Blackberry Phones and Services in India

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by anilkalvani

ust add Rs. 1,010/- to your existing bill, that will be your monthly damages. Whatever people say that you pay 249 + as you use per KB plan, it works out much more expensive as once you start using such a device, it gets difficult to limit browsing, etc.

Unless the handset is your one and only device for internet this would not happen, i use my phone for regular email and occasional browsing and data usage is well within the MO 399 package.

[filcord]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Unless the handset is your one and only device for internet this would not happen, i use my phone for regular email and occasional browsing and data usage is well within the MO 399 package.

In other words, you discipline yourself in net usage on the BB? How much do you use to remain within your limits?Just e-mail or is there occasional browsing.
I actually am in the office 80% of the time, where I have broadband.

[anilkalvani]

@filcord
Today's time & age is such that we are totally dependant on technology. first landlines, then mobile voice & text, then broadband & now wireless internet. For instance, for even small things you google search, whether to decide which restaurant to go in bandra even if you stay in bandra to martin's corner phone number while travelling in goa, to supply chain product stock details in my sector, instant replying to supply chain emails, to what not. In many cases like mine, demand & sales escalate considerably with constant updates. For a start you could go for the limited plan as jaggu suggests & then migrate to the unlimited plan once you get addicted to it or feel your bill escalates.

[shajufx]

Originally Posted by anilkalvani

So just add Rs. 1,010/- to your existing bill, that will be your monthly damages. Whatever people say that you pay 249 + as you use per KB plan, it works out much more expensive as once you start using such a device, it gets difficult to limit browsing, etc.

Better opt for 899/- unlimited BB plan than the other plans which will eventually turn out to be much more expensive end of the month. I have given the detailed calculation in the previous pages.

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Unless the handset is your one and only device for internet this would not happen, i use my phone for regular email and occasional browsing and data usage is well within the MO 399 package.

If he owns or plans for a BB handset (Research In Motion), he has no choice of MO because that will not work as stand alone. Limited BB plans are good if the usages is only checking emails, but I can bet it will not remain there once you start using it.

Originally Posted by filcord

In other words, you discipline yourself in net usage on the BB? How much do you use to remain within your limits?Just e-mail or is there occasional browsing.I actually am in the office 80% of the time, where I have broadband.

Jaggu is using MO if my understanding is correct, that too on an expensive i-phone! So if you have BB service in mind, understand few basic things before going for it from the previous pages. There is no way you can check your data usage till the bill is generated. If you opt for lower BB plans (where you have to pay per KB after you cross the limit), expect a 'shocking' experience when you receive your bill (only if your usage is sending and receiving emails with attachments opened, instant messengers, receiving files through messengers etc.).

According to what I understand, you might be just happy with the Rs.99/- per month gprs service since you are in the office 80% of your time. BB is good for a person with the following situations;

1. Travels once in a while or frequently
2. Needs direct instant delivery & reply of emails
3. Instant messengers in full version

May be someone can add if I miss anything here.

[anilkalvani]

Better opt for 899/- unlimited BB plan than the other plans which will eventually turn out to be much more expensive end of the month.

@shajufx
fyi
the 899 plan is not inclusive of 12.36% service tax, so it comes to Rs. 1,010 incl. service tax.

[shajufx]

Taxes are never counted when you talk about activating or deactivating a plan, be it Mobile Office or BB services or just regular gprs. Because none of them are your final bill amounts. If you are talking about the total damage on your wallet, yes you can seperate the amount and tax on your voice plan, data plan or any other value added services.

Another update
BB retention from Delhi and Airtel Mobile Office team keep on calling me to know why I cancelled the services. I said it was a group attack of confusions and confrontations in all aspects. The final caller offered me a Rs.250 worth local or STD calls free on a validity of 30 days from today. May be another marketing trick to get the customer back to track !

[anilkalvani]

really these people will take a long time to get professional, you have to fight your way to get your way with operators... till then they'll keep on exploiting us. also we really need to get these guys educated big time on technical issues.

[nishantgandhi]

I found this interesting article on BB. Posting excerpts from that:

There are various ways to get Blackberry email:
a) Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES): This is the setup normally deployed by large businesses wherein the BES interfaces with your company’s Microsoft Exchange Server (or Lotus Domino or Novell Groupwise) and allows your Blackberry to automatically mirror your Exchange Inbox. This is true push mail and your mobile and the server are always in sync.

b) Blackberry Internet Service (BIS): This is the setup used by small businesses who do not have a Exchange server to host their email and depend upon POP/IMAP servers. This setup is also used by individuals with their personal email accounts which support POP/IMAP. In this kind of a setup, BIS checks for new mails every fifteen minutes by default. If it does find a new mail, the mail is then pushed to the device. For the next fifteen minutes, the BIS will check every three minutes for new mail. If no new mail is found within that second set of fifteen minutes, the server reverts to again checking once every fifteen minutes. As long as the server finds new mail within that time frame, it will continue to check every three minutes. This is not true push mail.

This does not, however, apply to all email accounts. Gmail and Yahoo mail are two notable exceptions to this rule. The BIS remains constantly connected to these services, and will push new mail automatically to the device, without the fifteen minute interval.

c) Blackberry Email address: This is the free push email address included with all Blackberry plans. You can configure your existing email addresses to automatically forward a copy to your yourname@carrier.blackberry.net email address. This is also true push email, as email will show up instantly on the Blackberry the moment someone sends it to you.

