[cloisville]

Hi there!

I've searched the Internet for a few hours for an answer to this question, but I haven't come across any solid answers. (I've also asked the same question around the web but haven't heard anything definitive.)

I'll be studying in Italy for 1.5 months this summer, and I need an Italian phone number (and therefore, an Italian SIM card) for my study abroad program. I've already called Verizon and they have unlocked my Blackberry Bold 9650.

Some of the Italian cellular carriers provide pre-paid GSM SIM cards, along with pay-as-you-go Blackberry data packages. For example, according to the PrePaidGSM website, the Italian provider "TIM" offers pre-paid cards as well as a Blackberry data package for 2 euros/week (the data package is activated and deactivated via text message).

Here are my questions:

1) If I purchase the TIM card with the weekly Blackberry data package, will I be able to use email, web browsing, and BBM (BBM is most important to me, as it would allow me to contact my family without the need for phone calls)?

2) There are many conflicting reports as to whether I would need to "de-register" or "release" my PIN from Verizon before using the Italian SIM card. Can anyone offer solid evidence on this? If I leave my PIN registered with Verizon, would I still be able to use BBM with the TIM voice and Blackberry data package?

The second question is the biggest one I've had -- I would really like to avoid the hassle of asking Verizon to "release" my pin, but I also don't want to try to use my PIN on an Italian carrier if it's just going to mess up my Verizon-PIN association.

Thanks so much!