Bug halts BlackBerry Bold UK sales

UK mobile operator Orange has temporarily stopped selling the BlackBerry Bold while it tries to figure out a solution to unspecified 3G-related problems on the handset.

Credit: RIM

The operator halted sales of the popular handset on Friday in the UK. According to a spokesperson, sales would resume when a software fix becomes available, although no date was given.

"Orange UK is committed to providing the BlackBerry Bold to its customers in the UK; however, Orange UK and [BlackBerry manufacturers] RIM are currently working on providing a maintenance release of software to address some reported 3G-related concerns," a statement from Orange read.

"Although the reported 3G concerns have been limited to a minority of Orange customers in the UK, Orange UK and RIM both take customer concerns very seriously and felt it was prudent to introduce a maintenance release of software for Orange UK customers," the statement continued.

"Orange UK and RIM apologise to customers for any inconvenience and expect to provide a software-maintenance release soon."

The company declined to give details about the problem. The BlackBerry Bold is the first in RIM's line of smartphones to include high-speed 3G, or HSDPA, connectivity.