[Faber]

When I recieve an email on my Blackberry, what data is used if I do not open up the open and just delete it? Does it automatically download the text from the email if I don't open it?

Reason being, I don't need to open up some emails and if I don't open them up I can save on my data useage.

[JSanders]

I don't know how much data is used... I am sure that might vary from email to email, however, your BB only downloads the headers of the message, not entire emails and/or attachments. So, as you stated, if you do not open the message and delete it, you are using the least amount of data for that message.

[ve3sy]

Originally Posted by Faber

When I recieve an email on my Blackberry, what data is used if I do not open up the open and just delete it? Does it automatically download the text from the email if I don't open it?

Reason being, I don't need to open up some emails and if I don't open them up I can save on my data useage.

On my 8700R unless you turn on the "Auto MORE" option, the BB downloads about 1700 bytes and then pauses and asks if you want more. So to answer your question I expect that if any email exceeds 1,700 bytes (html mail is converted to plain text) you are only billed the 1,700.

[ve3sy]

Originally Posted by JSanders

I don't know how much data is used... I am sure that might vary from email to email, however, your BB only downloads the headers of the message, not entire emails and/or attachments. So, as you stated, if you do not open the message and delete it, you are using the least amount of data for that message.

I am sure the first 1,500 bytes are downloaded at the same time as headers. To confirm this I did a quick test and sent an email to my BB with about 7k of text. When it arrived I opened the message and watched the top right corner for data flow and also held it close to my PC speaker which buzz when the BB is acknowledging received data. When I opened the message on the BB there was no data flow. (I use a GSM based 8700, CDMA users may not detect the data noise issue)

I then used the SELECT mode and copied all of the data in the BB email up until the device said "Select MORE for an additional 5,600 bytes" (balance of the message) and sent it to my home account. Here I did a character count that stated there were 213 words and 1,211 characters not including blank spaces. I summed the two for the estimate there are about 1500 bytes sent.

Bottom line in my case is that my Data usage excluding the headers, would be a maximum of 1,500 bytes per message.

Now a very neat feature of the BB BIS/BES is when you reply to a message. In this sample case I quoted one may expect they would be billed 1500 bytes PLUS their response. Not so... if your reply was simply "OK", you would only be billed for 2 bytes plus any header charges. The BES prepends your response to the original message and delivers it just as if it had been sent from the device.

Ask your PALM friends how their data usage burns through carrier caps

[Faber]

^ Thanks for your post. I was not aware of the replying to emails part, good to know.

Anyone else have any insight on email data useage?

My only concern is that I have 4mb to play around with per a month and I don't want to be charged for all emails that I recieve. 1500 bytes is fine with me though if I don't open it up.