I'm currently with Verizon and ready to go with a Blackberry instead of the Treo I currently have (used to love the Treo, but its showing its age with little hope for the Palm OS future). But I'm also debating on switching to T-Mobile and getting an 8700 from them. Coverage is the same in my area, so these questions are strictly about the actual units.

1. Has anyone done battery tests on the 8703e? Does the CDMA version have less batter life than the GSM 8700g?

2. How is the 8700e Bluetooth? Verizon has a tendency to cripple BT on their phones. Is this true of the 8700e?

3. Any other advantages/disadvantages of one over the other? Not counting EVDO, as its isn't available in my area.

Thanks in advance.

If coverage is the same and there is no evdo then get tmo version and save some $$. RIM has historically restricted btooth on their devices for security until the 8100 so VZW didn't need to bother so the profiles are the same. Do you have EDGE in your area?

Yep. I have EDGE coverage. I'm in the Lexington Ky area. Louisville and Cincinnati Oh both have Verizon EVDO. But no official word on when Lexington will. Given that T-Mobile just outbid everyone for new spectrum, even if Verizon gets EVDO setup here before T-Mobile rolls out 3G, I don't mind waiting since its now obvious that T-Mobile is planning on rolling it out.

Kinda doubt they spent $4.2 billion just to sit on it.

But my main concern was in making sure that there are no other advantages to the 8703e, or to Verizon Blackberrys in general over T-Mobile.

I guess since Verizon gets their models much later the bugs common to CDMA and GSM units could be more likely to be worked out... Um...

I have the t-mobile and it is the exact same thing except color and service! And it is way chaeaper!

Isn't the speed of the device (g) faster then the (e)? I went from Cingulars C to Verizons E and I have noticed the 8703e to be more sluggish. Albeit the sluggishness is marginal (gladly have it for better network coverage) but it is there.