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View Full Version : Internet. This I can't figure out


kahenya
12-19-2006, 02:48 AM
I am still setting up my Blackberry. I got my first blackberry for the sole reason of internet access. The guy I got it from had it on BES, I guess he just figured I knew what to do with the thing. Problem is, I have GPRS service but no BIS/BES support on the networks. The blackberry keeps asking for some Service Book. Isnt it possible just to put in the GPRS settings and mov on? I put the settings on and rebooted it and still nothing. All I am trying to do is get Google Talk and Email working so that I can talk to my wife when I go into Africa for a Year. I need to figure this out. Anyone Help?

pspiegel
12-19-2006, 03:13 AM
who is your service provider? do you have a blackberry data plan on your account with them? you might want to check to see if that it set up..

also make sure that whoever the person you bought it from had the blackberry's PIN released from whatever network it was on before..

dc/dc
12-19-2006, 04:03 AM
Problem is, I have GPRS service but no BIS/BES support on the networks. The blackberry keeps asking for some Service Book. Isnt it possible just to put in the GPRS settings and mov on?

NO. You can't just have GPRS service. You absolutely, positively, must have BlackBerry service through your service provider. Then, and only then, will you be able to use any data services on the BlackBerry device. If you choose not to have BlackBerry service, you will only be able to use the phone and SMS.

greggebhardt
12-19-2006, 07:15 AM
I am still setting up my Blackberry. I got my first blackberry for the sole reason of internet access. The guy I got it from had it on BES, I guess he just figured I knew what to do with the thing. Problem is, I have GPRS service but no BIS/BES support on the networks. The blackberry keeps asking for some Service Book. Isnt it possible just to put in the GPRS settings and mov on? I put the settings on and rebooted it and still nothing. All I am trying to do is get Google Talk and Email working so that I can talk to my wife when I go into Africa for a Year. I need to figure this out. Anyone Help?

Blackberry demands you have a Blackberry plan. No way around it for what you are wanting to do.

takeshi
12-19-2006, 09:48 AM
Again, you need the Blackberry data plan for data service on a (take a guess) Blackberry. First, you need access to the Blackberry APN and that's only available with a Blackberry data plan.

Once you have the data plan your service books will be pushed out to your Blackberry. Your service books contain all the necessary settings (for email, web, etc). There's nothing you can configure to get around this.

kahenya
12-19-2006, 10:06 AM
The networks I'll be using have no Blackberry Support i.e. no Blackberry infrastructure. The main aim of the

Blackberry was to use it for email (pop3/imap/smtp), Google Talk and managing a blog. They have GPRS and EDGE but

thats pretty much it. I guess then I'll just have to get rid of the blackberry as it does not serve any purpose.

Shame. I've waited almost a year and a half to actually afford to buy one for a very good reason and now its

completely useless. Hmmm

dc/dc
12-19-2006, 10:16 AM
The networks I'll be using have no Blackberry Support i.e. no Blackberry infrastructure. The main aim of the

Blackberry was to use it for email (pop3/imap/smtp), Google Talk and managing a blog. They have GPRS and EDGE but

thats pretty much it. I guess then I'll just have to get rid of the blackberry as it does not serve any purpose.

Shame. I've waited almost a year and a half to actually afford to buy one for a very good reason and now its

completely useless. Hmmm

In that year, you should have done some research.

Anyway, what country are you normally from? If you're from the US, you can get a BlackBerry plan from T-Mobile or Cingular and add unlimited international roaming which works even if the country you're visiting has no BlackBerry infrastructure.

kahenya
12-19-2006, 01:11 PM
I did, but I guess I did not get all the right information. Well that tears it. I'm in UK and currently on no plan. I can't get on a plan cause I'm on Prepaid and you need a contract to use the Blackberry with BIS or a corporate BES. GPRS/Edge on Prepaid is available and data is available on Prepaid. A plan is not possible. This was probably just a bad idea. I suspect Blackberry is not as flexible as I thought it would be. I may carry on using the BB for phone and sms and probably get a PDA or something (Ugh) for email and chat. I will be in Amsterdam which is o.k., Kenya (not o.k.), South Africa (Unconfirmed BB support with Prepaid). I will spend majority of the time in Kenya and South Africa so thats not so cool. A blackberry would have been perfect cause it is a sturdy unit unlike PDAs and has a Qwerty keyboard and all the other good reasons we got it for. Other PDAs and not quite as sturdy and more likely to breakdown. Any ideas on an alternative plan?

CanuckBB
12-19-2006, 01:31 PM
Treo?
Q?
Blackjack?

kahenya
12-19-2006, 01:50 PM
All running windows..... one of the reasons the BB was a strong contender. Might have to be the ugly Nokia

fairhsa
12-19-2006, 11:06 PM
Vodafone NZ told me I could get WAP without a blackberry plan, but I can't actually get it to work (i have another question about that!) but it did send me a service book, but I cannot make any changes to the settings on the service book. So you guys are certain no form of internet access (even WAP) is available without a blackberry plan?

mymitsu3kgt
12-20-2006, 11:28 AM
Vodafone NZ told me I could get WAP without a blackberry plan, but I can't actually get it to work (i have another question about that!) but it did send me a service book, but I cannot make any changes to the settings on the service book. So you guys are certain no form of internet access (even WAP) is available without a blackberry plan?
So so many people here have questioned if you can have WAP without a data plan but the answer is always no.

fairhsa
12-20-2006, 08:00 PM
what's bizarre is I have just spent an hour or so with the vodafone store - they cant get it to work (possibly for the reasons you all indicate) but still they try .....

tsac
12-20-2006, 08:15 PM
WAP Vodaphone told you may be for a cell phone. Many new phones have internet access.

kahenya
12-20-2006, 08:26 PM
This I have just tested last night and today. I dont know much about BB but this is what I know so far. This is not BS and it works. I used in on a Vodafone UK 8700 BB which I had unlocked for £15.

Method
If u delete all ur service books, this will force 3rd party apps to use the general GPRS APN. You must have the settings put in. There is a nice page on this site with APN settings for different networks. Use them.
Next for Internet Access, install Opera Mini and run it. Make sure you give it an O.k. on the http connections thing. This will detect the APN settings and connect using it.
Same for Google Talk (not the one carried by BB but the one that comes with GMAIL Priced at $29.99 i think available from handango).
This is so far what I have tested and has worked. I am willing to help anyone to figure this out and I am going to test some more apps. This will NOT work for the inbuilt BB Email client or browser, so no PUSH

Networks that it will work on currently I have tested are T-Mobile UK, Vodafone UK and Freshmobile UK
Cheers