Taking Blackberry Abroad

[Mackerg4]

I've been offered a Blackberry 8900 Curve by BT. It's part of a business package where I get free diverts from landlines to mobiles, mobiles to landlines etc. etc. if I pack up my mobile contract with Vodafone and take it from BT instead.

I'm deciding whether to go to Blackberry or stick with a 'standard' mobile.

I'm told that I get (almost) unlimited free mail and web access with the Blackberry in the UK but that these services will cost a bomb if I use them abroad. That's OK because I usually take a laptop abroad with me so it's not an issue.

However I would like to take the Blackberry abroad with me just to use as a phone. Trouble is I receive probably fifty emails a day (albeit lots of them are spam). I'm guessing I'd be charged a fortune for these, even though I don't even look at them.

So, the question is, can I switch the Blackberry to not accept the emails before I leave the country and then switch them on again when I get back? If so, is this sufficient to stop any bills for data usage whilst abroad?

Thanks in advance.

Bob. 

[Alun]

Hi Bob,

You can disable 2G (GPRS) & 3G services on the blackberry 8900 in the options/connections menu – if you do this the blackberry effectively becomes a voice only phone, that can send & receive voice and SMS only via GSM. If this is done then you will not receive any roaming data bills as long as the settings remain switched off for 2G & 3G whilst overseas

Hope that helps

Alun

BT Business Support Forum Moderator

[Mackerg4]

It certainly does help. Looks like I'm going to be the proud owner of a new Blackberry then. Thank you.

Bob. 

[ironscot]

Hi Bob

It's true and it works fine (I've had my BB in the US for weeks) the option is under Connections->Mobile Network Options->Data Services - you can either switch data off or off while roaming (which is what I use). It's not ideal but there is a neat trick and that is to get onto a WiFi connection and then your emails will arrive 🙂

P

[Mackerg4]

Hi,

I've got my Blackberry now and switched off data when roaming so thanks for that.

When you say  "here is a neat trick and that is to get onto a WiFi connection and then your emails will arrive", for this to work do you have to switch 'Data when roaming' back on when you are in the WiFi area or do the emails just come in automatically, i.e. without changing any settings?

Bob. 

[ironscot · Accepted solution]

No need to touch the data roaming setting Bob, the emails will arrive automatically.

P

[Mackerg4]

Cool - thanks!