[mushroom_daddy]

Right? I frequently receive messages that are incomprehensible strings of boxes.

Another reason that I finally caved in and went to the ‘dark side’. I had always argued that my Bold 9900 was the optimal communication device, and that I wasn’t interested in all the pointless ‘bells & whistles’ —- but then it suddenly dawned on me that I was no longer able to communicate (using a BlackBerry) with most of my family, friends and colleagues

[mushroom_daddy]

If you mean Linux on the Bold itself, I think that's impossible. If you mean using a Bold with a Linux system, you can move stuff back and forth to the card/device. There's not a lot that's possible there.

Pity that BlackBerry made their phones so damn secure. If there was an opportunity to hack BBOS and replace it with something else (Linux, LineageOS etc.) we probably could of kept things going a little longer.

[idssteve]

Seemed to me that emojis might've ultimately found their way into our space thru a font update? Assuming the platform had survived its scheduled euthanasia? Lol.

There ARE quite a few special characters hiding in our keyboard... Press and hold a letter (E for instance?) and scroll trackpad...

The response has proven a surprisingly well kept secret... If you've never tried it, prepare to be surprised... Lol.

Always wished for a similar "surprise" for simply including math, calculus, Greek letter variables, etc, etc symbols... into sms. Alas, like emojis, the receiving device must "know" what to do with it... How many "consumers" care about expressing integrals & differentials? Lol. Let alone Pi, etc...

[lukeoverhere]

idssteve and any one else - any chance you can share your current 9900 email host? After 10 years our provider, ExchangeMyMail.com->Cloudscale365 (backed by Apptix->Fusion Networks) is shifting away and would like to keep on every day until the BBOS EOL set for April 2022 if we can.... anything would help, if possible please let us know (fyi we have 12+ BBOS current users)

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

idssteve and any one else - any chance you can share your current 9900 email host? After 10 years our provider, ExchangeMyMail.com->Cloudscale365 (backed by Apptix->Fusion Networks) is shifting away and would like to keep on every day until the BBOS EOL set for April 2022 if we can.... anything would help, if possible please let us know (fyi we have 12+ BBOS current users)

ProtonMail is one I see the most, outside of the main providers like Yahoo, Outlook and Gmail. Hosted Exchange is the way I'd go for business devices.

I know Shuswap had instructions for setting up LogicMail with Outlook on his site.... with the understanding that TLS -1 isn't considered secure anymore.

[mushroom_daddy]

Last time I fired up my 9900 (April) both my Gmail (personal) and work MS Exchange Email were working with the BB email client via BIS. However, it was a just for fun test, and with concerns over security, I couldn’t personally recommend using the 9900 for Email in 2021.

[lukeoverhere]

Dunt Dunt Dunt
Q&A Team
"ProtonMail is one I see the most, outside of the main providers like Yahoo, Outlook and Gmail. Hosted Exchange is the way I'd go for business devices.

I know Shuswap had instructions for setting up LogicMail with Outlook on his site.... with the understanding that TLS -1 isn't considered secure anymore."

Yes sorry, Hosted Exchange is definitely what I meant to say (ProtonMail does not currently offer this btw, and tried LogicMail but it sacrifices too much of the native 9900 workflow, i.e. mail, contacts, calendar each fully integrated and synched w/ blackberry) - who might have a current reliable provider of Hosted Exchange provider today in 2021 to get us through to April 2022 as promised by Blackberry?

[lukeoverhere]

mushroom_daddy
"Last time I fired up my 9900 (April) both my Gmail (personal) and work MS Exchange Email were working with the BB email client via BIS. However, it was a just for fun test, and with concerns over security, I couldn’t personally recommend using the 9900 for Email in 2021."

Blah on security lol, couldn't care less, thank you for responding --- so interesting to us you have working BIS; we've only had working BES with T-Mobile for years & years! Who is your cell carrier to date (this would actually be a decent work around for us)? And/or do you or know anyone who currently using hosted exchange perhaps? If possible please let me know.

[mushroom_daddy]

mushroom_daddy
--- so interesting to us you have working BIS; we've only had working BES with T-Mobile for years & years! Who is your cell carrier to date (this would actually be a decent work around for us)? And/or do you or know anyone who currently using hosted exchange perhaps? If possible please let me know.

I’m in the UK where my network provider (giffgaff) continues to offer BIS; well done them!
Probably no help to you, as I’m guessing you’re on the other side of the big blue sea.
Sorry, can’t help with hosted exchange either, but for what it’s worth I wish you luck! I have nothing but deep respect for anyone who can keep flying the Bold in 2021.

