Email problems after changing carrier
 

One of my colleagues is having an unusual Blackberry email related problem problem. He switched carriers last year using number portability. He did not notify the existing carrier that he was moving and did nothing to close down his service. With the old device, he had his personal email "copied" to his Blackberry. After he switched, everything was fine until recently, he received a message from a new user at the former carrier saying that he - new user - was receiving his - former user - personal email. The only connection between the new and former user is that they use the same Blackberry email address. The former user is sure he did not redirect or forward his personal email so they only conclusion is that he set up his former device to pop his personal email. So a password change should solve that problem, shouldn't it? Is there any other possibility here? The thing that surprises us is that we thought the former carrier would have wiped out his former email account entirely before making it available to another user. This seems like it could be a serious privacy issue for Blackberry users.

Wirelessly posted (life goes on! yes it is tough)

The old acct should have been deleted by the old carrier

Wirelessly posted (8700g)

Maybe someone else follows this ok, but not me. Is this a case where the user sold or gave away the old blackberry, and his BIS setup is still active, and that is how the new owner of the old blackberry is getting the email?

Wirelessly posted (life goes on! yes it is tough)

That's exactly on point I think aiharkness

He moved from one service provider, Bell (CDMA), to another, Rogers (GSM), by porting his telephone number from an old BB, 6750, which was junked and starting using a new device, 8700, which he obtained legitimately and registered with Rogers obtaining a SIM from them. He did nothing about his old BB email, , assuming that Bell would delete or purge it.

He needs to call the carrier and delete his BIS account, otherwise the PIN and BIS account will remain active and all of the mail set up on that account will continue to go there.

He can't do that any longer as he has no relationship with that carrier. The new user is now the "owner" of that BIS account.

Without the option to disable the old BIS account or wipe the old BB, this will leave room for the authentication issue. Maybe the user should contact his new carrier and ask if a wipe would help. Of course all data would need to be backed up first. (This is where I am grateful to be on Exchange!)

He still has the old Blackberry, powered off, dead battery. Are you suggesting he could recharge it, power it up and use it to rectify the issue? How would he do this?

Should but that seems to never happen. You really have to make sure to request this before closing out your wireless account.

The original owner/account holder can make the call to the carrier and explain the situation and get the account canceled. That is most likely the only way to do it as the current carrier cannot.

The problem here in Canada is that number portability is new and all the carriers warn users not to inform the old carrier of any impending changes because you WILL loose your number if you cancel before porting. They also say that everything will be taken care of by the new carrier in terms of services and service continuity. Sounds like a case for the Privacy Commissioner :)

Wirelessly posted (8700g)

Privacy Commiddioner? Good gracious!

Still doesn't sound like an email issue. At least I can't imagine how it could be. Your user should have deleted the BIS setup before leaving the carrier for the new carrier. I agree that the user should call the old carrier, explain, etc. Has this been tried yet?

Wirelessly posted (8700g)

I assume PIN numbers eventually get recycled, correct?

AFAIK, PINs remain associated with the device - forever.

Wirelessly posted (8700g)

Well, I'm really confused. The OP says the user still has the old blackberry.

Yesterday, he called the old carrier and "persuaded" the tech to go into the new user's profile and remove the reference to his personal email address. The tech did not want to do this and said he was breaking the rules by doing so, etc.

What does this issue have to do with the old device or PIN's? I figured it all had to do with the way the carriers and RIM administer the email systems, usernames, etc.

Wirelessly posted (8700g)

I hope you'll post a follow up when you know for sure whether this fixes it or not. I think it will, but the fact that the user still has the old blackberry makes me wonder.

I was responding to the question by aiharkness "I assume PIN numbers eventually get recycled, correct?"

The PIN is how RIM/carriers know where to send your email. It is unique to each device.