[fbgh1113]

hey guys,
Just wondering why the BB 'icon' is there still on the top right hand side of the screen if BIS is not being used now? What does it mean/why is it still there?
Cheers

[machoman1337]

While regular browsing is no longer routed through BIS some apps like BBM still need a connection to BB servers, hence the icon to indicate whether there's a connection active or not.

Similarly, on Android phones the signal bars change color (blue by default) if your phone has a connection to Google servers and remain white otherwise.

[fbgh1113]

While regular browsing is no longer routed through BIS some apps like BBM still need a connection to BB servers, hence the icon to indicate whether there's a connection active or not.

Similarly, on Android phones the signal bars change color (blue by default) if your phone has a connection to Google servers and remain white otherwise.

Okay thanks. But why don't we need to sign-up for BIS on a plan then? What's the security difference between this way of using the 'bb servers' and the bis way?
cheers

[machoman1337]

Okay thanks. But why don't we need to sign-up for BIS on a plan then? What's the security difference between this way of using the 'bb servers' and the bis way?
cheers

I can't say for sure if the current method is more or less secure than BIS because I don't know what goes on behind the scenes.

With older BBs, you needed to sign up for BIS because RIM basically exerted total control over the phone's wireless capabilities. All browsing, emails etc would be routed through BIS where it would be encrypted and compressed before being delivered to your handset. While this method was definitely quite secure and also helped to save on data usage, it made browsing slow compared to the competition, and also made the phone vulnerable to BIS outages - basically many functions including email would be useless if BIS ever went down (and it has happened). Also, a few countries like Taiwan didn't even have BIS support on their networks which meant the phones couldn't be sold there.

With BB10, the majority of your data just goes through normal channels, exactly the same as Android, iOS, and Windows Phone. I am guessing this is probably less secure than BIS - but that's the price to pay if you want to browse as fast as on the competition. Many consumers and carriers find BIS to be more of a hindrance than an advantage today.

Still, Blackberry-specific apps such as BBM need to go through BB servers. I'm sure that data is just as secure as it was in the past, if not more secure, since BB servers would obviously encrypt it. It just won't be super compressed like on BIS. And of course corporate-specific functions would be handled with BES which is independent of BIS.

[Deathcommand]

While regular browsing is no longer routed through BIS some apps like BBM still need a connection to BB servers, hence the icon to indicate whether there's a connection active or not.

Similarly, on Android phones the signal bars change color (blue by default) if your phone has a connection to Google servers and remain white otherwise.

SO THATS WHAT THAT MEANS.
The android thing. Sweet. . I didn't know that.

Posted via Dec Alpha C

[Pete The Penguin]

BBM goes through BIS.

Posted via CB10

[fbgh1113]

BBM goes through BIS.

Posted via CB10

Okay, so a BIS is 'included' somehow?
Also, what other apps use the BB server (that you know of).
Cheers

[machoman1337]

Okay, so a BIS is 'included' somehow?
Also, what other apps use the BB server (that you know of).
Cheers

Kind of confusing terms... yes BBM data has to be encrypted on BB servers before it can be sent to devices, which is the same procedure as BIS. However since regular data no longer goes through this process on BB10, it's considered to not have BIS at all.

I'm guessing app store data also goes through BB's servers. Apart from that, I think everything else functions the same as on non-BBs, for better or for worse.

[fbgh1113]

Kind of confusing terms... yes BBM data has to be encrypted on BB servers before it can be sent to devices, which is the same procedure as BIS. However since regular data no longer goes through this process on BB10, it's considered to not have BIS at all.

I'm guessing app store data also goes through BB's servers. Apart from that, I think everything else functions the same as on non-BBs, for better or for worse.

Okay, can anyone clear this up or confirm?
Cheers

[Pete The Penguin]

Kind of confusing terms... yes BBM data has to be encrypted on BB servers before it can be sent to devices, which is the same procedure as BIS. However since regular data no longer goes through this process on BB10, it's considered to not have BIS at all.

I'm guessing app store data also goes through BB's servers. Apart from that, I think everything else functions the same as on non-BBs, for better or for worse.

You beat me to the punch! Lol
Pin to pin messaging goes through BlackBerry servers to - that's more secure than BBM as it's stripped to bare minimum.

Posted via CB10 from my Q10.

[fbgh1113]

so bbm video doesn't go through bb servers?

[anon(870071)]

hey guys,
Just wondering why the BB 'icon' is there still on the top right hand side of the screen if BIS is not being used now? What does it mean/why is it still there?
Cheers

You have to be connected to either BIS or BES for blackberry devices to operate! It's the nature of the way data works on blackberries! Not being used is meaning what!? Do you not have a data plan? Are you strictly using wifi?

