O2 Carphone Warehouse will not be getting the Nokia N97 in the near future as it fails all their software tests.

According to O2 CPW loyalty department, Carphone Warehouse O2 will not be picking up the Nokia N97 as it has failed all their software tests. I don’t exactly rate the reliability of that source, but apparently this is their latest excuse as to why O2 Carphone Warehouse still hasn’t got the Nokia N97. Additionally, Orange apparently had a one month exclusivity with Carphone Warehouse and the N97 (but their deals were appalling).

Over the past month I’ve been trying to get my own N97 through an upgrade with O2 Carphone Warehouse. Over several phone calls, I’ve been told time and time again that they’re going to have it soon – in a couple of days – next week – eventually three weeks time.

Apparently, the delays were due to O2 not being happy with the software on the N97, with too many users returning crashing handsets, Carphone Warehouse apparently had N97s in stock but were not allowed to sell them. That was when they informed that around mid-August, O2 will have received sufficient software fixes and will be picking up the Nokia N97.

So – from coming soon to potentially not at all if I had wanted to stick with O2 and Carphone Warehouse. Is the software on the N97 really so bad? Or is it because O2 is the home of the iPhone and don’t want to detract from it? Having said that, the O2 CPW rep did try to tempt me into an iPhone – telling me to avoid even getting the N97 on orange “Well if the software is bad then it doesn’t really matter what network its on. Have you heard of the iPhone? It’s really good, I have one and it’s brilliant!”.

Looks like I maybe making the switch to T-Mobile or Three if I want to continue using the N97. (It’s on vodafone too, but T-Mob seem have the best tariff I’ve found so far )

I think I might be picking it up on this tariff as it suits me best. Has anyone used mobilephonesdirect before? When I mentioned it to a Carphone Warehouse sales guy, he said not to trust sites like this as the cheap prices were because their stock was of an inferior quality. But then again, he would say that about competing retailers, right?

Over a month with it now, and I’ve grown extremely attached to the Nokia N97 (shortcomings and all). Well, everything that is except for the lack of memory on the C: drive which looks like it’s going to prevent me from installing any more applications onto the N97. Although I do instruct installation to go onto the 29GB internal memory, chunks of memory nevertheless, disappears from the disgracefully microscopic C: drive.

Hmm…gonna have to check first to see if they brand their N97s – I want to know before hand if I’m going to be one of the last (if at all) to be able to get firmware/software upgrades.

Tags: Carphone Warehouse, Contract, N97, Nokia, O2, Orange, Problem, Three, UK, Vodafone

Category: 5th Edition, Contract Prices, Nokia, Nseries, S60, Symbian