[family_man]

I'm 99% ready to purchase a Blackberry 7250 w/Verizon wireless. I'll be upgrading my existing cellphone. My question, in order to use the email functions, is it necessary to sign up for one of the Blackberry service packages Verizon offers or can I simply use the device with a basic wireless plan?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[penguin3107]

You need a Blackberry data plan to use any e-mail functions.

[mykeliam]

you can do without any data plan and pay as you go. The cost is something like .0002 per kilobyte. You can also choose different data plans. I use unlimited at 49.95 per month with a 39.99 voice plan. I get the discount my hospital has and pay a little less.

[Dusty Saddle]

Originally Posted by family_man

I'm 99% ready to purchase a Blackberry 7250 w/Verizon wireless. I'll be upgrading my existing cellphone. My question, in order to use the email functions, is it necessary to sign up for one of the Blackberry service packages Verizon offers or can I simply use the device with a basic wireless plan?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

The Verizon Blackberry service packages include voice and data but you can keep your exizting voice plan and just add a data plan. I added my bb to my family plan ($9.95) and added the unlimited data plan.

[navyman]

If you aren't locked into a Verizon contract, consider going with Earthlink, which resells leased Verizon network coverage under their own name. You can buy the blackberries at www.karbonsystems.com for $199 each with only a 12 month committment. I recently bought two of them from them and so far, have no reason to regret not going with Verizon, which wants $299 with a 2 yr committment.

[katya]

Originally Posted by navyman

If you aren't locked into a Verizon contract, consider going with Earthlink, which resells leased Verizon network coverage under their own name. You can buy the blackberries at www.karbonsystems.com for $199 each with only a 12 month committment. I recently bought two of them from them and so far, have no reason to regret not going with Verizon, which wants $299 with a 2 yr committment.

Ditto that! I am also with EarthLink and am very happy with them. Customer service is light years better than Verizon (was with them since 1995) and since EarthLink is a data company rather than a phone company they just seem to "get" the BlackBerry, email and web question much better. Plan price and contract is also better with EarthLink.

[Soapm]

Doesn't look like earthlink has any family plans but they are competitive. You have to have deep pockets to use VZW.

[katya]

Originally Posted by Soapm

Doesn't look like earthlink has any family plans but they are competitive. You have to have deep pockets to use VZW.

Also deep pockets to upgrade from your cellphone to a BB. I have been with Verizon since 1995 and it would have cost me $449 to "upgrade" from my VX6000 because I am an EXISTING customer. Discounts are only for new customers. Yes, I know this is how the industry works...

So I became a new customer with EarthLink and saved several hundred dollars on the hardware and will continue to save on the plan which even with voice is $10 a month less than the compariable Verizon plan. And have better customer service to boot.