More Sprint Training for Pre, Sprint Firings? 22
Wed, 06 May 2009 7:45 am EDT 
With the rate that rumors are coming in these days, there must be something in the air at Sprint. Unfortunately for some, that something is a pink slip. We have a report from PreThinking in three parts. The first being that Business Unit managers at Sprint have actually been participating in online training for the Pre for a few weeks now. We're sure that training up the Business Unit doesn't mean anything special -- but we're starting to be intrigued by the possibility and Palm and Sprint might try to make an enterprise play with the Pre despite their claims that they're aiming for the "fat middle" of the market and not enterprise.
The second note comes in practically the same breath as the above: the public should brace itself for an ad blitz from Sprint and Palm unlike anything either company has ever done. A while back we head that Sprint was going to "Instinct" the Pre, i.e. pull out all the advertising stops like they did with the Instinct. If the release date rumor of June 7th is as likely as it looks, then Sprint and Palm are going to have to pull out all the stops, as Apple is widely expected to unveil its new iPhone the very next day at their World Wide Developers Conference.
Third, well, number three is a not happy note: Sprint has been terminating employees that have publicly discussed the Pre. The employees in training have signed NDAs to not discuss what they are learning, and the apparent initial punishment is termination of employment. Listen, people: we love tips, but we love it more when people keep their jobs.
Thanks to DwightShrute and Mahootzki for the tip!
22 Comments
Nah, that's not all that strange. If you sign an NDA, you typically have to abide by what is written in it. I sign agreements like this all the time as part of various contracts for software development. There are penalties for your actions.
That's what you think Debra Jones. I see you live on 12th St in Denver, CO. You're phone number is ....
I kid, I kid!
No.
Sorry I can't say more. They are watching me. :-)
I have to agree NDA's are put in place for a reason. I am sure that whole cool factor of knowing and leaking intel looses its glimmer once you have been handed your pink slip. Its unfortunate but these parameters are put in place for a reason. Ok that being said, can they release the Damn phone already!
If you think Sprint's NDA is crazy, look at those working for Palm.
I am sure they are getting a lot of flack because they can't say anything. Who wants to bet that the employees working for their webstore and tech support have the same agreement.
Of course people will call them and ask for information, and not be told anything aside from what is on the website. Then be screamed at because they don't know anything. I bet hearing that time and time again makes for some irked off people.
Confidential information is just that. Anyone who wants to get "special insider information" by badgering someone who can't tell you needs a reality check. Most people would say that giving a scoop is not worth job loss, and lawsuits.
Consider how active Palm is in quashing rumors when that celebrity was forced to sign a NDA before they were told the release date should think about what would happen to a non-celebrity.
That's so funny.. why are all these Pre-bashing comment anonymous.
If you have a comment to make, stop being scared, act like a grown up and post it as yourself.