[HiddenAssassin]

Does anyone know if Sprint is planning on unlocking the picture mail feature for the pearl? The only way to send pics is thru email. So you have to know your friends carrier and phone email address to send pics now. Can't wait until they enable this...

[orle8050]

I definately want this to be enabled really soon.

It is kinda of silly, why they don't have it working.

[NVNJ]

Yeah, this is pretty ridiculous. From what I've heard around other forums the reason for this is that there is a problem with their picture mail service. And of course Sprint's response is "we're working on the issue" :+)

R-

[orle8050]

Well, I just heard from Sprint today and they have no plans of enabling picturemail on any of their Blackberry or Windows Based PDA.

So I cancelled my service.

[juwaack68]

I guess some features are much more important to some people than they are to others.

I am happy with my Sprint devices and the service. Not having picture mail is not a deal breaker for me.

If my device was constantly failing, rebooting, having issues, THEN it would be time to switch.

[Ed64]

Orle,

Did you really cancell your Sprint service because they disabled that feature? I heard somewhere that they purposely disabled the feature because it conflicted with something and somehow would result
in them losing money?

Maybe they wanted to make sure people use (and pay for) the EMAIL services for pictures and sending them through "picture mail" (MMS?) would mean you didn't have to subscribe to the email service. Oh well...just a theory.

What do you plan on doing? Verizon? AT&T?

[TehPatty]

I guess some features are much more important to some people than they are to others.

I am happy with my Sprint devices and the service. Not having picture mail is not a deal breaker for me.

If my device was constantly failing, rebooting, having issues, THEN it would be time to switch.

Same here. Although it's annoying to not have MMS, I've been a Sprint customer for years. And although their customer service isn't all that great I've never had a problem with dropped calls.

[pa-c]

From what I understand, they do not "turn off this feature" on the phones. I was told first of all that Windows Mobile does not support this feature (figures, a $10 phone can do it but Windows can't) so Windows based phones can not send pictures and the problem with BB is that Sprint's system is not compatible with BB's MMS system. Think about it, if they didn't want you to send pics, why would they only turn this feature of on BB? The Palm Centro can do it, as well as their $10 phones.

[orle8050]

I agree with you. They won't invest the money/time to update thier system in order for this to work. It is so annoying that when you buy one of their most expensive devices, you lose out on basic services like MMS(PictureMail).

I was told by Sprint Corporate Office that the Blackberry is a business device and not for pictures. I asked why did you put on and advertise Sprint TV and Music. She didn't have an answer.

[brownieangel23]

On pretty much all sprint smart phone mms is disabled. I don't thinks its really a big deal. Its the year 2007, and everyone pretty much has an email address, how hard is it to just send an email. Sprint hasn't failed me yet and they're customer service is getting better,

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[orle8050]

On pretty much all sprint smart phone mms is disabled. I don't thinks its really a big deal. Its the year 2007, and everyone pretty much has an email address, how hard is it to just send an email. Sprint hasn't failed me yet and they're customer service is getting better,

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Everyone pretty much as an email address but everyone doesn't have unlimited data plans on their cell phones. That is the issue. I have no problems sending it to another Blackberry user but not everyone has Blackberries.

This is 2007, why can't Sprint offer the same services on the same devices as other carriers.

It is almost like telling Verizon people, why are you complaining that Verizon blocked GPS. Just print out Mapquest directions.

Yes, there is a workaround but that is not the point.

[mkfrmn]

On pretty much all sprint smart phone mms is disabled. I don't thinks its really a big deal. Its the year 2007, and everyone pretty much has an email address, how hard is it to just send an email. Sprint hasn't failed me yet and they're customer service is getting better,

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

I'm not sure about Sprint WinMo Treos but Sprint Treos that run on the palm os can send MMS. (Jack Bauer even used one to help identify terrorists in 24 ) I had a 650 that had no issue, (and that phone is rather old) it is upsetting that the 8130 has this capability disabled. Especially when it works on other networks, and has an excellent camera that makes photo's more suitable for sharing. Sprint has even advertised this phone's ability to share photos, doesn't mention anything about the headache of having to use a work around to do so.

All I can suggest is making as much noise as you can to Sprint and getting them to unlock the 8130's MMS, or fix their servers so they can support the 8130 (Supposedly the reason the Pearl has it's MMS disabled).

