T-Mobile offers Sidekick users olive branch, $100 (update: not for everyone)
By Nilay Patel 
posted Oct 12th 2009 9:13PM
posted Oct 12th 2009 9:13PM
Update: It looks like T-Mobile's having some success recovering data on certain accounts after all, and we're hearing that the carrier's official policy here is that only folks who still don't have their data recovered after two weeks will be eligible for the $100 -- everyone else will have to make do with the free month of data alone. It's a bummer, but if you read the verbiage on the statement closely, you'll notice that they give themselves the wiggle room they need to pull this off. Thanks, David C.!
Dear valued T-Mobile Sidekick customers:
We are thankful for your continued patience as Microsoft/Danger continues to work on preserving platform stability and restoring all services for our Sidekick customers. We have made significant progress this past weekend, restoring services to virtually every customer. Microsoft/Danger has teams of experts in place who are working around-the-clock to ensure this stability is maintained.
Regarding those of you who have lost personal content, T-Mobile and Microsoft/Danger continue to do all we can to recover and return any lost information. Recent efforts indicate the prospects of recovering some lost content may now be possible. We will continue to keep you updated on this front; we know how important this is to you.
In the event certain customers have experienced a significant and permanent loss of personal content, T-Mobile will be sending these customers a $100 customer appreciation card. This will be in addition to the free month of data service that already went to Sidekick data customers. This card can be used towards T-Mobile products and services, or a customer's T-Mobile bill. For those who fall into this category, details will be sent out in the next 14 days – there is no action needed on the part of these customers. We however remain hopeful that for the majority of our customers, personal content can be recovered.
Sidekick customers can continue to visit T-Mobile Sidekick Forums (http://www.t-mobile.com/sidekick) on a regular basis to access the latest updates, as well as FAQs regarding this service disruption. The Forums also offers tips and suggestions for rebuilding content on your device.
"if we'd just been shafted like this, we're not sure we'd want to buy even more stuff from Team Magenta."
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Not sure I understand. Isn't the fault Danger and/or Microsoft's? Why would you be upset at T-Mobile?
Because, like most bloggers, he's overstocked with reactionary opinions and fresh out of facts and reasoned analysis. These people are getting $100+ for what for most should be considered a minor inconvenience. Get a G1 for $29 with your gift card and never worry about it again.
"Not sure I understand. Isn't the fault Danger and/or Microsoft's? Why would you be upset at T-Mobile?"
I would say because ultimately T-Mobile is responsible. That's who you got your service from and they chose their partnerships and providers. the way I see it, T-mobile could take this opportunity to become a PR hero or a PR Douche... Right now, they're riding in the middle in my book.
@ Omagus: That's just Nilay's poor biased spin he/she is trying to add to the story which is both sad and irrelevant. Don't let it bother you.
How did T-Mobile shaft anybody?? Seems to me like T-Mobile is playing peacemaker. I'm so tired of T-Mobile being blamed for this when this entire fiasco is the fault of Danger/Microsoft/Hitachi. It's a shame that this will probably mark the end of the Sidekick line.
Yes, I think that’s good enough. I’ll put it towards my Cliq. Do we have to tell them that we permanently lost our stuff?
I have to admit that T-Mobile is definitely making an admirable move here since, and it's obviously dually noted here, has nothing to do with the data loss.
Although I would never dream of having T-Mobile ever again, I applaud them in taking initiative where others would never think to.
Great Job T-Mobile!
Get over it people. All I hear is I lost 300+ contacts blah blah blah. Seriously 300+ contacts! For one if those contacts are that important (business) than back them up yourself. it's your business not Microsoft's or Danger's. Shit happens and last time I chcked guarantee was not in your CSA.
Granted if I was in their position I would be upset too but the Sidekick is the last thing I would depend on or even use for business/personal communication.
I couldn't agree with you more.
You've said it so eloquently there is no need to say more.
I do wanna reiterate that duh if you're in a bussiness and you use your phone for such purposes and you're with T-Mobile....umm how about a Blackberry, or a Touch Pro 2, or a Dash or HTC Magic????
Why on earth a sidekick of all PDAs
wow, so what you're telling people is to get over it. However if you were in the same position you would feel the same way? makes sense. wow.
nice, I don't own one so hence I'm sick of seeing 5 posts a day on Engadget Mobile regarding the issue. How much coverage does it really need? GET OVER IT, makes sense to me.
I wouldn't be blaming "Team Magenta". I'd be blaming team MS/Danger. I'd ask to have my sidekick traded in, for free, for a non-MS based device, and the free month of service (and the $100 gift card).
Nice biased post. Nilay, you are a douchebag. I think T-Mobile is really going above the call of duty when the screw-up was not their fault. You would never see att or vzw doing something like that. Or M$ for that matter.
I think T-Mobile is really going above the call of duty when the screw-up was not their fault. You would never see att or vzw doing something like that.
herzinfarkt
How is T-Mo going above the call of duty? They have communicated almost NOTHING to us in 15 days! Two web updates? And two text messages telling us to go LOOK at that webiste? In 15 DAYS?!?! What they DID communicate was too much too late (battery, etc.). Their reps are doing favors for longtime customers (like me, should I choose to exercise it) such as huge phone discounts, discounted rate plan changes, etc., even though the customers that have been with them a short time who experienced the same (or perhaps higher) significant losses have been denied those favors. They also wipe out message boards over at their website when it's convenient for them (like right before posting an update). They have done NOTHING AT ALL to apologize to the DEAF COMMUNITY portion of ther SK customers, which is probably the largest user group. For heaven's sake, go take their butts onto the major Deaf websites and post something there, since if they can't the internet on their SK's, and they can't afford internet and/or computers at home to actually LOOK at the T-Mo website, they can TRY to get ONE LOUSY PERSON at T-Mo making $7/HOUR to sit there all day on the intenet and go POST to these people who are confused and don't know what's going on day by day. IT'S DISGRACEFUL what T-Mo is doing, not admirable! I NOTICE SOMETHING STRANGE NOW: JUST LIKE WITH ANY OTHER TRAGEDY OR HOSTAGE SITUATION, THE SK USERS ON THE MESSAGE BOARDS ARE GOING THROUGH THE PHASES OF TRAGEDY, LIKE SHOCK, ANGER, and now SYMPATHY FOR THE CARRIER WHO DID THIS TO THEM. Sorry, but T-MO got in bed with Microsoft just like Danger did last year and should have kept a CLOSE EYE on what kind of support MS was actually giving to Danger and the Sidekick Device, which was NOTHING. If NOT, they should have DROPPED ALL TIES WITH DANGER/MS and say to themselves that if they screwed it up, we won't take the heat -- just the customers' money every month! T-Mo thought was a win-win for them! And now they find out it's NOT -- and more like the biggest PR disaster ever to hit them in the last 10 years. They don't get MY sympathy -- I pay THEM, not Danger and not Microsoft! They should get off their butts and make MICROSOFT make this up to us or sue the crud out of THEM for ruining their reputation and losing customers!
New ad slogan for Microsoft: "Windows 7, from the company that brought you the Sidekick data disaster"
Wow, this is like a more serious version of 9/11. In ten years, I'm going to remember where I was when everyone lost their contacts and ringtones.
T.............MOBILE.......IZ A JOKE..............TIME 2 MOVE ON..........WEN MY CONTRACT..........ENDS.....ON.....FEB.....10.........THATS ALL FOLKS,,,,KEEP HOPE A LIVE,,,,,