[TheAuthority]

I don't think carriers forced BlackBerry to stop requiring a BlackBerry data plan. So long as no special equipment (servers, etc.) is needed on the carriers' end it makes zero sense for carriers to even be involved in whether BlackBerry charges individuals for BBM or any other service it may offer. Any carrier charging BB10 users for BIS when the carrier itself incurs no extra costs is gouging, maybe even committing fraud. It's double billing, no different from double billing medicare or some plumber showing up at someone's house and charging for work he did and also charging for other things he has nothing to do with like water delivery or the water itself.

[Richard Buckley]

I don't think carriers forced BlackBerry to stop requiring a BlackBerry data plan. So long as no special equipment (servers, etc.) is needed on the carriers' end it makes zero sense for carriers to even be involved in whether BlackBerry charges individuals for BBM or any other service it may offer. Any carrier charging BB10 users for BIS when the carrier itself incurs no extra costs is gouging, maybe even committing fraud. It's double billing, no different from double billing medicare or some plumber showing up at someone's house and charging for work he did and also charging for other things he has nothing to do with like water delivery or the water itself.

In order to support a BlackBerry data plan the carrier needs to have a BlackBerry node in the front end of their data network. This would incur costs, not only the per subscriber fees that BlackBerry charges.

Yes I know that BB10 doesn't require this, but if the carrier charges you for BIS, and sends your data via the BlackBerry node, the it is all on the up-and-up.

[TheAuthority]

In order to support a BlackBerry data plan the carrier needs to have a BlackBerry node in the front end of their data network. This would incur costs, not only the per subscriber fees that BlackBerry charges.

Yes I know that BB10 doesn't require this, but if the carrier charges you for BIS, and sends your data via the BlackBerry node, the it is all on the up-and-up.

Yes, if the carrier incurs extra costs it makes sense to pass that along to the user. Sending data through the BlackBerry node might even be desirable. It might be less crowded and more reliable when the ordinary tunnels are stressed.