Blackberry sim free phone and virgin mobile uk

[Reliant121]

Hey all.
I'm very interested in getting a blackberry curve 9300 however I am stuck on a long contract with virgin. Now, I can pick one up relatively cheaply, all packaged and the likes, but I need to ask a few questions first:

1) how does the phones set up with the pin and IMEI go? Virgin offer the blackberry 8520 and have their own blackberry set up site, but are the pins and IMEIs tied to a carrier?

2) once I have set up a blackberry Internet service account, do all the settings get sent to the phone?

3) anyone know if virgin uk do a blackberry bolt on. I can probably change my tariff to s blackberry one, but I'd far rather just add the blackberry features.

Thanks guys!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jo16G]

Hi,

1) make sure the phone you buy is unlocked to any network (SIM Free) ontherwise it wont work with a Virgin SIM card. Providing the phone is not stolen! the IMEI wont be locked, the BB PIN is just a unique way of identifying each phone so doesn't relate to the network it's on.
2) All settings will be sent to the phone as long as you have bought the BB tariff from Virgin. From experience this happens within an hour of them activating the service (although can take longer)
3) I'm sure Virgin do a BB tariff, not sure of the cost but they advertise BlackBerry on the site so must have the tariffs.

Hope this helps.