Are there any alternatives to Blackberry?
The ability to receive emails instantly on your mobile is no longer limited to the Blackberry. The most recommended and free alternative is Emoze which works out of the box with Gmail, Yahoo Mail and OWA (outlook web access). It also works with POP3/ Exchange via MS Outlook desktop connector.

Other free options include Consilient and Emansio. One advantage Consilient has over Emoze is that it allows you to push more than 1 email account at one time to your cellphone but this comes at the cost of loading Consilient own email application on your phone, while Emoze works with the mobile’s built in Email client. Emansio is a free push mail client which works on only Windows Mobile based phones.

Nokia has also launched its Nokia Email service (currently in beta) to compete with Blackberry and has hence decided not to provide Blackberry Connect client on its new E Series phones starting from the E66 and E71.

Apple has also launched its MobileMe service on its iPhone to compete with Blackberry.

Other paid push e-mail solutions available in the market today are NotifyLink, SEVEN, and Visto
Article

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by filcord

In other words, you discipline yourself in net usage on the BB? How much do you use to remain within your limits?Just e-mail or is there occasional browsing.
I actually am in the office 80% of the time, where I have broadband.

Am beyond the age of discipline, so NO i dont do it myself I use iPhone to stay in touch with office after office hours ie emails and browsing when am bored and away from computer.

I used to have auto delivery of emails, but it was invading my life too much. So now i have shifted to manual. My usage generally falls within 85 to 90 MB per month.

In short maybe about 30 mts email through out the day (from 1 mt to 5 mts usage blocks). Average of 5-10 mts browsing per day.

Originally Posted by shajufx

If he owns or plans for a BB handset (Research In Motion), he has no choice of MO because that will not work as stand alone. Limited BB plans are good if the usages is only checking emails, but I can bet it will not remain there once you start using it.


There is no way you can check your data usage till the bill is generated. If you opt for lower BB plans (where you have to pay per KB after you cross the limit), expect a 'shocking' experience when you receive your bill (only if your usage is sending and receiving emails with attachments opened, instant messengers, receiving files through messengers etc.).

Yes if you insist BB then no option of MO. Though you can have other options which will give you 80-85% satisfaction to BB, this other option includes Win Mobile devices, Nokia, SE and iPhone Most of these have data meters in built or as 3rd party apps which show data usage.

Maybe BB also might have such a software that can be used to monitor usage.

[Jaggu]

shaju any updates from your side, have you got BB and 3 party app working again?

[shajufx]

I am just enjoying a break without BB or MO. Planning to activate again once my travel dates are fixed. Otherwise I am on broadband almost 80% of a day. Just trying to save something in the global economic crisis !

[shajufx]

When you are a previleged customer of Airtel, using all business features like BB, MO, Roaming, name everything else they offer, expect to get yourself CUT from the network for no mistake of yours

Yes that is what happend to me just 1 hour back, 9.30pm to specific. My SIM is not existing, No network, No incoming, No outgoing !! Tried another handset, same issue. Tried going through the set up of the SIM card in the handset, it shows "No valid SIM card".

Called up 121 from my wife's phone, grinding my teeth for 20 mts to a hopeless fellow, waiting for another 15 mts while he wanted to explain things to his manager etc. he came up with a solution: "Sir, we will file your complaint and promise to resolve it by 31st October 2008". I replied; "Oh come on, today is just 24th, how do you want me to push 6 days without a phone ? miss around 15 to 20 very important calls per day ? let people wonder where the hell I disappeared from the earth !!". It made me realise we stop existing without our mobile one fine moment. The weirdest reason I heard for this situation is "Sir, you had deactivated BB services (done on 10th Oct) early, so your SIM is not matching in our system now". Can anyone guess how a BB service deactivation can relate to the SIM mismatch in their system after 14 days ?

Somehow I threatened the guy that I will disconnect the number and go for a vodafone if things dont work in 4 hours flat, thats upto 2am. Even if they dont do it in 4 days, what can I do with a Airtel-locked BB Pearl !!! Here comes the painful situation of not requesting for an unlock on the pretext of travelling abroad.

Somewhere above I had mentioned, after using the BB for a month and disconnecting it is like 'fish out of water'. Now being cut from even calls, SMS etc. its like 'fish in the boiling oil'. Fingers crossed, you bet Airtel will not sort this issue within 24 hours. Next update when I start existing again !

[discobiscuit]

Good luck. Airtel customer support bring the fail when it comes to service.

You're better off telling them you lost your phone and ask them for a new sim.

[anilkalvani]

Ok guys, kahaani mein twist... I had already finalised going for the curve 8330 with reliance prepaid. Now i went to the reliance web world at linking road khar bombay atleast 4 times but they told me that they have no notification as yet from Reliance. I just got so furious that i told them not to advertise stuff if you're still not ready with the service. anyways, as we always do, research the phone on various sites including blackberry.com . So on the page was a contest where you write a slogan not more than 80 characters & details & blah. So as usual i filled up the contest & forgot about it. Now see what happened.

BlackBerry Bold Contest Results

more later.........

[shajufx]

I got back my SIM active after a good long wait of 18 hours. Reason for the issue according to them: I had deactivated my BB services and it created a mismatch of my SIM in their system and the issue came to trouble me after 14 days of deactivation of BB. Whenever I call Airtel, they tell me that I am a priority customer to them, but I face more issues than even a pre-paid customer. May be in India, priority means you should expect more problems and confusions than anyone else. Waiting for the next issue soon !