Blackberry Phones and Services in India

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by deepakchan

Does GPS work for you on your Reliance 8830? I have a Tata Indicom 8830 and Blackberry support team of Tata Indicom said that GPS doesn't work with both Reliance and Tata Indicom. I've installed Google maps but it is not working. Should I do some tweaks?

On the main screen does your phone show a little crosshair on the top left?

Go to Options > Advanced Options > GPS and check the settings there.

You know the funny thing is on the 8830 the GPS ONLY works when its on CDMA mode on GSM mode it doesnt work

[deepakchan]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

On the main screen does your phone show a little crosshair on the top left?

Go to Options > Advanced Options > GPS and check the settings there.

You know the funny thing is on the 8830 the GPS ONLY works when its on CDMA mode on GSM mode it doesnt work

I checked the setting. And changed the GPS Location to ON position. And next to the cross symbol a couple of transmitter lines appeared. After that I opened Google maps with the phone outdoors. For about 4 minutes, whenever I clicked My Location, it said Current location temporarily unavailable, waiting for GPS. After 4 minutes, it said Current location temporarily unavailable, GPS temporarily unavailable. What should I do? Where am I going wrong?

[quickdraw]

Dont open google maps. Just open BB Maps applications and press the BB key and select "Start GPS Navigation" leave it like that for sometime and let it connect to satellites. Below you can see a little symbol on how many its connected to. Let it connect to atleast 8 and then press the Red Hang UP key (Dont exit the app) and then fire up google maps and see what happens.

[shajufx]

My collegue had done the same thing and got it worked few months back. But I have no clue about the technical part of it.

[quickdraw]

You friendly neighborhood Blackberry guy is around to help with berry issues at the ultra cheap cost of a coffee if we ever meet

[jgsolo27]

Originally Posted by shajufx

HTC Touch works fantastic with GPRS or Mobile Office, which I personally like better than BB service itself. If you are not on the move all the time, if you spent most of your time being on a broadband line, if you dont want to throw money for nothing, then stick to gprs or Mobile Office. Its not worth paying for a BB plan. I have used all of it and its from my user experience. Others might have various opinions. Instant mail delivery is handled by many 3rd party services too. Just googling a bit will give you lot of ideas !

Hi!
You're right. I immediately got BB deactivated and subscribed for Mobile Office.

[shajufx]

Mobile Office also helps you to connect to a PC or Laptop whenever broadband fails or while travelling, which can not be done with a BB handset or BB plan. I find all the BB plans are total waste of money if; 1)you are paying the bill yourself, 2)you are not travelling for official purpose, 3)you have a broadband at home or office, 4)you check your mails atleast 4 times a day.

I used unlimited BB plan while I was travelling and I could not miss any emails by any cost. I continued using it while I could not remain online full time and be in touch with clients who were always clarifying something or other over messengers. Now I am on broadband almost 12 hours a day, therefore its a total waste of money to pay for BB plans. An Airtel Broadband 777 plan with 2 Mbps speed and 4 GB limit a month (Rs.200/- worth calls free too) serves all my purpose, so it doesnt make sense to pay 899 for a BB plan only for instant delivery of emails. I dont go out much to show off too, so I am out of BB plans until my next travel. In case I need to check my mails or browse on the phone while in the house, I use my wi-fi. No better way to save some bucks in the time of recession ! Just my 2 cents.

[quickdraw]

Please please dont blame the messenger. Its not the BB Plan thats at fault, its our very own operators. Universally the BB Plan allows you to tether (connecting laptop/desktop etc) but the Indian operators choose to prohibit that. If you check online many operators abroad allow you to do that. But its just here in India that it isnt possible. And tethering capibility is included in the unlimited plan costs.

I have not used regular GRPS services of various operators since quite sometime. But when I last did they were never as reliable or quick as BB plans because like I mentioned before BB Plans work on the BB backbone and not the operators GPRS servers.

One more thing you forgot to point out shaju that (I dont know about any other operators) but Vodafone has the BB Plans on Pro-Rata baises. I.e, if you activate it you are immidately charged the whole months rent, doenst matter if your next billing cycle is in the next 2 days. So this is bad for the consumer as they cant activate/deactivate the BB plans at will. This is again the operators evil plan to fill their pockets and has nothing to do with how RIM intended for you to use their services.

I have just recently gone off a BB and am using the iPhone over wi-fi to save some money. 900 rupees isnt a very large amount considering if you actually need the services. 500 rupees would make the plan perfect. But what can we do its not the first time Indian consumers are getting shafted by their own.

