Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Cincinnati, OH USA
Posts: 107

Airprime SB3000/Sprint Digital Link -- Anyone Seen Them on the Horizon?

Has anyone had a chance to seee/touch/use a street version of the Airprime SB3000/Sprint Digital Link CDMA Springboard module phone? They were supposed to surface in September, but SprintPCS folks still claim to have no knowledge of such an animal, let alone service plans, etc?

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MANY BLESSINGS!
Peace and Every Good!


Michael W. Cristiani
[email protected]

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 23

I just received an email from Sprint saying that the SB3000 will be available the third week of September.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Cincinnati, OH USA
Posts: 107

quote:

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Originally posted by kstinnett
I just received an email from Sprint saying that the SB3000 will be available the third week of September.

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__________________
MANY BLESSINGS!
Peace and Every Good!


Michael W. Cristiani
[email protected]

Registered: Sep 2001
Location:
Posts: 1

To me, there is a fatal flaw in the unit. I was very excited until I looked at the specs and saw that it doesn't have an analog mode. This means that if you can't connect to the Sprint network you're dead in the water - no service at all. I'm on Verizon, the biggest network, and go to analog frequently when I'm travelling. This will be even worse on Sprint, which has a much smaller network. Very dissapointing.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Hacienda Heights, Ca
Posts: 302

quote:

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Originally posted by pbiba
To me, there is a fatal flaw in the unit. I was very excited until I looked at the specs and saw that it doesn't have an analog mode. This means that if you can't connect to the Sprint network you're dead in the water - no service at all. I'm on Verizon, the biggest network, and go to analog frequently when I'm travelling. This will be even worse on Sprint, which has a much smaller network. Very dissapointing.

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Bret Snyder<BR>If you don't know where you're going,<BR>You'll probably end up somewhere else.

Registered: Nov 2000
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 201

quote:

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Originally posted by Bret Snyder


This is not that big of a deal for me. My Motorola v8167 phone is the same way. So far, every city that I have traveled to on business has had Sprint service.

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What do you think, Sirs?

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 61

Sprint PCS Pissed me off!

My friend have Sprint and his phone goes to ROAM all the time withing in HOME area and he get roaming charges on his bill every month!

My g/f (you know they never listen) went out and got Sprint PCS her self. Me and her talked on the phone for 30 min she was at her house and on her bill it was charged ROAM to my number. Most of the time she's in ROAM in her own house in local service area.

Also If they don't receive the payment on time you're out of luck.

With ATT I can skip a month or 2 if i want to. I even get complmenty call to pay my bills too.

late.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 39

QUOTE]
To me, there is a fatal flaw in the unit. I was very excited until I looked at the specs and saw that it doesn't have an analog mode. This means that if you can't connect to the Sprint network you're dead in the water - no service at all. I'm on Verizon, the biggest network, and go to analog frequently when I'm travelling. This will be even worse on Sprint, which has a much smaller network. Very dissapointing.


I use Verizon here in Texas.... I would like to know if you have any word when we will have the chance at a visor phone type ... device?

Thanks
Terry

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Austin, Texas

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 107

quote:

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Originally posted by kstinnett
I just received an email from Sprint saying that the SB3000 will be available the third week of September.

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-Richard Powell

"Nice guys may finish last, but you know, the company's much better back here."

Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Round Rock, TX
Posts: 2

On Tuesday I sent an e-mail to the PR rep. whose e-mail address was on the press release on Handspring's site... Nancy Sherrer. She responded back saying that the digital link will launch in the next couple weeks and Sprint will make an announcement on how and where to get it. They should be able to send something out around October 8th.

Registered: Oct 2001
Location:
Posts: 3

Sprint Digital Link Delayed Until 1st Quarter 2002

Yesterday (10/2) I called and asked a Sprint rep if they knew anything about when the Sprint Digital Link was going to come out. She told me that she was waiting for it too, but that it was delayed until first quarter of 2002. Something about they needed to upgrade the network for the 3G functionality.

It sounds like some other folks have gotten different feedback from Sprint. I hope that I'm wrong.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 107

It was my impression that the Digital Link was "3G Ready", meaning it will be able to use 3G when 3G became available, but would use the standard network available NOW until that time. Was I wrong with this impression? If that's true, then they shouldn't have to wait until the network upgrade to release the Digital Link since all they (in theory) would need would be a software update.

