BlackBerry Passport will Vodafone stock?

[Aneres11]

Evening all.

The new BlackBerry Passport is due to be unveiled by BB at an event in London on the 24th September.

Do Vodafone have any information regarding availability? I know BlackBerry isn't massively supported these days but Vodafone are generally very good with their BB selection.

Any news on whether it will be available?

Cheers

[stavers]

OK - so they have it in stock.

I phoned the upgrades team who could not help as they did not have it listed and was advised to keep checking the website.

HOWEVER...

I then phoned the retentions team and was told it was in stock.  I then spoke with them about it and it is being delivered tomorrow:smileyhappy:

My first BlackBerry device so fingers crossed it's a good one.

[wamwebster]

Thanks Stavers... I am waiting on a callback now. :smileyhappy:

[wamwebster]

Success!  :smileyhappy:

[stavers]

Glad to hear it.:smileyhappy:

[Midlands]

My partner and I are both Vodafone monthly contract customers and are looking to buy ourselves the new Blackberry Passport phones. Our current phones are push button old generation Nokia type.

We realise that Vodafone won't sell us these Blackberry phones - for business reasons I believe, but if we can source them elsewhere will we still be able to operate them on the Vodafone network by simply loading them with our current monthly contract Vodafone SIM cards?

Or will we need to leave the Vodafone and find a network more friendly to the Blackberry Passport?

We are not business customers, but we just lke the idea of a phone that combines a QWERTY keyboard with touch screen.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer. 

[wamwebster]

I think Vodafone ARE stocking it, and I think they are quietly doing a U-turn on their previous stance as the momentum of Passport demand becomes apparent.

I had to take my Passport into a local Vodafone store for a SIM check and while I was there I saw the Passport on display in the shop with no caveats regarding business accounts.  So I asked if it was available on non-business tariffs and received a weaselly answer to the effect that there was no difference between their business and consumer tariffs.

If I were you I would phone retentions and explain your situation and your stance - i.e. you want a Passport or you'll walk.

I think you'll get the Passport!  🙂

Your only slight problem might be that they are allegedly out of stock.  I guess after the Z10 (which I loved apart from my inability to type accurately on-screen) flop many retailers chose to hedge their bets until they saw how the market responded.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

[Midlands]

Thanks for your reply. I'll let you know if I manage to lay my hands on a Blackberry passport but I don't think this will be for a while due to the current shortage of stock.

My Vodafone Shop in Solihull tell me to watch the Vodafone website for news but if I type "Blackberry Passport" into the main Vodafone search engine the closest match it brings up is for "Vodafone Passport"!

[tomtell]

Reply to Midlands.
If you buy the Vodafone Passport elsewhere, will you still be able to use Vodafone?

Short answer is yes - so long as the Passports are unlocked.

A couple of years ago, Vodafone gave me a contract with a Nokia Lumia 800, a beautifully designed device with a very poor operating system (in my opinion).

I sourced a BlackBerry Q10, inserted my sim, and I've had no problems.

I certainly recommend the BlackBerry 10 operating system if your main desire is for a smartphone to be (close to) a smaller computer. For getting things done, it can't be beaten.

Tom

[Midlands]

Thanks Tom.

This will be my first Smart Phone purchase.

I have been looking for a phone that combines touch screen with a QWERTY keyboard to enable me to receive emails on the move, something I have never been able to do with my four year old Nokia.

The Blackberry Passport should be a phone that I keep for a good few years as I'm not someone that changes phones that often.

Tony

[BB21PASSPORT]

The only problem we appear to be facing at the moment stems from both the unforeseen demand for the device by the manufacturer coupled to a lack of desire by the retailing networks to allow the dominance of i-Products to be challenged by consumer patterns. We may soon end up being forced to choose from what they wish to offer if we are anot willing to pay upfont for expensive handsets as compared to the networks allowing us to go for what we really want from the large pool of available devices. It doesn't take seconds to have an iPhone in your hands from any network but it's proving to be a very big problem to get the Blackberry Passport. Vodafone has not helped issues for its clients by not being open about the device. Tariffs for other devices are just a click away but for the Blackberry Passport you are asked to dial a given number only to be told one reason or the other why you can't have it or pre-order it. It's just unbusiness-like!!!