[idssteve]

ATT sms today that Agent99.00's date of execution is scheduled 11/4/21.

"Urgent! It's AT&T. BlackBerry's ending device support on 11/4/21. To avoid loss of service you must change your device. Contact your telecom mgr for next steps."


Ug. Good thing I can type with tears in eyes. Been an honor to have worked with Agent99 these past ten yrs. Usecase potential sadly unknown, these days. Impossibly big shoes to fill for ANY available replacement. Testing predicts that my daily text product will likely suffer by half once forced to K2. How long does K2 survive?

Pocket seems all that remains of anything resembling that use case. Best available likely proves far short of best possible. That's life. So many will never know what they never knew.

Don't be sad that it ended. Just be glad that it ever happened!

[Molfus]

TP is frikkin' different from 99 so it'll be darn hard for someone like you to give it a fair chance ... But it'll be worth the struggle

[Rootbrian]

ATT sms today that Agent99.00's date of execution is scheduled 11/4/21.

"Urgent! It's AT&T. BlackBerry's ending device support on 11/4/21. To avoid loss of service you must change your device. Contact your telecom mgr for next steps."


Ug. Good thing I can type with tears in eyes. Been an honor to have worked with Agent99 these past ten yrs. Usecase potential sadly unknown, these days. Impossibly big shoes to fill for ANY available replacement. Testing predicts that my daily text product will likely suffer by half once forced to K2. How long does K2 survive?

Pocket seems all that remains of anything resembling that use case. Best available likely proves far short of best possible. That's life. So many will never know what they never knew.

Don't be sad that it ended. Just be glad that it ever happened!

Can still use it as a furious SMS machine, as I do on occasion.

[idssteve]

Can still use it as a furious SMS machine, as I do on occasion.

Yes, certainly hoping sms might continue past 11/4...?? Can't tell just when voice/sms ceases on ATT.

DO plan on continuing service as a typing appliance for continuing several projects.

[Rootbrian]

Yes, certainly hoping sms might continue past 11/4...?? Can't tell just when voice/sms ceases on ATT.

DO plan on continuing service as a typing appliance for continuing several projects.

3G is most certainly going to be maintained as far as my canadian butt can tell. It's required due to allot of customers using obscure incompatible brands (that lack some, most or ALL LTE bands). No VOLTE, no voice service (that would totally suck). LOL

[idssteve]

TP is frikkin' different from 99 so it'll be darn hard for someone like you to give it a fair chance ... But it'll be worth the struggle

Lol... adapting is one thing I do well. I haven't stuck with Bold all of these years out of inability to adapt. As has been the dominant narrative directed at us hold outs over the years. In fact, adaptive talents have permitted me (and some co-workers) to fairly evaluate relative advantages of various available handsets. We've "stuck" with Bold simply because it STILL provides the best single thumb experience we've tested. And we've tested a LOT.

TP will enjoy a fair chance in my hand. That hand doesn't work miracles tho. Lol.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

3G is most certainly going to be maintained as far as my canadian butt can tell. It's required due to allot of customers using obscure incompatible brands (that lack some, most or ALL LTE bands). No VOLTE, no voice service (that would totally suck). LOL

IoT is the only thing driving the keeping of 3G up... for a couple more years in Canada.

Number of people using at least seven year old phones is too small for any carrier to be concerned with, and there would be no major customers - big enterprise or government using those types of phones.

[Chuck Finley69]

ATT sms today that Agent99.00's date of execution is scheduled 11/4/21.

"Urgent! It's AT&T. BlackBerry's ending device support on 11/4/21. To avoid loss of service you must change your device. Contact your telecom mgr for next steps."


Ug. Good thing I can type with tears in eyes. Been an honor to have worked with Agent99 these past ten yrs. Usecase potential sadly unknown, these days. Impossibly big shoes to fill for ANY available replacement. Testing predicts that my daily text product will likely suffer by half once forced to K2. How long does K2 survive?

Pocket seems all that remains of anything resembling that use case. Best available likely proves far short of best possible. That's life. So many will never know what they never knew.

Don't be sad that it ended. Just be glad that it ever happened!

I wonder if you’re getting an earlier 3G shutdown date as corporate account or due to BlackBerry Limited BBOS shutdown.

[idssteve]

I wonder if you’re getting an earlier 3G shutdown date as corporate account or due to BlackBerry Limited BBOS shutdown.

Well, their wording "Blackberry's ending device support..." Seems to indicate BBOS shutdown? Hopeful sms/voice might continue a while yet...? It's already gotten quite clunky around the country, in recent months. Just unsure what to expect.

