It’s been 9 months since Trump Cell introduced itself, seven months for the reason that firm up to date any of its social media profiles, and two months since anybody replied to my emails. Based mostly on that, you may suppose that everybody concerned had given up on the entire concept, however this week we noticed curious indicators of life: a brand new trademark utility.
What’s strangest in regards to the utility is that it was filed not for something new, however for “The 47 Plan”: Trump Cell’s sole cell plan, which launched alongside the corporate itself in June final 12 months. Like earlier Trump Cell logos, this was filed for by lawyer Michael Santucci on behalf of DTTM Operations LLC, and the itemizing says it was filed this Monday, April sixth. Why this trademark wasn’t utilized for together with others on the launch, for “Trump” and “T1,” is anybody’s guess — I’ve requested, however the firm continues to be ignoring me.
The telephone itself continues to be nowhere to be seen. For the reason that launch 9 months in the past, there have solely been two indicators that the T1 Telephone is likely to be actual: a handset that firm executives Don Hendrickson and Eric Thomas confirmed me over a video name; and an FCC approval from January. I’d been advised that the telephone was on observe for a launch in March, however that clearly didn’t occur.
There’s a vigorous debate in our feedback each week about whether or not Trump Cell continues to be making a significant effort to function a service or ship a smartphone. Submitting for a trademark doesn’t show it’s doing both. However a contemporary trademark utility, virtually 10 months after the primary two, does at the least counsel that somebody, someplace, nonetheless sees worth within the mission.
Trademark legal professional Josh Gerben, who first noticed the submitting, factors out that it’s uncommon in at the least one different method: it’s a fairly overt reference to Trump’s tenure as forty seventh president. “There was no different sitting President within the historical past of america who has made a trademark submitting that references the Workplace of the Presidency in reference to a for-profit enterprise,” Gerben writes.
I assume that’s yet one more first for Trump Cell. However you recognize what would impress me extra? Releasing a rattling telephone.
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