[Jaggu]

Trust me if things dont change drastically, technology is going to overtake RIM and BB and soon it will have its natural death. Their selling point was security and others are catching up pretty fast.

[shajufx]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

Vodafone has the BB Plans on Pro-Rata baises. I.e, if you activate it you are immidately charged the whole months rent, doenst matter if your next billing cycle is in the next 2 days.

Pro-rata basis and getting charged whole month doesnt match buddy, may be I am missing something from your post. Even Airtel BB charges are pro-rata. Unlimited charge 899 will be split into 30/31 days and charged according to the number of days used. Here the enemy is exactly as you mentioned. Nobody can deactivate it immediately. First of all the deactivation request is taken by email, you might get an immediate acknowledgement, but actual deactivation is done at their own liking. It took 5 days for me to see 'EDGE' disappear from my phone. It hurts when you pay Rs.30/- per day after requesting to cancel.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Trust me if things dont change drastically, technology is going to overtake RIM and BB and soon it will have its natural death. Their selling point was security and others are catching up pretty fast.

I am pretty happy to see RIM's pace after the back to back launch of the 8220, 9000, 9500 and now the 8900. Thats 4 handsets in 2 quarters. And now they are launching the new storm with WiFi and the 8900 with 3G as well. Its not bad at all. No other handset manufacturer will be able to match RIM for atleast the next 5 years because of the "Apple" effect. We claim windows has so many issues. Microsoft has no control over which machine windows is installed. Opposite of Apple where the Hardware and software are made in harmony and face much lesser issues. Just that they are propeitory doesnt make them redunant. Same thing with RIM they have control over Hardware, network and the software. Very bulletproof. Nothing of this sort exists for any other handset AFAIK.

Originally Posted by shajufx

Pro-rata basis and getting charged whole month doesnt match buddy, may be I am missing something from your post. Even Airtel BB charges are pro-rata. Unlimited charge 899 will be split into 30/31 days and charged according to the number of days used. Here the enemy is exactly as you mentioned. Nobody can deactivate it immediately. First of all the deactivation request is taken by email, you might get an immediate acknowledgement, but actual deactivation is done at their own liking. It took 5 days for me to see 'EDGE' disappear from my phone. It hurts when you pay Rs.30/- per day after requesting to cancel.

Oh I actually meant to say NOT charged on pro-rata baises. Its everything in one go. Vodafone Activation and Deactivation is pretty quick then. I see the EDGE turn to edge usually overnight. Thank God I switched from AirTel!

[shajufx]

You are not alone, 6 of my friends have moved from Airtel to Vodafone in the last 30 days, that makes 7 of us including me. All of them had either BB plans or MO running for many months. Cancelling my BB service, surrendering my connection and following up for the same were the most terrific experience in my life ! Retention team tested my patience 3 times in 15 days, not cancelling my number, promising a fancy number, Rs.1000 discount and what not !! I could not take it anymore, so I removed the SIM and started using the new Vodafone number full time.

I am yet to try BB on Vodafone, waiting for my next travel. Heard a lot of good things about vodafone in comparison with airtel. I am on Vodafone for 35 days and I am very happy with the voice clarity, trouble free service etc. Best thing I liked about them was giving the number I wanted for free, similar request was placed at Airtel 3 yrs back but they demanded Rs.5000 for the same. I am proud to have a number with all the fancy I wanted.. 97X2777727.. I am born on 7th in 1972 and most of the important things in my life are either connected to 7th, 17th or 27th, so I have got the power of 7 in my number. I could not ask for more !!

[Rasputin]

I bought BB Storm from Mobile store in Bangalore..However inspite of their paper advts on selling unlocked phones, this is still locked to Vodafone....Can anyone direct me to some place where i can get this unlocked...

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by Rasputin

I bought BB Storm from Mobile store in Bangalore..However inspite of their paper advts on selling unlocked phones, this is still locked to Vodafone....Can anyone direct me to some place where i can get this unlocked...

Do not think that you should be running behind the unlock code! Take the advt and go and demand the unlock code from the Vodafone store.

Else threaten with the consumer case... you should get at least what you have paid for!

[quickdraw]

I dont think its going to take you anywhere, the poor chaps at the Mobile Store would have no idea about how to unlock the phone. And if you were not using Vodafone you should have checked beforehand. Vodafone has a exclusive deal with RIM to launch the Storm in India. So there's slim chance that non-grey unlocked phones will show up.

@ Shaju please dont keep very very high expectations though, this is India after all. Never really got any big problems with Voda but the network does have its weaknesses. Take everything with a pinch of salt and you'll be ok