This phone's on a personal account I migrated to after "retirement" about 18mo ago. Coworkers still on "corporate account" received similar msg. My company migrated a couple dozen lines to ATT, late 2019, after pushed off vzw. All on BIS.

Maybe implications for others on BIS? Should I post this "warning" elsewhere in the forums?

[Chuck Finley69]

Well, their wording "Blackberry's ending device support..." Seems to indicate BBOS shutdown? Hopeful sms/voice might continue a while yet...? It's already gotten quite clunky around the country, in recent months. Just unsure what to expect.

This phone's on a personal account I migrated to after "retirement" about 18mo ago. Coworkers still on "corporate account" received similar msg. My company migrated a couple dozen lines to ATT, late 2019, after pushed off vzw. All on BIS.

Maybe implications for others on BIS? Should I post this "warning" elsewhere in the forums?

I’m sure anyone on AT&T BIS plan has gotten same warning message by now. I guess you’ll find out if SMS and calls will shutdown then as well or continue until 3G shutdown roughly 60-90 days later anyway.

[joeldf]

I’m sure anyone on AT&T BIS plan has gotten same warning message by now. I guess you’ll find out if SMS and calls will shutdown then as well or continue until 3G shutdown roughly 60-90 days later anyway.

The thing is, in another thread, someone with a KeyOne got the same text. Same model and PRD as the one AT&T says will still be supported after the 3G shutdown.

I wonder if everyone with a BlackBerry on AT&T, regardless of the actual model, is going to get that text.

And, that "Nov 4" date stated in the text is kind of odd.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

The thing is, in another thread, someone with a KeyOne got the same text. Same model and PRD as the one AT&T says will still be supported after the 3G shutdown.

I wonder if everyone with a BlackBerry on AT&T, regardless of the actual model, is going to get that text.

And, that "Nov 4" date is kind of odd.

Yeah, as in the past... BlackBerry tends to just get lumped in one classification.


Nov 4 is two months before the Jan 4 official shutdown by BlackBerry... at least for BIS/BES and BBOS. Will have to see what it means for BB10, but shouldn't mean anything for PRIV - KEY2 LE.

[joeldf]

Yeah, as in the past... BlackBerry tends to just get lumped in one classification.


Nov 4 is two months before the Jan 4 official shutdown by BlackBerry... at least for BIS/BES and BBOS. Will have to see what it means for BB10, but shouldn't mean anything for PRIV - KEY2 LE.

Yeah, could be that the Nov 4 date is when AT&T is finally turning off the BIS connection to the BlackBerry NOCs for good. They've been threatening to turn off BIS on their end for some time before BlackBerry ever started saying something about it.

I think AT&T was about to shut it off, and then BlackBerry announced their first service shutdown date, so AT&T decided to wait for that. Then BlackBerry postponed that shutdown to the now current date of next Jan., and that strung AT&T along with it. Maybe AT&T needs to disconnect from it before the overall NOC shutdown. Just speculating, of course.

[idssteve]

11/4/21 seemed odd to me also. A coworker has scrutinized the # and feels it's legit. Not some sort of spam. She noticed Nov4 is thurs. Fwiw. Interesting to see if Nov4 starts/ends at 12:01am or 11:59pm?? Which time zone? Waterloo?? Lol.

Be disappointing if BB doesn't at least broadcast a sign off with "goodbye" (73) or "with love" (88) HAM code...? Or?? Lol.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Yeah, could be that the Nov 4 date is when AT&T is finally turning off the BIS connection to the BlackBerry NOCs for good. They've been threatening to turn off BIS on their end for some time before BlackBerry ever started saying something about it.

I think AT&T was about to shut it off, and then BlackBerry announced their first service shutdown date, so AT&T decided to wait for that. Then BlackBerry postponed that shutdown to the now current date of next Jan., and that strung AT&T along with it. Maybe AT&T needs to disconnect from it before the overall NOC shutdown. Just speculating, of course.

Back in 2012/2013 when we learned or at least heard that "carrier's didn't want to support BBOS".... I'd have never thought it would make it to 2021/2022.

[idssteve]

Back in 2012/2013 when we learned or at least heard that "carrier's didn't want to support BBOS".... I'd have never thought it would make it to 2021/2022.

RIM coCEO themselves professed eagerness to eol BBOS back in 2011... Within a month or so of 9900 intro. A death blow to the platform? Certainly didn't help... BBOS, that is.

2011 BBOS eol "pronouncements" were truly on schedule. Unfortunately the replacement platform was years behind that schedule. Announcing BBOS eol years before BB10 was ready to replace it was about as stupid as draining oil for a change and THEN needing to drive to buy replacement oil... Lol.