Some information that may be of use to people waiting on their new ultras.
I pre ordered the s20 ultra 128gb cosmic grey online as an upgrade on my existing account on 21st Feb 5pm. At the time of ordering the website was already telling me that the expected delivery date was going to be the 24th March. Prior to me ordering I couldn't make up my mind if I wanted just the plus or the ultra and was waiting to see the reviews before making up my mind. For this reason the days leading up to placing my order I was checking the website daily for contract prices and know for a fact that up to at least the 19th the website was giving the 17th as the expected delivery date. Like I said though when I came to commit this had changed to the 24th so I have no other reason to believe this is still the case.
The fact that the expected delivery dates changed in itself represents some form of expectation on ee's part that they wouldn't be able to fulfill delivery of all pre orders on release date and this was reflected on the orders page.
If you ordered the same model as me then based on the statements from ee they will send out in order of when customers ordered the handsets gives you some estimation of how much longer you are going to have to wait.
@Bigdog1979 ordered theirs on the 18th Feb and has yet to receive so I know I am either in the same batch of next stock ee receive from Samsung or the following. Unfortunately when people complaining on here about not getting their phones actually take delivery they're not bothered about coming back and updating the rest of us. Can't blame them really but it would at least present some indication on how much further down the queue we are. As soon as I get any updates I'll let you all know.
The majority of orders I would imagine would have been made online, if you ordered in store or over the phone after me and was told you would get it before me then either you were lied to in order for the sales person to generate a sale and perhaps commission or they gave you information that at the time they believed to be factual. I would like to think the latter.
In terms of covid playing a part up till now at least that has not been a factor. I have seen comms from ee staff online here and over on twitter stating that anyone told this has been misinformed. The covid situation is changing daily and could now become a factor with more and more people having to self isolate. Those people could be part of the delivery infrastructure that is going to supply you with your new handset here in the uk.
From my own personal perspective I do not feel I have been provided a bad service from ee. I was told from the start when to expect my handset, the order page tells me it is on track.
If I find out with some form of proof that someone has ordered online after me and got theirs before me then I may have grounds to moan and complain.
