Help using 9630 in Afghanistan
 

Hello!

I recently just got here and fired my Sprint 9630 up.

I have an Etisalat pre-paid SIM card, right now the phone works great for voice and SMS.

I enabled GPRS and I have EDGE service.

I would like to be able to use my gmail account over this phone and BBM.

Do I need BIS account for BBM?

Right now my browser is hidden and when I use it says I need to update my service books even though I have data service. How do I get the browser to work?

Thanks!
Eric

Re: Help using 9630 in Afghanistan
 

You need to have BIS to anything you're looking to do on your device, not just the regular data plan.

Etisalat allows for prepaid BlackBerry, but unfortunately you will have to call them to activate it most likely. My suggestion is to see if there is someone at the phone shop on your base speaks enough English to understand what you need (activate BlackBerry) and can then speak to one of the CSRs at Etisalat in Dari or Pashto for you. That will likely get better results than you dealing with the English speaking CSRs.

To be quite honest with you though, your best bet for Internet is to use AWCC with an iPhone or Android device. Their Internet plan is straightforward and they're the most reliable in the country (unless you're at EB Sharana where all carriers shut off at 1900 LOL).

Re: Help using 9630 in Afghanistan
 

dc/dc thanks for your response, I'm going to be stubborn and put a tad more effort in getting this 9630 to work before shelling out for another phone.

I called Etisalat and the rep said go to a franchise location which isn't an option for me.

I updated the phone to 5.0 and installed the ATT service books, overall a somewhat painful process with crappy internet.

Right now when I try to use the browser it just says requesting... and never gets anywhere. I feel like I am very close, my APN settings are blank, not sure where to go from here.

Thanks again,
Eric

Re: Help using 9630 in Afghanistan
 

I appreciate your desire to make it work, but you're not close unfortunately. I am the voice of experience and I'm trying to save you some time because i know how bad even the expenive private internet can be. I lived in Afghanistan for 18 months in three different cities and used all four carriers. Nothing is going to happen on a BlackBerry without BIS. Having the service books from AT&T will do nothing, and knowing the APN will only allow you to use some third party apps, but nothing that you want (e.g., BBM). CS can activate BIS for you, they just don't want to. You can try my first suggestion of getting a local to call, or if you trust one of the LNs on your base, have them take the phone to an Etisalat shop in town. I would strongly suggest wiping your device before handing it over to a local though if you go that route.