Cerulean Windows Phone - What's Happening?

[nate0]

Check this post and below: http://forums.windowscentral.com/ce...gh-cough*-dusting-off-thread.html#post3603139

In November they tweeted CDMA and later there is an indication that LTE Band 13 might be included. Now there is the question of whether the costly and lengthy process of certifying for Vzw is being done.

However, if the FCC certifies a device Band 13 capable/compliant they also have a ruling that Vzw cannot bar that device from their network. If there is no official Vzw inclusion for such a device I believe that leaves the door open for a workaround or two.

One would be for the individual consumer to lobby Vzw to add their ESN/IMEI to their database (likely a herculean task).

Another I have heard is that if a Vzw SIM is active (or activated) in a Vzw branded device you can simply move t over to a capable device and it will work.

YMMV. I will say this all academic to me as I've never used Verizon as a carrier.

Ya, I hope Cerulean targets band 13, and they succeed with VZ as a capable carrier for one of their phones or all if possible. That would be the way to go, a nexus-like start for their line of Windows Phones! Since 2015 there's been nothing new with Windows for big red, so the folks left on their network with old devices could tip the scale easily. I used VZ for a long time, until the 950 came out, and I was fortunate enough to have already bounced from the account when I was on Project FI, so I jumped over to AT&T and been here since. From what I read and knew VZ certified phones were all that could be ACTIVATED on their network. Even if it was cdma capable and had certain frequencies, band 13 had to be certified with VZ and involved time and money. I think it is a different story now, much like you shared above. In where unlocked devices will work but do not necessarily need to be VZ carrier specific (exclusive or tailored in that way) in every way. Much like the Pixel and most nexus devices that are unlocked or sim-unlocked. I also read from users that unlocked VZ capable phones using CDMA were able to obtain VoLTE and wifi calling even though they were not VZ branded. Which, in a way, is more to speak of than even AT&T. We are not talking Google here, but I bet Greg's testing of carrier sim's involves, in a nut shell some of what you stated above. Everything costs time, and with VZ it is both costly and time consuming....I am curious, has anyone checked to see if FCC certified anything for them or even checked the WiFi alliance website lately?

 

[to_be_announced]

This all sounds like it could be promising for Verizon users like myself. Fingers crossed.

 

[Tim-ANC]

Check this post and below: http://forums.windowscentral.com/ce...gh-cough*-dusting-off-thread.html#post3603139

Thanks for the link. ATT is my carrier but always willing to buy unlocked off contract.

 

[buzzard75]

Until we hear something directly from the manufacturer of the phone, I'm going to treat all mentions of Verizon Band 13 inclusion as extreme speculation. I'm hopeful, but not optimistic. Verizon has never been a proponent of Windows devices. When they did carry them, their sales staff didn't even want to talk to you about them. Mention interest in a Windows device and they would either try and convince you to go with an Android or iOS device or they just wouldn't even bother to talk to you anymore. I literally had one sales person just walk off from me after I told him what I wanted. Since they were the only store in the area that had the phone I wanted, I didn't have much choice other than to seek out another sales person who would actually help me.

I would love a new device on Verizon as it is the one carrier in my area that actually has decent coverage. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint are terrible regardless of what their coverage maps show. I've had the same phone for roughly three years now, which in mobile technology is ancient. If we don't get a new Windows phone on Verizon within the next year, I will probably be jumping ship to Android. Which gives me shivers just thinking about having to go back to a device/OS that will probably self-destruct within 1.5 years.

 

[to_be_announced]

Verizon's sales people suck. I avoid them at all costs.

 

[DustinRyan]

Hey, as someone who worked in sales for Verizon and then store manager, I can tell you not all of them suck, haha. Although, starting next month I'll be a store manager for Best Buy Mobile instead, I will say I still prefer Verizon for phone sales than the other carriers, both as an employee and as a customer. You just have to realize that sales is sales, and all of the carriers have their motives. However, a lot of the crap I read on the Internet about what people THINK Verizon or any carrier is trying to push, is usually very wrong. But that's why you have me here to help you weed out the BS

Also, if a phone supports the Verizon network, you can take a number and a SIM that fits a Verizon phone, and put it into a non-Verizon phone and it will work without needing a workaround. The trick is that both the old and new phone must take the same kind of SIM, and obviously need the proper band. That way, the SIM will read properly, but also avoid Verizon's device change system, which looks for "accepted device IMEIs" that determine whether or not the system will follow through with the device change to a valid device.

