Well folks, VZW did it to us again!! IT IS CRIPPLED FOR INTERNATIONAL USE. They locked down the GSM capabilities. Hopefully someone somewhere will hack it.
NEW YORK - Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. are introducing a BlackBerry e-mail phone that's compatible with the cellular technology more common in other countries in addition to the standard used on their own U.S. networks.
One key difference between the Verizon and Sprint versions of the new BlackBerry 8830 is that Sprint's will be "unlocked," enabling customers who take the device abroad to buy wireless service in other countries through other carriers. Verizon's 8830 is locked so that it can only be used overseas through Verizon's roaming service.
The new phone is a variant of the 8800 line introduced in February by BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. through AT&T Inc.
The list price is $400, but Verizon will be offering it starting next month for as little as $200 for customers who sign up for both voice and data service with a two-year commitment. Sprint, which won't start selling its 8830 until July, didn't disclose pricing. A spokeswoman said it will be competitive with Verizon's device.
The BlackBerry is being rolled out by Verizon with an international data plan costing $20 per month for unlimited e-mail access in about 60 countries on top of the regular BlackBerry subscription fee of $45 to $50 a month. Occasional travelers can opt to pay as they go for their data usage. The device also can be used as a phone in more than 150 countries at a cost of $1.29 or $2.49 per minute, depending on the market. (FYI, Just to give you a frame-of-reference...using a local SIM card you can make calls to the US or locally for .01 to.02 in India and around .05 in China.)
RIM developed the dual-mode capability to suit Verizon's and Sprint's circumstances.
Both companies use what some experts consider a superior wireless technology known as CDMA. But the vast majority of the world's cellular networks run on a standard called GSM.
As a result, where GSM-based carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile USA can easily offer phones that work overseas, Verizon and Sprint haven't had many options for their customers who travel abroad.
Though a dual-mode phone is an obvious solution, the drawback is the cost of adding more complex components and the engineering challenge of jamming them into a handheld device without making it bulky.
RIM overcame the second hurdle, squeezing in the dual capabilities without increasing the 8800's size.
Verizon, meanwhile, appears to have addressed the cost problem by offering a steep discount — a point driven home by its decision to "lock" the device, preventing users from using it with a rival carrier's service abroad.
It's undisclosed how much RIM is charging Verizon for each device. But after the assorted discounts, Verizon's 8830 is being offered for $100 less than AT&T's GSM-only version. In fact, the 8830 from Verizon and Sprint is also equipped with a speedier technology for wireless Internet access than AT&T's version.
Verizon said it locked the new BlackBerry as part of its emphasis on ensuring network quality for customers, this time outside the United States.
But that policy disables one of the most popular attributes of GSM phones, all of which feature a slot for a removable, postage-stamp sized card that stores a user's account information.
The ability to remove that card, called a SIM, enables a user to buy multiple GSM phones and use whichever one suits the occasion.
More importantly in this case, GSM also enables a traveler to use a single phone, but buy wireless service from different providers in different countries. Then, by slipping the appropriate SIM into the phone in a given country, the user can cut back on the steep international roaming fees charged by carriers.
Vodafone Group PLC, which owns 45 percent of Verizon Wireless, will be providing much of the overseas roaming service for Verizon's 8830. So by locking the BlackBerry 8830 to only work with a Verizon SIM, those two companies will be sure to capture the revenue from any calls made with the device from another country.
Gotta tell 'ya, the iPhone and a switch to AT&T is looking better each day. I know VZW has a great network but it's always one thing after another with VZW
Cuz it really makes sense to pop in a local sim card everytime you want to make a cheap phone call right? The point of having an International BB is for you to get data. Even if it was unlocked, you couldn't use any of the BB features which makes the phone pretty much useless. You might as well bring your BB overseas and use it for data and just buy a cheap unlocked phone off ebay for like what $40? And bedies I am sure companies that pay their employee's cell phone bills don't really care as long as buisness gets done even if it was $1000 bill.
There's validity to the outrage, but OTOH oneaznriceboi is right; I'm not sure how concerned VZW is wit people who would have taken revenue off the VZW/Voda networks anyway with an unlocked device.
If VZW is offering an int'l roaming data plan for unlimited data does that mean they will (or currently) offer a voice plan where for $10 / month (for example) you can use your minutes overseas or are they still going to charge for int'l roaming by the minute?
If VZW is offering an int'l roaming data plan for unlimited data does that mean they will (or currently) offer a voice plan where for $10 / month (for example) you can use your minutes overseas or are they still going to charge for int'l roaming by the minute?
No way! This is a major money maker for them. They will charge outlandish by the minute fees.
Gotta tell 'ya, the iPhone and a switch to AT&T is looking better each day. I know VZW has a great network but it's always one thing after another with VZW
You already know how to unlock the iPhone? Cool! You should post your technique somewhere.
Not that I agree with it, but they do this because they are part owned by Vodafone.
A shame, really but it's not like we can do anything about it. What's more depressing is that I have a wild feeling the 8830 will not have GPS enabled like the Verizon branded 8703e. Had some hopes that they'll at least leave that in but here is a new site with a nice disclaimer already posted up.
"Check with service provider for supported features and services." Listed for GSM roaming (not surprising) and ... GPS (disappointing). Funny how I went from to to over this device.
where did he say anything about unlocking the iphone?
I think his point was that International Roaming with the iPhone will be just as expensive as the 8830 because Cingular / Apple will lock it Cingular preventing you from using a prepaid local SIM and forcing you to use their international roaming partners.
RIM 8830 Global Phone (Cyclone) Launch 5-14-07
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by juicychus
to 
to 
over this device.
Bookmarks