BlackBerry Z10 Release Date: T-Mobile Business Customers Could Get Phone First

While recent rumors say AT&T will bring the BlackBerry Z10 to the U.S. public on Mar. 15, T-Mobile could technically meet its goal to be the first carrier to offer the phone in America, though most people won't be happy with it.

Business customers should be able to preorder the Z10 from T-Mobile on Mar. 11 and receive it by the 13th, a full two days before it's available on AT&T.

But regular T-Mobile customers will have to wait until Mar. 27, according to new rumors.

These new tips line up with earlier speculation that T-Mobile would offer the BlackBerry Z10 to business customers earlier, though those rumors said T-Mobile would offer the Z10 for wide release in mid-March and to business customers a week earlier than that.

Now it looks like the business release prediction was correct, but the wide release will be delayed until the end of the month.

That would give AT&T a 12-day head start on T-Mobile to get the Z10 into the hands of anxious customers, potentially drawing away many people who are willing to sign up with whatever carrier offers them the phone first.

Indeed, many customers who are interested in the Z10 are longtime BlackBerry loyalists, many of whom may be buying a smartphone for the first time and aren't locked into long-term contracts with any of the big carriers, at least not yet.

Competition may be more fierce between AT&T and T-Mobile because Verizon has already stated it won't have a Z10 version available until next month, and Sprint has said it won't carry the Z10 at all, though it will eventually offer the QWERTY keyboard-equipped BlackBerry Q10, due in the next few months.

Of course, we've seen constant jockeying for the title of "earliest Z10 release" since the phone was unveiled in January. Technically, if you want the phone now, you can buy an unlocked version in the U.S. right now for the low price of $749.

Check back for the latest Z10 information as it becomes available.