BlackBerry Bold on AT&T pushed to October?

AT&T's long-delayed BlackBerry Bold launch may not take place until October, according to a tip allegedly given to BGR by higher-placed sources at AT&T. RIM's first GSM-based smartphone with 3G is now said not to be due for the carrier's retail locations until October 2nd, or almost five months after the device was first promised as the American carrier's exclusive in May.

No explanation is given for the further delay, though the long interval is less likely to be tied into software bugs or concerns about the iPhone 3G launch that were once thought to be stalling the BlackBerry's anticipated launch during the summer. Both Canadian provider Rogers as well as multiple European carriers have already launched the Bold over the course of mid-to-late August.

However, recent testing by Citi Investment Research analyst Jim Suva suggests that the Bold may be suffering the same 3G drop-out issues as the iPhone 3G despite differing hardware and software, pointing to a possible issue with AT&T network congestion in place of or in addition to any device flaws.

AT&T itself hasn't commented on the delay.

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