[piratefan]

The fine folks at Tether - makers of fine wine, cheeses and BB apps - have informed me that they use BIS for data, and therefore I should not incur overage charges from Verizon.

My question is, does BIS use a separate data network than the carrier? Can app developers choose which they want to use? Do I even understand what BIS is?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[wnm]

BIS is Blackberry Internet Service. It is the consumer end (my description) of the Blackberry service as opposed to Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES) which is the corporate end. Essentially BIS provides access to Blackberry services such as email IM (BBM) and data (web browsing) from regular cell carriers.

As for Tether and VZW, normal tethering is the process of uses your BB as a modem allow a computer to connect to the internet. VZW has restrictions on traditional tethering (they may not all it at all). Tether works by installing a software network adapter on your computer. When you connect your BB and run Tether, the communications are routed through Tether.com's network servers using your data connection, so to the outside world such as VZW, it appears that you might be just browsing the web with your BB.

However, you may be using a lot of data. The people at VZW are not stupid. They might put 2 and 2 together and suspect you are using a 3rd party app to tether in violation of T&C's.

So as to Tether.com's answer about VZW, they are probably right, but I would be careful.