I don't understand why people are saying the game doesn't launch until the 20th.
WRONG
It launched on the 13th.
Want proof ?
This was posted on the 13th December ...
Direct link : http://www.swtor.com/blog/welcome-star-wars-old-republic
Regardless of what you think, the company believes it has fully started - not pre-launch, not EGA, full launch .. same reason they had launch parties at various cities around the globe .. again , not pre-launch / EGA parties.
As for the rest of their current 'wave' system *no comment*