[treobbfan]

Background:

• Cost is an issue presently (laid off in April) - I want a Q10 eventually
• I was given a Curve for work back in 2003 ish - and liked it except that round ball that kept falling out
• Im a die hard QWERTY Treo fan but it has finally died, QWERTY is a requirement
• Not a facebook youtube netflix person so this is optional
• Biggest use will be calls, text, Outlook sync for email and calendar
• Moving from Verizon to TMobile's 4 phones/10 Gig plan $100/mo to save getting internet at home as they will allow tether. Spreading out the phones to family and using one for surfing.
• Was considering an off the shelf Walmart BB but not sure about it working on TMobile network

.
Questions

• Any suggestions on getting an entry level BB (maybe from Walmart) to start then Q10 or Classic in 2015?
• Anyone go to TMobile with one of the off the shelf phone or with at 9xxx (I also see some BB 9xxx these on Amazon for $80 ish)
• Also reading your forum looks like the phone needs to be LTE 4G to work with TMobile comments on this welcomed.]
• Lastly, thoughts on waiting for Christmas maybe due to the BB/TMobile announcement. I never lease a phone, is there a reason to wait? Experience with used or just buying at phone store? I see some horror stories regarding used phones and wrong models from online.

Thx in advance!

[diegonei]

Welcome to the forums!

Background:
Then you're out for a Q5. Unless of course you give the Z10 a try and see there is life (and kick *** GTD) outside the QWERTY (Phone history: 8310 > 8520 > 9780 > Z10 > Z30 - so yeah, I know qwerty. I can talk. ).

Questions

• Any suggestions on getting an entry level BB (maybe from Walmart) to start then Q10 or Classic in 2015?

The Q5 should be cheap enough << that's a link for Amazon.com. Packs enough punch to keep you running even if you decide to keep it after the Classic is out.

• Anyone go to TMobile with one of the off the shelf phone or with at 9xxx (I also see some BB 9xxx these on Amazon for $80 ish)

I wouldn't get a BBOS device. It's 2014. You want support. BBOS will be dropped at some point. Also, BB10 can run Android apps and that opens a lot of GTD ways that BBOS would not be able to deliver. And there is BIS... BBOS will only be fully functional on a BIS plan, while BB10 run aon anything-data. But if a qwerty is all you want, by all means, 9900.

• Also reading your forum looks like the phone needs to be LTE 4G to work with TMobile comments on this welcomed.]

It's not like that. You need to know which radio frequencies TMo uses and buy a matching version of the phone.

• Lastly, thoughts on waiting for Christmas maybe due to the BB/TMobile announcement. I never lease a phone, is there a reason to wait? Experience with used or just buying at phone store? I see some horror stories regarding used phones and wrong models from online.

TMo no longer sells BlackBerry devices - they have severed the contract (TMo's bad). There are no hard facts on this changing. If you want one on TMo, you'lll have to get lucky with a forgotten unit on the back shelf of a store or get an unlocked device matching the radio frequencies. Get the right unit and you won't have issues.

Xmas is a magical time. You may see some price drops, you may see nothing. $190 seems cheap enough for me, I'd go for it now. Do consider a Z10 though. Go to a store where they still have it and test the keyboard. They should be cheap by now and the keyboard works better than a QWERTY user will beleave at first.

Can somebody tell him which SQR does TMo use?

[gokulesh]

Q5 may be an option. Though I don't know if they are sold in us. Of you are close to the Canadian border might want to hop over and get one. Or try shop BlackBerry.

I have found most rogers/wind phones worn on t-mobile.

Posted via CB10

[nelsonningombam]

Wait for BlackBerry classic if possible.

Posted via CB10

[treobbfan]

diegonei, gokulesh, nelsonningombam, Thanks for all the input and advice!

diegonei, not sure if I follow the BIS/BBOS mention. Are you saying the 9xxx is on the BB Operating System but the others that are on BB10 OS which would be more flexible and allow apps? (I don't get a new phone every year, I guess you can tell by the Treo ). $190 IS cheap enough, when you have a job (I paid $400 for my Treo back in the day so I would if I could!)

Thanks for the radio freq notation. Found a site on TMo (cannot post the link since I am a new CB user but it is at TMo phones/tables/devices in the Support section) finally regarding TMo of Network capability by phone, not real consistent or maybe I just can't interpret what isn't consistent but looks like it thwarts my original temporary cheap out plan since the TMo plan is 4G. TMo support had a thread regarding "1700 and 2100 bands".

gokulesh I saw some threads on Q5/Q10 a while back here (I've been trying to research for some time then got tripped up by the new CEO etc., waiting) and decided on the Q10 earlier this year, just wasn't able to get it as planned.

nelsonningombam I like the Classic too...which I didn't see until checking out CB today. Looks very nice.

Thanks again all. Really need out of Verizon as my old technology is allowing them to charge exponential texting rates and I dont want a new contract; the TMo will kill 2 birds for now, phone/Internet. So maybe I end up with a Q10 first anyway.

[diegonei]

diegonei, gokulesh, nelsonningombam, Thanks for all the input and advice!

diegonei, not sure if I follow the BIS/BBOS mention. Are you saying the 9xxx is on the BB Operating System but the others that are on BB10 OS which would be more flexible and allow apps? (I don't get a new phone every year, I guess you can tell by the Treo ). $190 IS cheap enough, when you have a job (I paid $400 for my Treo back in the day so I would if I could!)

TMo support had a thread regarding "1700 and 2100 bands".

Yes. BIS is a BlackBerry specific data plan that has to be there for BBOS to work. BlackBerry 10 decide are like other phones and will run on any kind of data.

BlackBerry 10 can also run Android apps, which is a huge advantage when you need some tasks done. Just grab the right app and go for it.

Now that you know they use 1700/2100, you just have to find out which SQR (Q5) model works with that. I believe, like the Q10, that it won't really matter as they all support the same bands, but I don't know for sure.

Posted via CB10

[treobbfan]

diegonei - do you know if it is possible to buy a 9900 from a private party that is on BBOS and load BB10 OS over it? Wipe and reload so to speak? I'm in the US if that makes a difference.

I ask because I am finding 9900's for $100 on Craigslist and it seems so far they are on the same network I am moving to (TMo) but on BBOS.

(Q5's are still $200 on Amazon and none can be found on Craigslist in my area.)

[misterabrasive]

diegonei - do you know if it is possible to buy a 9900 from a private party that is on BBOS and load BB10 OS over it? Wipe and reload so to speak? I'm in the US if that makes a difference.

I ask because I am finding 9900's for $100 on Craigslist and it seems so far they are on the same network I am moving to (TMo) but on BBOS.

(Q5's are still $200 on Amazon and none can be found on Craigslist in my area.)

You can't load BB10 on OS 7 and prior devices.

Posted with my Z10 on Verizon 10.2.1.3253

[treobbfan]

doh! misterabrasive, thank you for your kind information

This was the last bit I needed to know, So it's Q5 or Q10!

Great community, you have all been so helpful to his newbie!