vB Easy Archive - Blackberry Connect and non-Blackberry plans

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Blackberry Connect and non-Blackberry plans
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Posted by: emuyshondt

I have a Cingular 8525 (may upgrade to 8925 soon), but my company only supports Blackberries for corporate e-mails. The main application that I like on my 8525 is TomTom navigation. I do not want any host-based navigation solutions, like TeleNav due to sporadic data services outside major metropolitan areas and cost when roaming internationally. I also need to be able to use my phone in Japan.

I'm considering getting Blackberry connect but I have a few questions:

1.) According to the AT&T rep I spoke, if I get a Blackberry plan I cannot take advantage of 3G speeds. Is that really true?
2.) Do I have to get a Blackberry plan to use Blackberry Connect?
3.) Are there a lot of Blackberry configuration options or can I just tell our IT guys I now have a Blackberry? They are not very friendly towards anything that is not an actual Blackberry device.
4.) If I end up having to get a Blackberry, would I be able to tether a laptop at 3G speeds? I understand most Blackberry only support EDGE at best and I would not be able to use them in Japan. I only tether ocassionally, but I like the 3G speeds.

Any advice would be appreciated. I like a Windows Mobile phone because I can add other applications (scientific calculators and navigation, mainly). I'm not familiar enough with Blackberries to know if I can do that with them. The main issues for me are 3G, use in Japan and availability of standalone navigation since host-based systems incur very high data charges when roaming overseas.

Thanks for any help.

Henry

Posted by: jomo25

Hope this helps. Search a little more also, and you'll find more info in this forum.

1.) According to the AT&T rep I spoke, if I get a Blackberry plan I cannot take advantage of 3G speeds. Is that really true?
No, not true. You can access both the Internet and the BB server at 3G speeds if you are in 3G coverage area on the BB plans.

2.) Do I have to get a Blackberry plan to use Blackberry Connect?
Yes, the wayu AT&T splits out provisioning/access. The normal Media and PDA packages only allow your phone to connect to the wap.cingular or isp.cingular Access Points (APNs). Blackberries (and BBConnect) requires access to the blackberry.net APN. And you only get that in the BB data plan. So, the BB plan allows access to all APNs. Whereas MediaNET,. MediaMAX, and PDA packages only give the first ones.

3.) Are there a lot of Blackberry configuration options or can I just tell our IT guys I now have a Blackberry? They are not very friendly towards anything that is not an actual Blackberry device.
Eh, depends, the best is to read this post/thread: http://howardforums.com/showpost.ph...20&postcount=37 and follow the links in it. Note there are people (including me) who have found BBC to significantly impact speed/perf of your phone as well as battery life. Read the rest of that thread for more info.

4.) If I end up having to get a Blackberry, would I be able to tether a laptop at 3G speeds? I understand most Blackberry only support EDGE at best and I would not be able to use them in Japan. I only tether ocassionally, but I like the 3G speeds.
Yes you still can, just not at the same time. As explained above (and in the linked thread), you can either access the internet or Blackberry services, one at a time. So, if you suspended your BB services, you can still use yuour phone for all other purposes including tehtering.

Posted by: digitalslurp

Wirelessly posted (Palm Treo 750: Palm750/v0000 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Windows CE; PPC; 240x320) UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

But not at 3G speeds, ever. RIM doesn't make 3G blackberries for AT&T or T-Mobile.