands with European carriers. If they switch to high speed data on 1700, it's incompatible with European carriers. Depends which bands the phones will support. Eventually, there'll be multiband LTE. At the moment it's too hard to say.

--janak

[Don Tolson]

If anyone is interested in 'detaching' themselves from AT&T schedule for updates, there's a thread in the LG Quantum forum at XDA-Developers that talks about a registry hack to 'debrand' the LG Quantum. (might work for other AT&T phones too, but I've only checked on an Quantum).

The hack works. Immediately after I changed the registry and did a power cycle, I connected to my PC, ran Zune, and there was the February update waiting for me!!! Installed in about 5 mins.

No sign of NoDo yet, but I haven't heard of any LG users getting it.

My son did get a notification for his HTC Surround tho.... (lucky bug...)

[Nelson Ocampo]

I haven't had challenges with unbranded phones on AT&T. Though I normally don't inform AT&T that I'm using a different phone. I've tried unbranded phones several times after I was out of a 2 yr contract period. Then it's like I'm on a month to month. Except that I keep getting these telemarketing calls from AT&T offering a "free phone".