Essentially if your not connected to BIS/BES you'll only be able to make voice calls!

Please elaborate in more detail as your original post doesn't really make any sense?

Sent from my SGH-I957R using CB Forums mobile app

[anon(870071)]

so bbm video doesn't go through bb servers?

BBM video uses data

Sent from my SGH-I957R using CB Forums mobile app

[rockivy]

Wrong bb10 no longer uses BIS, was clearly told this when I activated my Z10

From the Zed of Rockivy

[fbgh1113]

You have to be connected to either BIS or BES for blackberry devices to operate! It's the nature of the way data works on blackberries! Not being used is meaning what!? Do you not have a data plan? Are you strictly using wifi?

Essentially if your not connected to BIS/BES you'll only be able to make voice calls!

Please elaborate in more detail as your original post doesn't really make any sense?

Sent from my SGH-I957R using CB Forums mobile app

This is not the case with BB10, is it?

[fbgh1113]

Wrong bb10 no longer uses BIS, was clearly told this when I activated my Z10

From the Zed of Rockivy

Who told you this? I thought it does for at least BBM chat?

[Bla1ze]

Wrong bb10 no longer uses BIS, was clearly told this when I activated my Z10

From the Zed of Rockivy

You were somewhat misinformed. BIS still exists in some forms, just not as most people know it. Hell, most people don't fully comprehend what BIS did for them anyways. Yes, no BIS plan is needed but that's NOT to say BIS is entirely gone. There is a gazillion threads on this matter already. Point blank, some of the services still function on the BIS infrastructure even though a BIS plan is no longer required on most carriers and that, is what the symbol is for. Confirmation that yes, you are indeed connect to the BlackBerry infrastructure.

[fbgh1113]

You were somewhat misinformed. BIS still exists in some forms, just not as most people know it. Hell, most people don't fully comprehend what BIS did for them anyways. Yes, no BIS plan is needed but that's NOT to say BIS is entirely gone. There is a gazillion threads on this matter already. Point blank, some of the services still function on the BIS infrastructure even though a BIS plan is no longer required on most carriers and that, is what the symbol is for. Confirmation that yes, you are indeed connect to the BlackBerry infrastructure.

Okay thanks man! Ok, is there a definitive list which applications use BIS? BBM, PIN messages and what else? Does BBM video/voice calls use the blackberry server? wouldn't this use a lot of data, so how is this possible? So on OS7.1 devices whatsapp and WeChat uses BIS right? But on the q10 it doesn't correct?
Cheers

[djsvet]

If I don't use BBM at all, is there a way to turn that connection off?

Posted via CB10

[spicyscreamer]

I think BlackBerry should have kept the emailing system on BIS.

BIS brought so many advantages to emailing such as deleting on handheld or on mailbox and etc.

But that's the price to pay for the ever moving forward mobile phone industry!

Posted via CB10

[nimra66]

This seems to be a very old thread, but I will take advantage of the existence !

Have a new BB Q10 - my first BB, coming from a Note 3 Android phone.

I also have this icon and was asking myself, how to disconnect BB Chat, or how you call it - as I do not have any friends using this app, and also I have the idea, that it might use battery being constantly connected over whatever BB service ( I do not have anything actived, than my normal dataplan)

Thanks for any help or inputs!

[paulwallace1234]

This seems to be a very old thread, but I will take advantage of the existence !

Have a new BB Q10 - my first BB, coming from a Note 3 Android phone.

I also have this icon and was asking myself, how to disconnect BB Chat, or how you call it - as I do not have any friends using this app, and also I have the idea, that it might use battery being constantly connected over whatever BB service ( I do not have anything actived, than my normal dataplan)

Thanks for any help or inputs!

The BlackBerry services are more than just BBM, the devices have a sort of hardware registration check when you connect to the services

[Richard Buckley]

In BB10 that icon only means that the device is able to communicate with the BlackBerry servers. It is used in much the same way that Windows 7 determines if you have Internet connectivity.

Z10STL100-3/10.3.2.2252 SR 10.3.2.2168

[nimra66]

thanks for the inputs - so doesn't it use battery life ? ..and can it be deactivated..? ... would the device still work in regards to phone and internet if deactivated ...
it's all new to me - but I already love the Q10 more than many things ;-)

[paulwallace1234]

thanks for the inputs - so doesn't it use battery life ? ..and can it be deactivated..? ... would the device still work in regards to phone and internet if deactivated ...
it's all new to me - but I already love the Q10 more than many things ;-)

1. Probably

2. Well, don't think anyone has tried, like I said it performs a sort of hardware registration with BlackBerry to verify the device is real and genuine, I imagine if it was deliberately killed the OS might lock you out