HTC Evo V 4G launching May 31 for $299, with $35 plan

**Leslieann** · 05-29-2012, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by Etegral

I called all the Radioshacks around me and they were all clueless about when they were getting the Evo Vs in. One guy said that he had seen 'testing' of the phone but didn't know when they'd have them.

The girl I spoke to first had no clue about it, at all, when she asked the manager he knew right away what I was after and when (he expects them Friday).

You have to talk to the manager or person handling their orders. Otherwise, unless you talk to someone who is interested in it, you will get nothing. It's easy to blame the employees, but I suspect it's just how the stores are run that is the problem.

**JK2012** · 05-29-2012, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by thrownblown

Same here. I'm dying with anticipation. It said during checkout that they wouldn't charge till it shipped but it charged immediately. The order info page is darn cryptic.

I too saw a charge from RS, but then it disappeared. I think that was just to check funds, and the final charge will go through when it ships.

**thrownblown** · 05-30-2012, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by JK2012

I too saw a charge from RS, but then it disappeared. I think that was just to check funds, and the final charge will go through when it ships.

they haven't given me back a penny.
I hope it shows tomorrow or friday.

**mfrerkes** · 05-30-2012, 10:59 AM

According to the Radio Shack in Davenport, IA...we will all be waiting at least another week for the EVO V 4G to arrive on store shelves. The sales person told me the first shipment of phones is currently being held up in customs. There's some issue (not related to the phones themselves) with clearance from China.

Obviously, there's no way to source this information, but I don't think a sales person would just make this up out of thin air. Normally, there'd be a few of these things leaking out into the public since we're only a day from the official launch date. The fact nobody has reported seeing one at a store indicates there could be some truth to this "customs issue" keeping them away.

**exuberance** · 05-30-2012, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

According to the Radio Shack in Davenport, IA...we will all be waiting at least another week for the EVO V 4G to arrive on store shelves. The sales person told me the first shipment of phones is currently being held up in customs. There's some issue (not related to the phones themselves) with clearance from China.

I wonder if they're are confusing VM's Evo V with Sprint's Evo 4G LTE? I haven't heard anything about the evo V being held in customs, but sprint's new evo just cleared the customs hurdle.

**mfrerkes** · 05-30-2012, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by exuberance

I wonder if they're are confusing VM's Evo V with Sprint's Evo 4G LTE? I haven't heard anything about the evo V being held in customs, but sprint's new evo just cleared the customs hurdle.

The sales person I spoke to indicated both phones (Sprint and VM) had experienced/were experiencing some bureaucratic red tape in the customs process. He really didn't have elaborate details on it, but was certain we would not be seeing them tomorrow.

That's all I know, and apparently all he knew. It is odd that nobody has snagged one yet. The Intercept, Optimus V, and Triumph were all in stores before an official launch date. Either VM has done a really good job keeping this phone locked down in its retail outlets, or there's some other hurdle keeping them out of public view.

**exuberance** · 05-30-2012, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

The sales person I spoke to indicated both phones (Sprint and VM) had experienced/were experiencing some bureaucratic red tape in the customs process. He really didn't have elaborate details on it, but was certain we would not be seeing them tomorrow.

That's all I know, and apparently all he knew. It is odd that nobody has snagged one yet. The Intercept, Optimus V, and Triumph were all in stores before an official launch date. Either VM has done a really good job keeping this phone locked down in its retail outlets, or there's some other hurdle keeping them out of public view.

Ah. yeah I thought VM was doing an unusually good job of preventing early releases :-p. I guess as long as the phones show up on time, they won't ever have to tell us what's going on behind the red tape.

**JK2012** · 05-30-2012, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

The sales person I spoke to indicated both phones (Sprint and VM) had experienced/were experiencing some bureaucratic red tape in the customs process. He really didn't have elaborate details on it, but was certain we would not be seeing them tomorrow.

That's all I know, and apparently all he knew. It is odd that nobody has snagged one yet. The Intercept, Optimus V, and Triumph were all in stores before an official launch date. Either VM has done a really good job keeping this phone locked down in its retail outlets, or there's some other hurdle keeping them out of public view.

Someone from VM on Facebook commented that Best Buy stores will have them for sale tomorrow.

**mfrerkes** · 05-30-2012, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by JK2012

Someone from VM on Facebook commented that Best Buy stores will have them for sale tomorrow.

Hmmmm. Very interesting! I wonder if Radio Shack is laying out this "customs red tape" story so that anxious customers won't go elsewhere for their phones? Perhaps the issue isn't really with customs, but with Radio Shack's ability to get some product to sell on the launch date.

Thanks for the info about Best Buy. I may sneak over there tonight and see if anyone knows anything about them going on sale.

**thrownblown** · 05-30-2012, 04:40 PM

RadioShack returned the money to my account this morning.

I called RadioShack CS and they said that it would charge when it ships that the previous charge was just pending, even though it took them a week to return the funds. He had no info regarding the shipping date and when he transferred me to the mobile department they didn't have my order number on file.

Fishy.

**thrownblown** · 05-30-2012, 04:47 PM

im going to bb first thing tomorrow if they haven't taken my money back.

**mfrerkes** · 05-30-2012, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by thrownblown

im going to bb first thing tomorrow if they haven't taken my money back.

My local Best Buy couldn't even tell me if they'd have any EVOs in stock tomorrow morning. They didn't have any as of tonight. That is very strange.

Something is up with this whole thing. I could understand if one store (or many in a particular geographic region) didn't have any, but this seems a little too widespread to be coincidental. Maybe the Radio Shack explanation of "customs issues" was correct after all.

Seems to me that Best Buy would have at least a 24-hour advance notice of when their products arrive for sale. I'd love to hear just one person say they've seen or heard that a store in their area has these phones.

**Etegral** · 05-30-2012, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

My local Best Buy couldn't even tell me if they'd have any EVOs in stock tomorrow morning. They didn't have any as of tonight. That is very strange.

Same deal here. It really sounds like Virgin Mobile is taking care of the early-release situation by releasing it on their website first, and then letting everyone else have them later on.

**mfrerkes** · 05-30-2012, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by Etegral

Same deal here. It really sounds like Virgin Mobile is taking care of the early-release situation by releasing it on their website first, and then letting everyone else have them later on.

...then Virgin Mobile needs to stop telling people on Facebook that the EVO will be available for purchase May 31st at Best Buy, which they have already done.

Why is it VM can never launch a much-hyped phone without something going wrong? This is reminiscient of the Triumph debacle last year, when people couldn't get working service until a week after they had purchased it. I suffered through that, as did other Triumph users on HF.

**Ric** · 05-30-2012, 08:37 PM

This is not a conspiracy between Best Buy, Radio Shack, and Virgin Mobile. The VM EVO has been caught in the ongoing battle between Apple and HTC that is taking place in US Customs. Although most of the publicity has been centered on the new Sprint and AT&T flagships, the VM and Boost HTC EVO phones in these same shipments and have been delayed. It looks like they are now being released from customs, but that puts them two weeks behind schedule. HTC will certainly prioritize the Spring EVO LTE and One X above the pre-paid phones, so we will just have to let the process unwind before they appear in stores and the pre-orders are fulfilled.

HTC One X and Evo 4G LTE indefinitely delayed at US Customs for investigation of Apple patent infringement

HTC Evo 4G LTE now indefinitely delayed at Best Buy

HTC says One X and Evo 4G LTE have cleared US customs, are in compliance with ITC rulings