Intentionally, knowingly selling a premium $900 phone in the U.S. market that cannot make a phone call in 2 years is pretty unethical and borderline fraudulent. If Apple did this, there would be a riot.
We understand there is a sizable cost associated with VoLTE certification process with U.S. carriers. However, wouldn't your Product Managers have considered the business case for it before deciding to sell this phone in the U.S. market? You want to sell the high margin version of the phone at $900 in this market, yet you don't want to pay the cost that is required to get certification on the most basic functionality of a phone, which is to make a phone call? If the certification cost is so prohibitive in this market, then why did you guys decide to enter the market at all? Asus, you can't have it both ways.
BTW, AT&T is actually relaxing its VoLTE requirement due to the upcoming sunset of the 3G network. This is very evident as unlocked Samsung Galaxies are now VoLTE enabled when they didn't use to be before. So, now is a good opportunity for you guys to renegotiate with the U.S. carriers as they do not want to lose BYOD customers after the 3G sunset. Wouldn't you guys have to start doing this sooner or later if you guys still plan to sell phones in the U.S. market in 2 years?
I have seen a number of canned response in regards to VoLTE for the U.S. market, none of them actually resolve the issue. If you guys can't get VoLTE working, then be prepared to refund everybody and stop sale in this market immediately. We expect phones officially sold as U.S. market phones to make phone calls on U.S. carriers, which is not much to ask. If there is no real resolution on this soon, I don't see why all of us wouldn't just start filing complaints to the Consumer Protection Office from each state's Attorney General Office.