I hope the Sprint rep you spoke to was just confused about her facts. Going from August/September to March/April is a rather large (6-7 month) delay.

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-Richard Powell

"Nice guys may finish last, but you know, the company's much better back here."

Registered: Oct 2001
Location:
Posts: 3

My understanding is the same as yours. It is supposed to work on their existing network and then work when they upgraded to 3G. I was quite confused when she said that was the reason they were waiting.

The impression I was left with was NOT that they had to wait, but that they had decided to upgrade the network first before releasing the phone.

Again, I hope I'm wrong. I've been thinking about writing the contact from Sprint that's on the press release. I'll post any reply that I get.

Registered: Sep 2001
Location:
Posts: 10

SB3000

On September 25th, I received the following response from Suzanne Lammers (the Sprint contact listed on the Sept. 24th press release regarding Sprint's agreement with Handspring regarding the Blazer Browser) . . . .

You should see an announcement regarding availability and price the first or second week in October.

I have heard from other sources that Sprint will be releasing a group of 3G capable phones in mid October. This probably explains why so many phones are listed as out of stock on the SprintPCS website.

My SprintPCS phone died an untimely death a few weeks ago and I cannot see buying any other phone other than the SB3000.

I am really frustrated that SprintPCS will not provide accurate information regarding the release date and cost of the SB3000. In web reviews of the SB3000, I have seen costs of $200 and $250.

As a longtime SprintPCS customer, I am almost ready to cancel my Sprint PCS service ($100 termination fee) and (ARGH!) buy a Visor Phone and pay jacked up rates to a GSM service provider.

If you're frustrated about this too, I suggest viewing the following website for kicks . . . http://www.sprintpcs-sucks.org/

Alas, I will probably wait for the release of the SB3000

Last edited by kcnewf on 10-05-2001 at 04:48 PM

Registered: Sep 2001
Location:
Posts: 10

You've probably seen that the GMS Visor Phone is now FREE with activation.

Does this mean that Sprint's release of the SB3000 is right around the corner???

Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Round Rock, TX
Posts: 2

I don't know about the SB3000, but I checked the Sprint PCS website today and they have the new Samsung SPH-I300, which is a color PDA/phone... pretty much like a Visor with the phone module, except you can't remove the phone portion of it. I'm hoping that this means that the SB3000 will be announced soon as well.

Registered: Sep 2001
Location:
Posts: 10

It is available on the Sprintpcs website with platronics headset.

$250 clams. I'll be waiting to buy it when my plan is up at the end of December and Sprint offers credits for signing a service agreement.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: El Segundo,CA
Posts: 374

Well, it looks pretty good, minimum for me = $35/mo +$5/mo wireless web (3 mo free, don't know if this is applicable for SB3000) +$2/mo wireless web messaging. I would assume this includes ISP, free min. compared to Cingular $30/mo +$5/mo PCS messaging +.15cents/minute for data with no ISP included.

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My Treo has more memory than I do.

Registered: Oct 2001
Location:
Posts: 3

Stopped By a SprintPCS Store today...

...and had a very frustrating experience.

I stopped by my local Spring PCS store today to see if by some miracle they had the SB3000 in, or if they had any information. They didn't have it, nor did they have any information about it. No info on charges, minutes, how it adds to your existing service, etc. The guy (who I think was the manager) was quite rude, almost like he was trying NOT to be helpful. He almost made me mad enough to write a letter to Sprint, but maybe he just had a bad Saturday night.

He did walk me through what he thought might be the scenario. $20 a month to add it to my existing service if I want to keep my current phone active as well, plus $5 per month for the wireless web. Most likely can't share an existing phone number (no suprise there) but you can have your existing phone number transfered to the new phone.

He also said that he didn't know when they'd be getting the phone, as corporate had sent no info to at least this particular store. Could be the guy is such a jerk that no one at corporate wants to talk to him, but is probably due to the delay in getting them out in general.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 64

Local Sprint PCS stores (at least around here) don't know much of anything about this module and don't have them in stock yet. I called the toll free number at Sprint and was told that they are on back order (haven't come in yet) but I went to the website and ordered one anyway. The email I got from Sprint PCS said that it should ship within 5 days and that if I don't have it in a week to call them for more info.

Waiting now to see if I get any followup email about it not being available yet...