Okay, I am a total newbie with the BlackBerry and would appreciate advice and pointers to advice on the most basic questions.

I have Verizon as a carrier. I am getting a BB8830 because I will be travelling internationally. This is a personal phone, not one through my business.

Now...from the top...what kind of plan do I need to get from Verizon to make use of this most efficiently and cheaply? I use a lot of text messages now. I will, as I said, be travelling out of the U.S. occasionally--not regularly--mostly to the UK and Europe, and the Caribbean. I travel regularly throughout the U.S. I would like to be able to tether my laptop through the BB, unless it is better in the long run to just pay for a laptop card.

What do I need in a monthly plan? What options? The info on the Verizon website isn't very clear, at least to me, in terms of what I need in order to get email and use the web.

Help! ;->

If there is a FAQ for this sort of thing, I didn't find it--so point me in the right direction please. Thanks.

What you need depends on how and how much you'll be using your device.

A good start would be to go to Verizon's site and look up the Blackberry plans they have. If you're not sure, start small, and increase your plan if you need to.

Make sure you call their customer service number and let them know you'll be traveling outside the continental US occasionally, and ask them if anything needs to be done to your account to let you use your Berry abroad.

Enjoy, it's a good device.

Welcome.

I suggest you read the FAQ as well. Will give you a lot of useful information.

I am new to the BB8830 and I also user verizon. I have the web email plan that costs $30.00 a month. The verizon rep told me I would need the $44.95 data plan, but I didn't. I also have the tether option at $15.00 month. So, I do pay $45.00 but I am getting the tethering with that.

If you call verizon they may tell you the web/email plan has a data limit. But that's not true. You'll have to be persistent and let them know it's unlimited data. The plan has been in effect since November. Seach the forum for Verizon unlimited data plan price change. You'll see a wealth of information in that thread.

If you are not using BES for your email you can most likely do the same thing that I have. However, I do not travel abroad, so YMMV.

Hope this helps.

I have had no problems with the $30.00 BlackberryWeb / Email plan, I use it very heavily and have had great success. The catch with the $30 plan is that you cannot use your Business BES with it, you only get BIS. The only difference I notice is that when I was on the $45 plan my gmail, .mac, comcast emails came instantly. With the $30 plan they poll every 15 minutes which is not a big deal to me.

OK, here is my BlackBerry plan with Verizon and I trabel for about 7 days at a time, 3 times ayear, to the UK. The best deal is 450 cellular minutes for $39.95 plus $40.00 pm unlimited data/email, no roaming charges, no long distance charges in the USA, free calls all weekend and evenings and free calls when calling another Verizon cell number (free calls means no minutes used). You need to buy from your local verizon store a SIM card for $30.00 which will allow you to use the phone abroad. Withput the card the BB wiull NOT work in the UK. You then call Verizon and REGISTER THE SIM CARD and that is all you have to do. You then pay for whatever useage you may occassionally use in the UK.

Hope thus helps!

A major question you'll need to answer is how often you'll travel internationally. That may help you determine whether you take the discount and lock into a plan, or buy the 8830 out right.

If you take the discount, the phone will be locked and you'll pay roaming charges. If you purchase it, it can be unlocked and you can buy local SIM cards when you travel abroad, such as this one - Low-cost Europe cell phones and European SIM cards

Verizon roaming is $4.99/mo. Germany is $1.29/minute, and the rates are going up this summer.. Here's more info -
International Services

Until I actually use my 8830 in Europe (when will the Euro drop in price???) I will not know what is really what.

I got my phone with all kinds of rebates/discounts so it cost $99.00. Verizon threw in the sim card for free. About two weeks later I read about UNLOCKING and called and they unlocked it even though I got discounts, etc.

I guess the orig poster will have to call and find out his/her details.