AT&T blocking Dell Streak beta units? (update: SIMs were deactivated, phones weren't supposed to be sold)
By Chris Ziegler 
posted August 2nd 2010 5:09PM
posted August 2nd 2010 5:09PM
[Thanks, Reece M.]
Update: We've had at least one buyer of a beta unit write in to tell us that his Streak is still functional, so it seems that the IMEIs haven't been blocked across the board -- so far, anyhow. Leave us your experiences in comments, won't you? Thanks, Josh G.!
Update 2: Dell just wrote in to give us some more background on the situation, and it looks like at least part of the confusion is stemming from the fact that the Streaks were provided with 30-day SIMs from AT&T; testers were provided with the following tidbit on the fate of their phones after the SIMs expired:
More importantly, it turns out that the agreement testers signed specifically forbade them from selling their Streaks, so it seems like it'd be entirely within Dell's right to report the IMEIs missing or stolen to AT&T -- not to say that ever occurred, but in light of the agreement, it wouldn't be out of the question."You can still use your Streak. Your beta phone number will be disconnected tomorrow, but you'll continue to have access to all the cool Streak features including the Android marketplace, games, email, Facebook, etc., you'll just need to connect via WIFI. Your Streak, while it may function on some carrier networks, is a beta phone and is therefore not certified on any carrier network, so it may not function normally. Any such use will be subject to and your carrier's data and voice plan."
Awww, Now that I pre ordered mine
@Cainhunpi Yours won't be affected. Only the beta units.
@ok old news again
Do you notice how you consistently give negative comments on things that you dislike on engadget?
Now do you see the irony in your Engadget name?
I have one and no problems yet. Mine does not show up in the at&t system. They do not know that I am using one
@ok old news again
lol, guess you didn't read th article earlier that android has grown 886% last quarter. Not bad for a OS that "sucks". lol.
@Cainhunpi I'm sorry but this is a f**king big a** phone. They maybe should have tried the 4.5 or 4.7 variety.
@ok old news again is dumb.
There—an equally inane post to match your own.
@Cainhunpi
They're not blocking them on purpose, the Streak users just haven't been able to get a signal.
: X
who would of guessed
@Coke
Do you really speak like this in REAL life? Really, stop and think about it..."who would OF guessed"
@merovingian
Are you really the snooty grammar police? I think we're going to need to see a badge.
@merovingian
Actually, "Who would of guessed", while not being gramatically perfect on paper, makes sense phonetically. Because people usually contract "would' and "have" into "Would've"
"Would'of"
@TheRealCJ you just made yourself look worse than you originally did.
silence is golden.
Thats a big ASS phone!
@Napsterking That picture makes it seem like the guy's got a really small hand!
@Napsterking Which I personally believe (just a wild guess) is the reason for blockage. It's possible that AT&T does not want to allow non-phones to reach their service without a special contract. Of course, the Streak is a phone, but it is technically-speaking a MID. A different class of device, separate from traditional phones and smartphones. Therefore, it's possible (again, that's a wild guess) that AT&T requires a different plan for such devices. Like they need you to have a different plan for the iPad, or if you want to tether your laptop. Or like in the past, where if you wanted a PDA, there was a separate plan for it. AT&T might be seeing MIDs as modern PDAs, but there's nothing modern about this world-view from their side.
I mean, I'm not happy that they completely block data on my original iPhone 2G either. There's no reason to block data on my pay as you go iPhone (not unlocked, not jailbroken). If anything, if I were to use data with my iPhone 2G, they would be able to make lots of money because of the $10 per 1 MB rate. And yet, they do block it.
So I'm not surprised that they might see MIDs as a different class. Not happy about it though. A phone is a phone, and bits are bits. There's no reason to separate the notions. A device is a device, especially when at least for calls, there is no increased data used.
@Napsterking
Yeah, and the Droid X/HTC Evo already seem big. I can't imagine a 5" screen being pocketable!
