Sprint's BlackBerry 8703e with a stub antenna?
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Nov 7th 2006 10:29AM
posted Nov 7th 2006 10:29AM
[Thanks, Jeremy]
posted Nov 7th 2006 10:29AM
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I bet this one is going on the iDEN side of the house over at Sprint.
Photoshop
http://www.sprint.com/business/products/phones/bb8703e_allPcsPhones.html
That's the real one.
if you look at the 360 view it doesn't have the stub antenna
Yeah, you're getting tricked by photoshop. The normal link for Sprint business phones is sprint.com/business. I'd venture to guess that's a Palm Treo antenna.
If it's in any way real (which I doubt) it would have to be an iDEN device. Possibly hybrid CDMA / iDEN, but iDEN at least.
If you look close it is a Treo 700 antenna. I bet some just cut and pasted the picture in to a previous ad and did not notice the treo antenna.
antenna. typical CDMA.
such a dirty trick. i would have went back to nextel if it was real
"i would have went back to nextel if it was real"
Really? Surprising that's the only issue. Typically, coverage in general is a Nextel customer's frustration.
I wonder if Sprint and Nextel will ever merge. You know, before they get bought out by somone else... After seeing Sprint's abysmal 3Q, and subsequent per-text rate hike, I'm not sure what can be done. Not going to see Verizon buy them either.
im hoping and praying for my sake and nextel's that this WILL be released and isnt a internal joke by somebody
CDMA phones don't have to have antennas - it's just that Verizon probably wants all the handset to for optimal reception. Thus they can claim to have the best network.
straight from Sprint's media rep to my inbox
"This is evidently an accidental posting of an inaccurate image. Sprint's BlackBerry 8703e does not have an extended antenna. The image is being removed."
The pic of the 8703e with the antenna has been replaced by one without the antenna.
FYI, Verizon Wireless has several phones without antennas, especially the new models. See Chocolate, LG 8600, All new Samsung models, etc. etc.
Network reliability has to do with the technology, which spreads voice calls across multiple cell towers, thus less likely a call will drop during transition from one cell tower to the next, as is often the case.
Of course, an external antenna doesn't create better reception. that's just a fallacy the public has grabbed on to. Notice most data cards don't have antennas either.
"FYI, Verizon Wireless has several phones without antennas, especially the new models. See Chocolate, LG 8600, All new Samsung models, etc. etc."
Not to mention the RAZR, KRZR, Q, etc....
It's just an IMPLANT. Lots of phones are doing now adays. It apparently makes them feel better about themselves.
The 8703e is available in Canada on Telus Mobility and I confirm there is no external antenna.