Blackberry Technical question

[WLeg]

I know there's a few Blackberry guru's on here.....

I use Blackberry via BES Express (now called Professional Software Express). I use Vodafone as my carrier. This all works swimmingly, until I go abroad, and voda want to charge me silly amounts for BB roaming data, as well as normal call Rate + £0.75 per call.

I tend to use an AT&T (Cingular) pay as you go SIM when in the USA – free SIM, $15.00 top up, USA calls $0.15, UK SMS $0.15 and calls to the UK $0.39per min.

So is the Blackberry/BES communication based per device or linked to the carrier network as well ? As I understand BES, my server sends email via the web to RIM, who then send it back out encrypted, via their Access Points. – But are these access points mobile network specific ?

Anyone know in detail how this all works ?

 

[Sp!ke]

The blackberry will work with any SIM that is registered for the Blackberry network. The sync is based upon handset PIN and independant of SIM.

However, it will not work with a normal SIM card which is not provisioned for the Blackberry network correctly. As far as I know, this cannot be done with a PAYG SIM.

For very little extra per month you should consider changing your Blackberry contract to include unlimited worldwide data.

I dont know what your roaming tarrif is but Blackberrys use very little data. Something like 5Mb per month for normal email usage. (don't quote me but I know its very low). Perhaps roaming data charges wont be so scary with this amount of data usage.

 

[imadoofus]

I have a Voda contract for my Blackberry (albeit not with BES), and I pay a flat £5 per month for data (although I don't do any browsing).

That works across the world, and I've never been charged more.

 

[WLeg]

As far as I know, this cannot be done with a PAYG SIM.

For very little extra per month you should consider changing your Blackberry contract to include unlimited worldwide data.

Many thanks.

This works with USA Pay as you go SIMS - voda/o2, etc don't do it, but Americans can't live without email.....

I get about 200 messages a day - various reports etc, it might only be 1MB a day, but with my tarrif on Vodafone that's £10.00 per day.....It's cheaper for me to use a US SIM, on the BB ......more hassle through..


Any ideas as how to setup SIPGATE on an 8707 ?

 

[Sp!ke]

I doubt you'd be able to get a PAYG SIM provisioned for Blackberry use as there are monthly charges to the provider from RIM for this service.

Its not just turning on data as you would with other mobile devices.