Finally, an official OS 4.5 for the 8703e! Thanks Sprint!

Sprint 8703e support page:
Support - BlackBerry 8703e

Click the "Check for Updates" link for info and download link for OS 4.5!

As always, for a non-Sprint device, delete VENDOR.XML.

I'll have to wait 'til Tuesday to load it on a spare work device.

Downloaded, installed and its working, HTML email, wow. I may be content with this old phone for a while longer. To soon to give an in depth opinion, but no problem with the upgrade.

Update after a few days:

HTML email makes this a new phone, its great
No performance degradation, upgraded from 4.2.xx
Voice notes recorder is nice
GPS works but is slow.
Browser is faster

well, i took it as for 8700 , i am sorry

Successfully installed, seems to be ok other than the Enterprise Activation taking longer to get started compared to the last 'upgrade'.

Finally had a chance to update one of our Verizon 8703e handhelds today. No issues, but I was surprised to see that only Word To Go and Slideshow To Go are installed; you have to register (free) to download the latest update including Sheet To Go.

That is correct, and the way it has been with all version of 4.5 OS.

I could've sworn that the Bold OS 4.5 already included Sheet To Go (along with Word To Go, etc.), but maybe I'm wrong.

Found a bug in either my phone or the OS. The battery indicator stays on full unless I pull and re-insert the battery. Anyone else?

Yes I got the same annoying problem - Im going back to 4.2

4.2 had a wav file player that allowed me play voicemail that is emailed to me from my voip land line. Wav files are not supported by 4.5.
The malfunctioning battery indicator is a nuisance. Not sure if I will keep 4.5...but....HTML email is a real plus.

Yup. Battery indicator and battery level in 'Status' showed 100% all day. Powered off, removed/replaced battery and the level went to 80%.

Have to keep an eye on that...

Odd, the battery level indicator works fine for me on a Verizon phone... ?!?

I upgraded my blackberry from 4.2 to 4.5.0.148 but do not have an option to Compose MMS. I have an MMS folder, but no ability to create one. I've rebooted, resent service books, provisioned, etc. Anybody know why there's no Compose SMS menu item?

I've noticed over the last couple of days that if I plug it into my laptop to charge, the correct battery level will be displayed after several seconds both in 'Status' and on the battery level indicator.

/shrugs

i have a sprint 8703e flashed to metro pcs. can i upgrade my software to 4.5? what will this upgrade actually do for my phone? what is the correct way to do it???-----newbie

Oh well, enough of the battery-thing. Rolled it back...

I have considered rolling back but the html email is hard to give up.

I have the exact problem after upgrading to this new OS 4.5 on my Sprint 8703e Blackberry. It seems that indicator works while charging, but once fully charged it simply stays at the max level until the battery is removed and reinserted. I was surprised one day when I saw that the indicator didn't move yet the phone was beeping at me as if the battery is low. Sure enough, I took the battery out and put it back in to find to my surprise that it really is low! It has done this to me repeatedly each time I charge it, it's stubborn. Anyone there with some fix available?

tried this on my bell 8703e and it didnt work ?

Thanks for posting this. It is working fine on my Verizon 8703e. Battery meter seems to be working as it should. Really like the html functions.

whats the best route to install 4.5 on my BB? Its a sprint BB but its been flashed to metro pcs. Once i upgrade the OS i need to install the service books. Any help???I currently have no service books installed on my BB

I upgraded to 4.5 I have the same problem with the battery and is running out way faster I don't know why? more consumption? and I have a live search but with this upgrade is not working at all not connection to server and now that I try to back up my files I lost my browser so let's see what else

I dropped my 8830 in the ocean a couple weeks ago so I found an 8703e for next to nothing on ebay to use until the tour came out and figured I'd update my os to 4.5. I am having the same battery meter issue as some other people are mentioning, as well as the Blackberry running extremely slow, despite having over 20mb of free memory. My 8830 and 8703e before this one never ran this slow, it even has a faster processor by about 100mhz than the 8830, so why is it going so slow? Messages have been cleared, no aftermarket apps, cleared changelog. Also, it seems that the people who have installed this on their Verizon bb's don't have the battery meter issue. Any way that removing the vendor.xml file and reinstalling this could fix that? I don't want to switch back to 4.2 and Sprint is really dragging their feet as far as the Tour goes so I'm waiting until its actually in the store to get one. Thanks

BB's with Verizon as the carrier have the same issues.

Am I missing something here, I dont see Doc 2 Go anywhere on my device

THanks

Ok nevermind I got it installed. I dont have data plan on the phone. Can I still get Sheets?

Battery indicator works just fine on the Us Cellular network.

I just wish there was a way to get sheets installed without having DATA service.

I updated from 4.2.1. to 4.5 and had the same battery meter problem. I could live with that. But my Bluetooth voice transmission failed. The data stream worked well as a tethered modem , but it lost voice to Motorola H15 and Garmin GPS's. I called Sprint BB support and was told by a supervisor after 30 minutes of research that in certain 8703e Sprint BB's 4.5 will not support Bluetooth voice. He said they have had 5 reports of that problem total in their data base. HUM. So I reloaded 4.5 thinking it was an install glitch. No luck still no voice. So I dropped back to 4.2.1 per Sprint and my Bluetooth & battery meter both work fine. Always something with upgrades. Just like MS updates repair two problems and create one new one....the old Texas 2 step. Otherwise I liked 4.5 interface etc. Guess I will wait for newer version and try again.

I upgraded my Sprint 8703e to 4.5, and it seemed to work ok, except as soon as I rebooted, it would just go into a reboot loop.

I wiped it a few times and 4.5 always installed, but then failed on a reboot.
I'm back on 4.2.119. Works rock solid, no reboot issues.

Too bad, I liked the new OS a lot, but oh well. I guess I'll have to upgrade my phone someday.