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Sprint Confirms HTC EVO 4G LTE Delay

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Earlier today, a report claimed that the HTC EVO 4G LTE would miss its anticipated release date due to a hold up at U.S. Customs. Finally, Sprint has confirmed this to be the case saying that the U.S. availability of the HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed.

In a post on its support forums by way of Android Central, Sprint acknowledges that the EVO 4G LTE has been delayed beyond its scheduled May 18th release date. It doesn’t specifically say why the device is delayed but it’s clear that the Apple patent dispute that has caused shipments to be held at customs is to blame.

Sprint says that it doesn’t have any sort of timing in regards to the EVO 4G LTE’s release but says that HTC is working to resolve the issue and that it’s working hard to get the device onto shelves.

Here is the carrier’s full statement. Those who pre-ordered the smartphone should read carefully.

  • HTC EVO 4G LTE availability
    The U.S. availability of the HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed.  HTC is working to resolve this issue and appreciates your patience as they work to get products into Sprint channels. We can’t provide specific timing for product availability at this time and we appreciate your patience as HTC works to get products on store shelves as soon as possible.
  • Pre-order status/availability
    Delivery of products for pre-order are on hold and Sprint will provide a ship date as soon as possible. Sprint will maintain the promise for the preorder customers that they will be among the first to receive their HTC EVO 4G LTE units.

While we’d rather you didn’t cancel your pre-order, there are instructions provided in the backorder email on how to do so.  I’ve pasted them here for your reference:

If you would like to select an alternate product or cancel your backordered item, please call 866-789-8292 between 8:00 a.m. EST to 11:00 p.m. EST Monday to Friday or 9:00 a.m. EST to 9:00 p.m. EST on Saturdays and Sundays.Please note that cancellation requests may not always process successfully due to the speed of warehouse processing.If you cancelled your backordered item but still received a shipment, please refuse the shipment or call us to process a return within 14 days of receipt.

So, those who pre-ordered will indeed be the first to receive the device which should entice at least some who ordered to remain patient.

Sprint’s EVO 4G LTE isn’t the only device stuck at the border either. AT&T’s HTC One X is currently at U.S. Customs as well.

Originally slated to go on sale on May 18th, the EVO 4G LTE figures to rival the Samsung Galaxy Nexus as Sprint’s flagship 4G LTE device.

Sprint’s 4G LTE network has not launched yet but the carrier has stated that it will be coming by the middle of the year and will initially launch in six U.S. cities.

12 Comments

12 Comments

  1. Mr. H.

    05/16/2012 at 12:04 pm

    Wow… This is pretty low even for Apple. They pretty much own the market of smart phones, and should be content with competition since they themselves, openly believe their phones are the best in the world… unless they fear competition desperately. Apple traditionally has always been 1 to 2 products away from complete corporate failure. What I mean is, Apple traditionally rode their entire company’s success on just 1 or 2 products. Whereas company’s like Samsung, had many products they relied on. Of course Apple Evangelists will say the minimal approach is part of Apple’s success and strategy – but I see it differently – It’s like an old musical artist who got lucky with a “one hit wonder”. Now that musical artist is afraid and cautious to jump forward with new ideas but does everything in their power to keep the old “one hit wonder” alive. I mean why else does Apple still base so much of their innovation on an OLD and outdated marketing scheme, such as, the same product a year later, but now with more memory? With the tens of billions of dollars Apple has, you’d think they would be running forward with new and incredible ideas, not just adding an “S” to their 4th generation iPhone.

    • Bill

      05/17/2012 at 3:34 pm

      All Fruit eventually falls of the tree and rots :)

  2. tim donohue

    05/16/2012 at 12:12 pm

    cancelling a pre-order doesn’t work. i’ve tried 6 times since yesterday, and i get the same run around every time. “somehow”, they managed to process my order hours before it became known that the phone was delayed. now they act as if their hands are tied.

    • J dub

      05/16/2012 at 12:36 pm

      Tim, Yep me too. I can’t cancel either due to the fact that my order is processing. How is that possible considering the phone is delayed?

  3. trudymae

    05/16/2012 at 12:51 pm

    What a load of BS.

  4. NoTrouble

    05/16/2012 at 1:53 pm

    After a 30-minute runaround, I received the same answer. Their solution at this point is to refuse delivery.

    The only reason I want to refuse shipment is that Amazon wireless is offering the same upgrade for $50 less and Sprint will not price match.

  5. OrogenousZones

    05/16/2012 at 4:33 pm

    I also received the same run-around. “Wait until the phone arrives and then refuse delivery.” What part of “I want to switch to another phone upgrade because of the delay” do they not understand? My desire to switch to another phone is caused precisely by the DELAY. If I have to wait for the dang phone in order to “cancel” my order, then that’s really not a cancellation, now, is it?

    • Other

      05/17/2012 at 2:48 am

      What other phone would you want to downgrade to? Just wait.

  6. appleSUCKSBALLZ

    05/16/2012 at 4:51 pm

    Just another sprint tactic, they want you to wait till you get the phone in your hands, at that time most of you who now swear to cancel and refuse will most likely change your mind and keep it.

  7. Sprint cutomersupport sucks

    05/16/2012 at 6:19 pm

    Sprint can’t honor its 14 day return cause they don’t have any lte phones and they are abandoning its current platform. Sure you could get the nexus for 200.00 but Verizonis selling them for 49.00 on the lte network. WTF..

  8. sprint go to hell

    05/18/2012 at 8:31 am

    Talked to sprint last two days. they always said my order is fine. Never received an answer if phone is shipped. Now, i know why. Send a couple of emails to sprint, received always lies back from sprint. Told them to cancel my order, if not i file complaint with attorney general. sprint answer”I will notify sprint executive service…..”

  9. Cliff Andrews

    05/18/2012 at 11:36 am

    I purchased HTC EVO 4G (4G network by Clearwire) in early July almost two years ago and am not going to rush to upgrade smartphone with new Sprint’s LTE 4G network until its new LTE 4G network covers in Rochester, NY. If it will not cover by January 2013, I will switch to Verizon which its LTE 4G network ALREADY covers Rochester.

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