[eniebles]

I currently have a 7100g with cingular service. I will be spending 50% of my time this year in the UK, and I was wondering if the following is possible. Could I get a blackberry with cingular service that would allow me to use it when Im in the states and receive my work email, calls, etc...and when I go to the UK switch using the dual card and use it with a UK number? But, also get my work emails?

[phrider]

Cheaper approach:
1. Buy a cheap used unlocked GSM phone with the Euro 900MHz/1800 MHz bands (some tri-band and all quad band phones in US)

2. Get unlimited intl Blackberry email plan from Cingular (I think they still offer this). Use the voice service as little as possible because it costs a fortune -- you may also want to disable voicemail because you pay for the bounce from your phone in the UK back to US voicemail (unless the phone is off).

3. Get a Pre-Paid SIM for that unlocked GSM phone. I've had great luck with the Carphone Warehouse Fresh World / Mobile World service. You may need an ATM card to initially get the service (and a UK postal address). It costs 5p (9 cents) per minute to call the US, and about 15p per minute to call UK mobiles or landlines. You can top up the Pre-Pay over the phone or at many small stores or Carphone Warehouse stores. And, in the UK, the caller pays to call you (and US callers pay a surcharge on the long distance to mobile phones).

[eniebles]

Thanks for the information...

My blackberry is already unlocked, I already have the unlimted worlwide plan from Blackberry. I have purchased a pre-paid SIM card last time in the UK, but; when I use the pre-paid SIM card it does not allow Data transfer, so my blackberry can't interact with my company server to send me my emails. I have to remove the pre-paid SIM card, place my original SIM card, and then have my emails come in for me to read.

I was wondering if there was away around that, or another alternative while still have only to pay UK local rates, with a UK number

[phrider]

The only convenient way I found was to keep the Blackberry on the US carrier (T-Mobile in my case), and buy a second unlocked GSM phone for the UK number and voice service.

I did not find any Pre-Paid UK service that allowed Blackberry coverage. Plus, you have to get your existing carrier to delete your PIN Blackberry service and the new carrier to add it -- the 2nd phone and the UK SIM were far easier.

[bertiebassett]

Originally Posted by eniebles

Thanks for the information...

My blackberry is already unlocked, I already have the unlimted worlwide plan from Blackberry. I have purchased a pre-paid SIM card last time in the UK, but; when I use the pre-paid SIM card it does not allow Data transfer, so my blackberry can't interact with my company server to send me my emails. I have to remove the pre-paid SIM card, place my original SIM card, and then have my emails come in for me to read.

I was wondering if there was away around that, or another alternative while still have only to pay UK local rates, with a UK number

Is your Berry on BES as you talk about company server?

Drop me a pm, and we should be able to sort you with a UK sim card, UK number on the Blackberry plan. Would need a biling address and some form of security (eg. paid against credit/card) - shouldn't be too much of a drama if only for 6 months or so.

bb

[takeshi]

You'd definitely need to be on BES as BIS doesn't work with a carrier SIM swap. As has been mentioned, the UK SIM needs Blackberry data as well.

[phrider]

Get an old unlocked Motorola v180 quad band for $40 including shipping (example, but there are many eBay: UNLOCKED MOTOROLA V180 V 180 QUAD BAND CELL PHONE BONUS (item 170077022109 end time Feb-08-07 08:15:49 PST). If you do get a v180, make sure it is quad band or, if tri-band, has both Euro bands. Get a UK prepay.

Switching the BES/BIS back and forth is more than $40 worth of hassle.

Speculation on my part: if you switch carriers on BES, you may need to redo the Enterprise Activation each time, which is even more hassle.

PS: I've had good luck with Mobile World, but others may be as attractive. See a comparison at Pay As You Go SIM card at The Carphone Warehouse and you can get OK deals on combined phone/SIM purchases (see Pay As You Go Mobile Phones from The Carphone Warehouse for example). Mobile World appears to be using the T-Mobile network in the UK.