The BlackBerry / OS X Paradox
Last year I made the switch from my dilapidated Motorola Q which was held together with scotch tape, to a new phone with PDA functionality. In my mind there were only two options for me; the sleek iPhone or the robust BlackBerry Curve. When I was purchasing my new phone, both the iPhone and BlackBerry Curve were at the same price point, $199. But AT&T also provided the option to purchase a refurbished BlackBerry Curve for $69. Having purchased refurbished phones in the past, I had no qualms that the phone would work as well as a brand new one. For a few days I went back and forth between the two phones, comparing and contrasting features based on price. An outlier with the BlackBerry Curve was whether or not I would be able to syncronize the phone with my MacBook, an advantage that the iPhone had. A representative at AT&T gave me information on PocketMac which eased my concern. Ultimately, I went with the BlackBerry Curve because of simple-to-use push e-mail, its ability to run third-party applications, OS X compatability, and lower price.
For the first eight months that I owned the phone I had no problems outside the nuances that plague every piece of technology on this planet. But in April, I started to notice regular problems with my Curve including the phone becoming slower, large wait times when using e-mail and messaging features, and delayed key responses. In addition, newer applications arriving for BlackBerry devices provided error messages stating they could not run on my Curve. After speaking with friends who also own BlackBerry’s, I was told a software update would fix most if not all of the issues I was seeing. Being technologically inclined this is a simple process — unless you own a Mac. After scouring BlackBerry’s website for the updated system software I discovered I needed BlackBerry Desktop Software which is only available for Windows operating systems. Perturbed, I went to my local AT&T store to have the software updated by the support representatives. When I arrived I was told only an authorized AT&T support center could update the software, the nearest of which was almost an hour drive from where I was staying in West Palm Beach. I was frustrated by the circumstances caused by a perfect storm of cross-platform incompatibility and AT&T not having the proper infrastructure to assist all of its customers.
I called customer service, explained the situation, and asked for early eligibility to switch to an iPhone which was naturally compatible with my MacBook. After about 30 minutes on the phone, a note was placed on my account that provided me with early eligibility. Set to upgrade to the iPhone that day, many of my friends on Twitter encouraged me to wait for the unannounced-yet-expected iPhone hardware and software upgrade in June. Knowing I would be disappointed if I upgraded to an iPhone only to have it made obsolete two months later, I decided to wait.
On Friday I went to my local AT&T store to upgrade now that the iPhone 3GS hype has dissipated. The helpful customer service representative saw the note on my account from earlier and allowed me to order a Black iPhone 3GS. Since my elgibility date in the computer was January 2010 she said an early upgrade form was required which would potentially take two to three days. Understanding of the situation I left after ordering the phone. This morning I received a call that I was unable to upgrade to the iPhone, but she would help me upgrade to another phone if I desired. While I would typically be amenable to another phone only the BlackBerry and iPhone offer the levels of e-mail functionality that I need. After allowing the news to sit for a short period of time I called AT&T customer service to see if there was anything they could do. I spent 25 patient minutes on the phone with a customer care representative who kept rehashing the same suggestions I had heard in the past. Use the PocketMac software, go to an AT&T service center, use a Window’s enabled laptop, or switch to a different phone altogether. I finally asked to speak to a manager to see if there was any way for me to switch to an iPhone.
When Steve joined the call I was delighted to know he was a fellow Mac user as well. He was empathetic to my situation but informed me his hands were tied because of the contract that AT&T has with Apple. I inquired about adding a second line of service, selecting the iPhone for that line, and cancelling my existing phone number with a waived cancellation fee. Unfortunately, he was unable to waive the AT&T cancellation fee and it would cost me an additional $10/month until my existing contract expired next July. He offered to upgrade me to a newer BlackBerry but I was conerned that I would be facing the same problems again in the future and it would reset my eligibility to purchase an iPhone. He apologized for being unable to help me out and offered me a $20 service credit for the next three months as a consolation for being inconvenienced by a phone that cannot be upgraded. While not the exact resolution I was hoping for, it makes the six month wait for the iPhone slightly easier to bear.
Posted on July 11th, 2009 | By: bootstrap economist | Filed under Personal Finance
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.