Is the BlackBerry Pearl shipping, or not?
by Michael Caputo 
posted Sep 17th 2006 at 5:25AM
We all were excited when we first heard the news that the BlackBerry Pearl was going to release this past Tuesday, September 12th. Some of us stayed up all night and waited to call T-Mobile's Customer Service till just after midnight and place the order for the phone (this post's author included). Everything seemed to be going great; we were so impatient we decided to pay for express shipping through UPS for an additional $15.00, received our order number and went to bed happy. The next day rolled around and we were eager, and decided to call Tmo to get the tracking number. After a twenty minute conversation with the rep, she had told us there was no tracking number yet and the device was still showing as "pending" in their system. Doing a little research, we found that other Tmo customers were experiencing the same issue with their Pearl orders. We might have called our people at Tmo and asked 'em to send us a unit over or something, yes, but that's not playing fair -- we're customers too, and we don't expect special treatment. Today is the third and final day that our phone should be delivered (according to the express shipping that we paid for), so decided to call Tmo once again and there is still no tracking number (to their credit, the rep offered to refund the cost of express shipping -- but what good does that do?) We just want the phone and don't really have the time to visit a retail location; Tmo, you might wanna consider switching to FedEx.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Michael R @ Sep 17th 2006 6:24AM
I work in tmo's PDA group. The phone should arrive as promised. The shipping form in our system will show pending until ups updates it with the tracking info which can take upto 72hrs. You should have been advised all our orders can be tracked at ups.com under track by reference using you mob# in this format ###-###-####. But I usually advise express shipping customers that by the time they can track it, it should have arrived.
911 @ Sep 17th 2006 7:09AM
Well, as usual. New shippings are alwaya delayed. This rush doesn't give anything good
matt Hartman @ Sep 17th 2006 7:59AM
yea i ordered mine at 7am on ship day (12th) w/ express shipping and still nadda...
Rambler @ Sep 17th 2006 8:18AM
Give anything good! Nice!
Marlos Hill @ Sep 17th 2006 11:59AM
Yeah im in the same boat. Pretty much ordered it around 10am on the 12th w/ express shipping and nothing. Even checked the reference number method one of the posters above mentioned--- zilch.
Jamie Smith @ Sep 17th 2006 12:52PM
This thing is available in Northen Virginia. I have been to two T-Mobile stores (Dulles Town Center and Fair Oaks Mall) and both stores have the pearl on display, fired up and ready to go. I am not sure if thats all they have (demos) but they are there.
AJ @ Sep 17th 2006 4:17PM
I Seen it, I held it in me hand. A co-worker got it to replace a wonky treo and was showing it off on friday. I'm in New York City, for what that's worth.
jimmie geddes @ Sep 17th 2006 4:21PM
The T-Mobile is Short Hills mall in NJ has the Pearl in. I can't believe how nice this phone is. It's small, thin, and feels great in the hand.
phi @ Sep 17th 2006 4:26PM
They're out, I saw a dude using one downtown in Georgetown DC this morning
A.J. @ Sep 17th 2006 7:49PM
I'm a third-party T-Mobile dealer in Ocean County, NJ. We had one ON September 13th. We only have one, but still, its out there...
Stephen Hill @ Sep 17th 2006 6:18PM
To #1... We (the people that ordered on the 12th) were promised a Friday (at the latest) delivery. So the phone definitely did not arrive on the stated date. I'm a patient person, so if it's backordered, fine, tell me so... They (Cust Care) insisted the phone was not on backorder, so something else is up...
J @ Sep 17th 2006 6:38PM
Hey all....cool looking phone.
I was wondering, I was hoping that nexttel would get some new blackberry's in stock.....but seems like we are stuck with the beefier (size) models. Anyone here any word on that?
My blackberry cannot reply to aol instant messages, which is rather irrtating, but...
I've got to stick with nextel, and really am a blackberry fan but, geez, 3 blackberrys for nextel???? We are long overdue us nextel users.
Great finding all of these messages, hope to keep up with them myself. thanks again.
RAS @ Sep 18th 2006 7:37PM
I bought mine at 10:00 AM on the 12th. I only waited until 10:00 because that's when the T-Mobile store open. When you can buy one in a store but TMo can't ship one on time, something is wrong.
J @ Sep 17th 2006 8:15PM
good to hear AJ.....have you heard any news with regards to walkie takies and blackberrys? I'd hate to have to switch my service just to get an updated blackberry, I've got the 7520 rim.
Shiz @ Sep 17th 2006 9:20PM
I'm out in Southern Cali, same problem - ordered on the 12th, no tracking on UPS site (even given the Ref# of my phone no), and when I call they say that the status has been "shipped", and its in UPS's hands but they don't have access to a tracking number either. Should have arrived Fri but nada!
ivanjrn @ Sep 17th 2006 10:15PM
I work at a T-Mobile retail store and we've had the Pearl in stock since at least a week before launch at our store. We've sold many and have plenty left. Most stores actually have good quantities so I would recommend you go to T-Mobile.com and use the store locator to find your nearest TMO retail store. Call them and make sure they have them in stock before you make the trip.
sideshow @ Sep 18th 2006 11:02AM
Same here, i've been calling them every day after tuesday and they've been telling me that it should have shipped on saturday (i didn't know ups works on saturdays) and arrive today. But today came about and no pearl. I called back and they said it was on backorder. Not cool.
accutronman @ Sep 18th 2006 2:52PM
Ordered mine the morning of the 12th, called two different T-Mobile CSRs today and both told me it was on backorder. Funny part is they both said they had Pearls in stock if I was placing the order new. Asked for refund on shipping charges and an upgrade to express once they figure out what's going on.
MB @ Sep 18th 2006 3:43PM
Plenty is stock in my local store too. On 9/12, ordered as an upgrade for $249, less $50 rebate. TMO can't cancel the order, so I'd have to ship back the one in they're mailing, and I'd lose the shipping $'s. BUT - system won't let me get the rebate on the phone in the store and it's apparently tied to the Serial #, so I can't just swap the rebate that comes in the mail for the one I buy in the store. So for $50 difference, I guess I'll wait. Oh, TMO, I'd like my hour spent in the store back please.
Matthew @ Sep 18th 2006 4:27PM
I also ordered on Tuesday morning. Finally this past Friday T-Mobile admitted that it was backordered at least 7 days. When I spoke with someone today I was told 4 days after my expected delivery day of the 21st since I selected standard delivery. It's funny CS keeps giving me this song and dance about it'll be shipped soon since my delivery date hasn't past all the while I know even those that paid for express shipping haven't gotten theirs yet either.
sideshow @ Sep 18th 2006 9:19PM
okay guys, I just checked my ups tracking and its finally been processed and its coming by next day air saver, i suggest you all check it.
Keith @ Sep 19th 2006 3:47PM
I ordered mine last Tuesday, no tracking number until last night, it said it's on time and will be delivered tomorrow...we'll see.