This is perfectly fine with me as it means I didn't waste my extra money invested in the hardened edition. Kind of hard not to figure out that xbox would get the royal bj while ps3 would wait a month. As long as I get it before nonpremimum xbox I will be content.

This has been known for a while.  It's basically the same process that all CoD before have followed in regards to DLC map packs with the only difference being that premium Elite members receive the map packs earlier in incremental releases.

We got First Strike for Black Ops in the first week of March, so bascially we have to wait a month longer than usual, not a huge deal. Honestly, I'm pretty happy I didn't buy Elite Premium. I have the free version, and it is bascially exactly the same as what my Premium freinds have. I can wait a few months for maps, not the biggest deal in the world.

if i get the paid elite on the 1st would i still get the map pack free (PS3)

I'm ok with whatever. I won't buy the maps as I find that such a rip off. Secondly, the maps should be free anyway. Back in the old school quake days, you could make your own maps and distribute them etc... Talk about player support, you could have infinite map packs from the community, and replayability like mad. Like it should be now... sigh

The sad part is, people will still eat it up.