Checking POP3/SMTP email

[Child of Wonder]

I have never used a Blackberry and my boss is considering purchasing one so he can access our email from anywhere. We currently run a POP3/SMTP Linux server for email.

I've been doing research regarding Blackberries accessing POP3 email and seem to hear conflicting answers.

Some places say you have to have the mail forwarded to your Blackberry account, others you have to get a special program.....

I suspect this information is incorrect. How easy is to simply have the Blackberry grab emails from our server and send them out via SMTP AUTH?

[asianmaze]

Okay, I'm not an expert, so if I'm not really answering your question, please forgive me!

I use pop3 for email, and I have several email accounts. I have my blackberry from T-mo UK and they provide a blackberry 'instantemail' account which accesses all my pop3 accounts every 15 minutes and the emails drop into my blackberry. It's marvellous.

I believe the main downside of operating this way is that the email doesn't come instantly - because of the 15 minute thing - but that doesn't worry me at all. If it doesn't worry your boss either, then I can't see a problem.

[takeshi]

It's all covered in the FAQ's.

[Child of Wonder]

It's all covered in the FAQ's.

Unless I'm misreading the FAQ, I don't think it is or I'm not understanding it fully.

It seems the options are to either:

1. Install a 3rd party client on the Blackberry to download messages from a POP3 server
2. Forward emails to the @<hidden> email (don't want this)
3. Have the BWC webmail site download the mail every 15 minutes from a POP3 server and forward it to the Blackberry (however, when replying won't the mail appear to originate from the person's @<hidden> address? Don't want this either).

[mgerbasio]

Part of the problem is your answer depends on the carrier, in the USA anyway. Personally, I think the interface with pop/imap is poor.

If your service allows it, or if you leave a mail program running on your PC, you can always forward messages to your blackberry directly. Depending on the BIS client you're using, it either gets saved to a separate account or just to your handheld.

Nextel is using the older BWC client. Bascially, this checks your pop account and downloades the message to another email account and that gets pushed directly to your handheld. It polls at least every 15 minutes. You still need to delete messages at the pop server. You also may need a third part utility to set the correct reply address if that is important to you.

Cingular is using BIS 2.0, you can search for the feature list. Note it doesn't integrate with Yahoo as advertised in the BIS 2.0 documentation. Basically, it is a one way sync with your handheld. Messages are polled from the server and if deleted from the handheld, it will be deleted from the server.

T-Mobile is using BIS 1.8, which seems to be better than BIS 2.0. You'll have to go to the T-Mobile site and search for the features from that carrier with BIS.

I'm not sure what Verizon Wireless uses.

Regards-Michael G.

[whsbuss]

Verizon uses BIS 2.0 and integrates w/real-time email for Yahoo and Gmail. It also provides remote POP3/IMAP mail integration which polls those accounts every 15 minutes and delivers it to your blackberry.

Search the Blackberry Network forum for POP3 or IMAP. You'll find lots of info.

[asianmaze]

Unless I'm misreading the FAQ, I don't think it is or I'm not understanding it fully.

It seems the options are to either:

1. Install a 3rd party client on the Blackberry to download messages from a POP3 server
2. Forward emails to the @<hidden> email (don't want this)
3. Have the BWC webmail site download the mail every 15 minutes from a POP3 server and forward it to the Blackberry (however, when replying won't the mail appear to originate from the person's @<hidden> address? Don't want this either).

You can change the address that appears - I have mine set to look as if it's originating from my main business account.

[cooperpwc]

T-Mobile is using BIS 1.8, which seems to be better than BIS 2.0. You'll have to go to the T-Mobile site and search for the features from that carrier with BIS.

I'm not sure what Verizon Wireless uses.

Regards-Michael G.
I'm quite sure that T-Mobile is BIS 2.0.
As for BIS 1.8 being better, certainly not for what he wants. Only BIS 2.0 wiil allow for multiple differing From addresses. Each of 1.8 and 2.0 have advantages. For me 2.0 is a huge improvement.

[lmlloyd]

I have never used a Blackberry and my boss is considering purchasing one so he can access our email from anywhere. We currently run a POP3/SMTP Linux server for email.

I've been doing research regarding Blackberries accessing POP3 email and seem to hear conflicting answers.

Some places say you have to have the mail forwarded to your Blackberry account, others you have to get a special program.....

I suspect this information is incorrect. How easy is to simply have the Blackberry grab emails from our server and send them out via SMTP AUTH?

Ok, here is the deal. Ignoring third-party mail clients, and just talking about the official BlackBerry software, there are four ways you can get email.

1: You buy their Enterprise server this integrates with an Exchange or Domino server to instantly push anything on your mail server to the handheld. This will not work for you, because you have to have a either an Exchange or Domino server.

2: There is a piece of software that runs on the desktop called redirector, that takes any email coming into Outlook, and sends it immediately to the handheld. The problem with this is that a computer must be running at all times with outlook open, and the redirector software open. if that computer is not on, you don't get any mail on the handheld.

3: The cellular provider will provide you with an email address. You can change the "reply to" of that address, so it more or less looks like your normal address unless someone looks really closely at the headers. That email address will go immediately to your handheld.

4: The cellular provider will also give you a service where you can configure additional mail accounts. these accounts will be polled every 15 minutes or so, and then the email will be sent to the handheld. These addresses will look and act exactly like any normal email address from any normal client. When you send a message, you can choose which one of these addresses you want to use, and you can set any of these addresses as your default address. If you reply to email coming from one of these addresses, the device will also automatically make sure you reply from the proper address as well.

I hope that answers your question.