How to use BlackBerry on Generic Data Plan - BlackBerryFAQ
You'll have to get T-Mobile to give you the "feature enabler" to use T-Zones (now called T-MobileWeb). Spending the extra $25 on a real BlackBerry Data Plan is preferable, and way more effective use of a BlackBerry. The T-Mobile feature enabler is designed as a short-term solution to convince you to get the full BB data plan, so there's no telling how long they will keep feature enabler active on your account.
The 8700 is still a favorite with corporations because it's built like a tank and has no camera or memory card. The camera and memory card are security risks for companies and they often require devices without them.