[orle8050]

The person I spoke to was Natasha Bordeo, Executive Account Manger 866 398-4606, at the corporate office. She responded to my official compliant about the Blackberry 8130 lacking MMS(PictureMail). They said that do not/will not have PictureMail avaiable on any Blackberry and Windows PDA devices. She stated that they reserve the right to limit services on devices and could not provide more of an explaination than that kinda because we said so answer.
She indicated that she would request that the Product Development Manager call me to discuss this but indicated that it was very doubtful she stated "He doesn't have to call me. All we have to do is say we contacted the customer in an attempt to resolve this issue." "We don't have to explain to our customers why," she also stated. She went on to say that they don't discuss business decision reasons with customers in order to protect them as a business and not to reveal trade secrets. I explain to her that I was not interested in Sprint trade secrets or in depth reasoning, something like: we are working on the feature, we need to update our servers, the cost-ratio benefit is not worth updating our servers, something along those lines. She stated again that she will send my request up to the product development team as a request for a new feature but as of now they have no plans on making this available for their Blackberries. "Blackberries are suppose to be business devices and never intended to be use for PictureMail," she stated. I asked why put Sprint TV and Sprint Music on the device and not Sprint PictureMail on a device with a camera and video recorder. She did state that if I wanted PictureMail I can switch to the Palm Centro. Who goes from Blackberry to Palm?

So I called customer rentatations after that call to return my Blackberry 8130 revert back to my old contact that will end Jan. 31, 2008 and leave Sprint for Verizon after 9 years of service with Sprint. I then spoke to Robert (EmpID: RQ90590) stated that Sprint has no plans to make the Blackberry have PictureMail. He could see implementations Sprint will be making for the next year and nothing about PictureMail on Blackberries or PDAs. He stated that if he sees nothing, than no one is working on it, since there entire system is automated. He also stated I can switch to the Palm or switch carriers with no early termination fee after Jan. 31.

So there it is, switch phones or switch carriers.

I have tried to make some headway with Sprint but I can't do this by myself. If you guys are really upset about this, write a formal complaint, call corporate, be heard. When I got the answer of we don't have to explain business decision to you, I agreed but I felt defeated. Big Business over the Consumers.

**Note: The employees mentioned above were extremely nice and professional, but their hands are tied.**

[mkfrmn]

if I wanted PictureMail I can switch to the Palm Centro. Who goes from Blackberry to Palm?

Especially a Centro, thanks for the info. I'll call them and make some noise as well.

[orle8050]

Thanks for the support!

You can start as easy as sending a Better Business Complaint Untitled

Its all online.

[juwaack68]

If it means that much to you, why don't you switch to another carrier?

Oh, wait, you said you did that. So why...

I'm confused.

[orle8050]

My contract ends Jan. 31, 2008. Then I am going to Verizon.

My inital point is there will be no picturemail on Sprint Blackberrys and Windows PDA.

If you want it, you have to fight for it. Similar to how Verizon customers fought for GPS on their Blackberries.

[juwaack68]

From my understanding, it's not as easy as 'flipping a switch' for it to work on the Sprint devices. I support several hundred Sprint & Nextel devices and have had this conversation with them.

Since our company doesn't (yet) allow camera phones, it's not a big deal. And it's not a big deal for me either since, as someone already stated, many people have email addresses to receive them on (my own father has email and does not have any type of cell phone...so MMS is moot for him).

But good luck to you. By the time Sprint allows/enables/whatever it you'll be locked into a Verizon contract. Blech.

[mkfrmn]

It's simple, the phone should be able to support it. All of my other Sprint phones can support it, why not my BB? The only way to get a problem fixed is to let them know you have one. The more people with the same problem, the more likely a fix will be released. And yes, Sprint does have the right to limit their phone's capabilities, but they also have the ability to add (unlock) them due to customer demand.

[jsanders]

Hire the lawyer that is suing VZW for "disabling" GPS on the 8830.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Gadgetgeek]

My contract ends Jan. 31, 2008. Then I am going to Verizon.

We will welcome you but be aware there will always be trade-offs between carriers.

If you want it, you have to fight for it. Similar to how Verizon customers fought for GPS on their Blackberries.

... and of course got nowhere.

[justjuls]

I am so furious - I purchased TWO of these phones in April - and specifically asked about the features. My daughter got her phone for her birthday and the picture mail was one of THE features that she wanted the most. After being with this company for all these years - I feel like they stole from us. I am furious. I have called daily - and I am going to insist that they replace these phones. They keep telling us when we will have rebates to get new phones!!! I just got FOUR new phones - two of which were Blackberries.

Have any of you had an relief to this situation?

[justjuls]

Did you change your service in January? Do you like it better?

[jkrough0728]

orle8050, i have one question for you....... Are you totally insane? You would seriously cancel your service over picture mail? Wow, i applaud you on being smart. Is it that big of a deal to send it like an email? It still goes straight to the phone even if they dont have email on their phone! Sprint has more capabilties then any other carrier! I cant wait for you to try Verizon and see how terrible their blackberrys are and their customer service. Every provider is the same, they each have some things that suck. So stop crying like a baby over picture mail. Sprints data services destroy the other carriers.

[krsh87]

BTW people this POST is OLD! INfact a pretty old one. Things change lol... Anyway back to the topic at hand! I thought u just sent a sms to a phone and put a pic in it! The BB doesn't work that way? well i pay more on my plan now for the bb and can't use it to it's full capabilities? Weird! I may cancel my service just for that reason as well! I can go anywhere i want, the only reason i stay is the price for the EVERYTHING plan! So u can't send a email to a PHONE NUMBER?