Sprint's Samsung Epic 4G Update Delayed Over Server Screw-Up

Bad news if you've been chugging Mountain Dew and chewing on coffee beans, staring fixedly at your Samsung Epic 4G waiting for the promised Sprint firmware update.  According to the carrier, plans to release the OTA update – which addresses WiFi battery drain in standby, lag in uploading large emails, the inability to download Amazon MP3 files over 4G connections, and generally speeds up 3G uploading – were scuppered over "administrative issues" with getting the necessary files onto Google's servers.

"We  were planning to release an update for your Samsung Epic 4G on 9/30.   The file was delivered and on track for distribution but late this  afternoon, we learned that an administrative issue prevented Google from releasing the update as we had planned.  We are working to resolve the  issue and will provide an update as soon as we understand the new  delivery schedule.

We  would like to clarify that the timing of this update has nothing to do  with the 30 day return window that many of you on these blogs have been  discussing and that this delay has nothing to do with any last minute  changes within the release package itself.  The delay is simply due to  an administrative issue that we are working to resolve." Sprint statement

Sprint's reference to the 30 day return window is apparently the carrier's attempt to dismiss speculation that it is hoping to push Epic 4G owners past the point where, according to the T&Cs of their purchase, they can return the phone without penalty.  While we do doubt that Sprint would purposefully delay the update, it does seem like one occasion where extending that deadline would be the customer-friendly thing to do.