That's just plain wrong. Microsoft did not release the cdma code base 7 months ago. It is fair to use Sprints availability as a benchmark (1.5 months ago) as to when Verizon could have gotten it's WP7 model out, but then again, Sprint has a reason to be more aggressive, it's not Verizon and it wasn't focused on getting the iPhone on it's network.
While your point is valid... it doesn't matter. The perception from the lay person is that they are slow.
I am sure VZW has reasons for WP7 not coming out yet. Do I care? Not in the slightest.
As a consumer, I just want to see the new product in the market. It just really seems that they are slow at introducing things. ~ 2 months or so behind Sprint with regards to introductions.
But lets look at it from MS's perspective...
If I first code a OS a certain way, I have two companies who can get a phone to market very fast (AT&T, T-Mobile) and I have a new OS that I want to get out to the public as fast as possible. If I code the OS a different way, I then have two other comanies who can get new phones and the OS out not as fast (one is notoriously slow for getting new products to market). The first two companies will get the phone out before the holidays and the other two, only 1 will probably get it out before the holidays...
Which one would you go with for an initial release? I have to say, VZW made their own bed on that one... So I will still hold my previous statement that they released 7 months later... sorry.