Doesn't always work, but usually when it doesn't, it's because the phone doesn't support the band.

 

[buzzard75]

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to insinuate that all Verizon sales people are awful. Some of them have been quite helpful in the past. It's just that some of them have their own personal preconceived notions about what are and aren't good phones based on what's popular or what they own. If a customer comes in and wants something very specific, then as a sales person it's your job to assist that person in getting them what they want, not just walk off from them. If for whatever reason you have strong convictions in your beliefs about what is and isn't a good phone, find out more about the customer and their needs to help them determine if it's a good choice for them or if there might be something better. Don't just walk away because you don't like what they asked for or think they're an i.d.i.o.t. (***** is really filtered?) for not taking the popular choice. For me, I wanted a phone with an excellent camera, a couple social media apps, that could help me be productive in my personal and professional life, and had a stable OS on a solid platform. Based on the other technological devices I use, my experience with other OS's and devices, and the high quality of their cameras, Windows and Nokia did that better for me than Android or iOS did on any of their devices at the time. Now that Microsoft is putting a lot of their own apps on other devices, the productivity benefit is somewhat diminished from Windows. Technological advances mean that the platforms and OS's have gotten more stable and of course the hardware itself has improved over what I currently have. The "app gap" has never figured into my decision of which device to purchase. Which was actually one of the selling points a sales person tried to use to convince me to go for Android or iOS.

As I said in other posts I've made. If the Cerulean Windows Phone (or any other Windows phone in the next year) turns out to be something better than what I currently have, hardware-wise, and they can get the Verizon certification, I will consider it as a replacement. If not, then I will probably be going to Android as I prefer it over iOS and I already have some investment in that ecosystem.

 

[nate0]

They just recently updated their ceruleanmobile web page. Also another tweet was posted, minor, but that and the updated web page could mean the time is nearing...

 

[to_be_announced]

What was the tweet? I went to both Cerulean Mobile and WhartonBrooks twitter and didn't see a new tweet. Cerulean tweeted on the 21st a picture of samples. But haven't seen anything since. Or was that the one you are referring to?

 

[anthonyng]

wooo.. "Be among the first to pre-order our smartphone" should I lol

 

[RumoredNow]

wooo.. "Be among the first to pre-order our smartphone" should I lol

Do it.

Let us know all the gory details.

 

[Tim-ANC]

wooo.. "Be among the first to pre-order our smartphone" should I lol

Was that the tweet? How much do they want for a preorder?

 

[anthonyng]

Was that the tweet? How much do they want for a preorder?

I missed the tweet too. No $ specified on the pre-order... just a mailing list to collect names for who may be interested.

 

[RumoredNow]

Be among the first to preorder is on http://ceruleanmobile.whartonbrooks.com/

Bottom of the landing page.

 

[nate0]

What was the tweet? I went to both Cerulean Mobile and WhartonBrooks twitter and didn't see a new tweet. Cerulean tweeted on the 21st a picture of samples. But haven't seen anything since. Or was that the one you are referring to?

It was regarding a question. HERE

 

[Tim-ANC]

Be among the first to preorder is on Cerulean Mobile – Create, Have Fun, Be the World Adventurer

Bottom of the landing page.

Thanks. I put my name in the hat. Might take a flier on these guys.

 

[to_be_announced]

Anyone seen/heard any updates recently?

 

[nate0]

Not here on my end. Anyone else have any news they know of? I was about to ask Jason in the forums when his next article is due out...

 

[SimonMelb]

Didn't they say they were going to announce something about a week or two ago after testing the device sent to them from China? I tried them on twitter but no reply.

 

[OldMillXxX]

No news is... good news?