[stevebrc]

Hi, I'm totally new to BB's, having only used Nokias in the past, so excuse me if I ask some dumb questions.

I have my own mail servers which I presently get my mail from using IMAP. I'm about to buy a 2nd hand Bold, and if I understand it correctly I can't just set it up to download my mail directly, I need to route my mail thru the BB servers. First off is this correct?

If so, I've also heard that you can't use the BB servers if your the 2nd owner of the handset, only the person who had the contract on the phone in the first place can do this, is this correct?

Lastly, ignoring all the above, when I get my 2nd hand Bold, will I be able to access my mail using IMAP, if so, how?

Many thanks for any help.

[Branta]

First, your IMAP server should work perfectly. This is exactly the setup I operate here.

Second, make sure your seller de-registers the phone's PIN and IMEI from (his) existing BIS account before delivering to you, so it is free to be re-registered on your new setup. With this done you should be able to setup the phone and have it fully working within a few minutes. Also keep a note of the seller's email and phone number in case you need to ask him to contact the original service provider again.

I suggest you also have your BB-enabled BIS account (and SIM) ready when you take delivery so you can set it up and test without delay - if it's a personal handover you can do it while the seller is still finishing the coffee you buy for him. Go online to your provider's BIS website (either from PC or the phone) and register the phone's IMEI and PIN to your account. Details for this process are here (BB Data Setup): http://crackberry.com/blackberry-101...our-blackberry

If you are buying 'remote' from an unknown seller you might also want to ask them to tell you the IMEI and PIN - and the phone's current software version, then contact your phone service provider and ask them to check the phone is 'clean' and not blocked or reported stolen. Most providers will do this for customers if you explain you are buying a used phone.

For the software version you should be expecting 4.6.0.92 or later. If it is earlier than .92 (first commercial release) the phone is certainly a prototype or field test device, and it will probably be locked and unusable. In that case walk away from the sale regardless of how tempting it seems, because the phone still belongs to RIM - it would be effectively 'stolen property' because the <seller> does not have the right to sell it. Unfortunately there are still too many of these test devices circulating on the auction sites.