@Napsterking
that's cause it's an MID first, a phone second. plus, it's only five inches, less than av...wait, what?
@bravokiloromeo it fit in your pocket easily i had no trouble getting in my jeans shorts or trousers wife could not get it in skin tight jeans though lol
@Napsterking Look at the size of that phone. I'm not kidding, it's like a pop tart in a doll's hand! That's a huge phone! It's a virtual land mass! Has it's own weather system! PHONE! MOVE!
I would need a man-purse to carry that around. It would finally complete my chic European look (I already have the sweater arms tied around my neck, and very, very narrow-legged jeans)
@Napsterking I thought it was a child holding the phone.
That's a very ugly call screen.
@APV I think the screen is messed up, it's all blurry.
@barry99705 Well it's someones personal phone. They blurred out their contacts so the entire interwebs can't see it.
@engadgetcomexcludeengadget Ya think?
I really want the Streak, but when they missed their promised ship date, and all I see is blah blah phone getting their Froyo update, it's getting really frustrating. Not sure if I can trust Dell to get their Froyo update out "by the end of the year" which is already ridiculously far away.
@Nathan B
I went captivate and haven't looked back. Much.
@BigJayDogg3 I did the same thing. Great phone too.
For some reason this reminds me of the Motorola Brick phones back in the 90's. This thing is huge, it's too small for a tablet yet too big for a regular phone. I'm sure many will like this but I would prefer a 4.3 inch screen at max.
I'm not sure I understand... Is this ATT locking out a competing device? or is this ATT choosing to disable a beta unit after the beta has expired?
@someguy7234
The Streak is launching on AT&T
@someguy7234
Just them locking out the phones after the beta has ended
Dell is writing the book on how NOT to launch and Android device in the U.S. This could totally be a compelling device for those seeking something between a MID and a phone.
Maybe Round Rock is having cold feet with launch their "halo" Android device with Android 1.6 Donut the month that all the other big devices are getting 2.2 Froyo?
@dalex7777 Agreed. I went from 100% sold on this phone (LOVE the form-factor) to completely backed out. Dell blew this release beyond belief.
It's because AT&T dislikes ANDROID and don't cares bout freedom on it's servers plus they don't get their money from ANDROID only from their crappy Iphone. and the Streak is TOO BIG TO BE A PHONE, won't be getting the Dell Streak or the Dell Aero on my next upgrade.
@Inspector Gadget80
Do you realize that you lost grip on reality?
I thought telecoms couldn't block hardware, isn't there a law that forbids this kind of thing. Stupid at&t.
@blindguymcsqueezy Yea I was wondering the same thing?
WTF?!?!
Come on Dell/AT&T when are u releasing the Steak? I wanna retire my iPhone 3G !!!!!
.. congratulations now you can cement it in the wall
All the owners of these devices need to do is file a complaint with the FCC, they can't block out paying customers , the customers have a right to use any phone they want
@Hydra Any beta tester who purchased the phone would have that right.. Thing is none of them bought it from dell or at&t
@Celz Doesn't matter where they bought the phone from, or what type of phone it is, as long as its unlocked, then it should work on ATT's network (if it is quadband) even china KIRF phones work on ATT, they can't force you to use a specific phone
@Hydra They didn't buy it period.
@barry99705
Doesn't matter if they got it for free. Your contract with AT&T does not allow them to arbitrarily block a specific phone. You have to violate the contract first. So, unless the Dell Streak beta units are somehow hacking AT&T's servers and downloading credit card info without anyone but AT&T knowing, there is something wrong here.
"THATS ONE HUUUUGEE BEEEP"
is that a nexus one in the back round i spy? what a lucky fellow
@VanNorden
haha its probably Chris' in his office, duh
I prefer the Nexus One sitting in the dock in the background;) Actually, I just need the desk dock for mine since Google doesn't have it up online any longer!