BlackBerry

[JuliaW]

I have been given a Blackberry 9360 and want to add my personnal BT email account. I can't seem to do this unless I set up a blackberry account. I have tried to set up the Host routing table but nothing happens.

After reading a few posts, am I right in thinking that I have to pay extra for the privalige of adding my own email account? I dont want to use the Blackberry email service - just my own.

My partner has a Galaxy Ace with O2 and set up his email accounts in seconds, why can I not do this with my Blackberry?

[jeffkinn]

First of all to use a Blackberry on the internet for email. BBM etc you need to have a service running on your account called the Blackberry Internet Sevice (BIS). If you were using a non Blackberry before you will have to add this to your account. There is no way around this as this is how Blackberrys work - its not a Vodafone add on its all Blackberrys worldwide.

Once you have BIS on your account you will be able to set up your own email address either on the phone or at this website

http://www.mobileemail.vodafone.net/

[JuliaW]

Thank you for the reply.  Well that's quite a con of Blackberry, Android phones can do this without having to pay extra.

If only the salesman had informed my partner this - I don't think he would have bought it!

So trying not to sound stupid - I would have to keep paying the £5 extra a month to use email, I can't just pay the once and set it up?

Thanks again for the quick reply.

[jeffkinn]

No you can'ty use it once - its an ongoing subscription

And it isn't a con - the BB service has distinct advantages over the other systems as follows:

All email accounts are 'push' meaing they arrive in real time. Other systems don't support fetch for all email accounts

the traffic is compressed meaning you use less of your internet allowance because less information is downloaded

it is far more secure as the data is encrypted - this is why businesses have traditionally supported the BB platform

You get the Blackberry Messenger system which gives the ability to send text messages, pictures and voicemail messages to any other BB user worldwide for nothing (other than using a tiny amount from your data plan)

But it does cost £5 a month and this should have been explained at the time.

[JuliaW]

Thanks for the reply, yes it should have been explained but in my view to charge extra for features that you bought the phone for in the first place is a bit of a con.

As for the "Push" feature, my partners phone checks for emails every 5 mins - which is not long to wait I dont think, or just bring them in if he's really impatient.

As for the other points, do they really justify being charged extra for?  And I don't know anyone else who has a Blackberry so the free messages, pictures etc isn't relevant.

Any way we will choose to differ on this, but thank you for your help.

[jeffkinn]

We don't differ at all. I wasn't defending the charge just explaining it. Personally I use an Android based phone although my wife and kids have BBs.

The reason that RIM, the maker of Blackerry devices, is having a lot of trouble is because other smartphones have caught up and overtaken Blackberrys.

But they are still excellent devices and very popular.