Why does T-Mobile require the extra $10 option for BES? What is different in provisioning with their regular plan from others (which allow BES) for example that would make BES not work without this option added?

I asked this in a different post but I think it got lost in the middle.

It turns off port blocking for connecting to a BES server. Basically, BES won't work without this option because T-Mobile would now block the connection between the BlacKBerry and the BES.

If you are not going to be using a BES server, you do not need this option.

I thought T-Mobile disabled port blocking a while back? Was this just for ports related to applications such as Verichat?

Is T-Mobile the only carrier that blocks the ports for BES?

These are two totally different things here.

You can use Verichat with either plan. But you can only use BES with the more expensive plan.

For North America, yes, T-Mobile is the only one. However, there are other foreign carriers in other countries that charge extra for access to a BES.

Is there any way to get them to add it without extra charge? Even after including the $10 is T-Mobile less expensive for service than the other GSM carriers?

Nope; and the extra BES fee also is necessary if you want to use Desktop Redirector for pushing Exchange e-mail. And yes, even at $29.99 for the BES included Data Plan, T-Mobile is still less expensive than other US carriers.

When you say BES included plan you mean $29.99 on top of a voice plan which would be $39.99 data only?

Yes.

Thanks

What if you used the APN of a free WAP service? Could you then utilize BES functionality without the enterprise plan?

No.

No, it's pretty straightforward. If you need BES access you need the Blackberry plan with BES access. Feel free to give it a shot, but T-Mobile has definitely clamped down. Also, when they say it can take a day or two for a service change to kick in, they really do mean it.

As NJBlackBerry says, $29.99 is still cheaper than the other US carriers.

BES capabilities give you more (over the air sync of more than just email, better security, control, integration with Exchange/Domino/Groupwise, etc) so you are charged more for enablement of these extra services. You also need to buy & run BES software, and buy CALs.

So in total to run all the extra features, you typically:

- pay one time charge for BES software
- pay one time charge per device for CAL licence
- pay a higher monthly charge for the connection

W