[Horizon9]

Hello,

I'm new to the site and it's my first time writing. I ask a question about the future of BB smartphones after 2022. I still use BBOS with satisfaction since 2003: I had 6230,8520,9700 and since 2016 the 9900 along with my trusty Playbook for job. In Italy my telephone company TIM still supports the BIS service.
I have always used the smartphone to manage emails, Bridge to read and write emails on the Playbook or plan business appointments, calls and some research through opera mini. I've only ever used BlackBerry and I've never had an iPhone or Android. The BlackBerry meets all my simple everyday needs, for calls and emails. My problem is that after February 2022 the BIS and all BB services will be turned off. After that date, will my phone still be usable for calls, text and opera or will it freeze completely? after 18 years as a RIM customer, it's difficult for me to switch to something else.

[conite]

Hello,

I'm new to the site and it's my first time writing. I ask a question about the future of BB smartphones after 2022. I still use BBOS with satisfaction since 2003: I had 6230,8520,9700 and since 2016 the 9720 along with my trusty Playbook for job. In Italy my telephone company TIM still supports the BIS service.
I have always used the smartphone to manage emails, Bridge to read and write emails on the Playbook or plan business appointments, calls and some research through opera mini. I've only ever used BlackBerry and I've never had an iPhone or Android. The BlackBerry meets all my simple everyday needs, for calls and emails. My problem is that after February 2022 the BIS and all BB services will be turned off. After that date, will my phone still be usable for calls, text and opera or will it freeze completely? after 18 years as a RIM customer, it's difficult for me to switch to something else.

At the end of THIS year, BIS will be discontinued. That means no more phone, sms, or email.

You'll have to join the rest of the party using a modern, actively-supported product like a Pixel or an iPhone.

There is also a chance that a company called Onward Mobility will launch a device later this year that perhaps borrows from some BlackBerry keyboard tech.

[joeldf]

BIS shutdown is on Jan 4, 2022. That's the one that affects you.

It's AT&T that is shutting down its 3G service on Feb of '22, but that's only in the U.S.

[Alexey Gurevski]

At the end of THIS year, BIS will be discontinued. That means no more phone, sms, or email

I've always thought that INTERNET services have nothing about phone calls and sms. Few years ago I planned to buy a Bold device just for fun and forum threads convinced me that such a phone would work at least as a featured phone, i.e. can make phone calls and sms, + with wi-fi I would be able to do browsing and to receive emails via a 3-rd party email client I forgot the name.
Are you sure about your statement?

[conite]

I've always thought that INTERNET services have nothing about phone calls and sms. Few years ago I planned to buy a Bold device just for fun and forum threads convinced me that such a phone would work at least as a featured phone, i.e. can make phone calls and sms, + with wi-fi I would be able to do browsing and to receive emails via a 3-rd party email client I forgot the name.
Are you sure about your statement?

You are correct about phone and sms of course - I was lumping that in with the shutdown of 3G.

For BIS and backed services specifically, you're losing push email, BlackBerry World, BlackBerry Protect, BBM, and all data on mobile.

[Horizon9]

You are correct about phone and sms of course - I was lumping that in with the shutdown of 3G.

For BIS and backed services specifically, you're losing push email, BlackBerry World, BlackBerry Protect, BBM, and all data on mobile.

Thanks everyone for the answers. If I understand, the phone will continue to perform its basic functions and internet, through opera I can access the web mailbox. Same thing for the Playbook even if surfing the internet with the native web doesn't work very well. I inquired with my operator and was told that Tim services for 2G networks are supported until 2029 while for 3G network it will be shut down in 2024. In Italy many infrastructures still adopt these services and the support will be longer than in other countries. Different speech if in the future I can go back on vacation to the States my BB will be unusable, not even to call, right? Buying a Classic can solve the problem for traveling to foreign countries?

[conite]

Thanks everyone for the answers. If I understand, the phone will continue to perform its basic functions and internet, through opera I can access the web mailbox. Same thing for the Playbook even if surfing the internet with the native web doesn't work very well. I inquired with my operator and was told that Tim services for 2G networks are supported until 2029 while for 3G network it will be shut down in 2024. In Italy many infrastructures still adopt these services and the support will be longer than in other countries. Different speech if in the future I can go back on vacation to the States my BB will be unusable, not even to call, right? Buying a Classic can solve the problem for traveling to foreign countries?

The 3G shutdown will render a Classic useless in the US for calls and sms.

[Troy Tiscareno]

By March of 2022, no non-Android BB-branded phone will function in the US, and only specific Android-based BB-branded phones will work. BBOS and BB10 will be non-functional across the board except for using them as a WiFi device - no mobile calls, texts, or data.

And while it might take a little longer, 3G shutdowns are coming soon to most western countries as well. Especially with these big pushes for electric cars and other environmental issues in many countries, you're going to see a massive increase in devices (rather than people) who need access to the mobile Internet, and this will result in either countries upgrading their cellular networks, or those networks will grind to a halt under the load. Which do you think is the more likely scenario?

[Horizon9]

By March of 2022, no non-Android BB-branded phone will function in the US, and only specific Android-based BB-branded phones will work. BBOS and BB10 will be non-functional across the board except for using them as a WiFi device - no mobile calls, texts, or data.

And while it might take a little longer, 3G shutdowns are coming soon to most western countries as well. Especially with these big pushes for electric cars and other environmental issues in many countries, you're going to see a massive increase in devices (rather than people) who need access to the mobile Internet, and this will result in either countries upgrading their cellular networks, or those networks will grind to a halt under the load. Which do you think is the more likely scenario?

The technology is renew and goes on with the needs of consumers, the world is now hyper-connected in every aspect. But, as long as I can manage, I continue to use the dear prehistoric BB.

[Chuck Finley69]

The technology is renew and goes on with the needs of consumers, the world is now hyper-connected in every aspect. But, as long as I can manage, I continue to use the dear prehistoric BB.

As long as you’re not in the USA, you should be mostly okay.

[larryjb1120]

Check with each carrier what frequencies they will continue to support. Telus seems to have a history of supporting old technologies for longer. We had an old phone with Fido for the kids and Fido just told us they were discontinuing the 1900 frequency. We just switched them to Telus.

Shaw in Canada is extremely limited in what frequencies they support too

Posted via CB10

[Horizon9]

Check with each carrier what frequencies they will continue to support. Telus seems to have a history of supporting old technologies for longer. We had an old phone with Fido for the kids and Fido just told us they were discontinuing the 1900 frequency. We just switched them to Telus.

Shaw in Canada is extremely limited in what frequencies they support too

Posted via CB10

In my country the networks are still all available, at the moment the only company that is shutting down its 3G networks is Vodafone. On Tim I have no problem, luckily I can still enjoy my smartphone.
Full coverage of 3G and Bis always active, at least for another year.

[Lex24]

@Horizon9

If you are in Italy then there is a great weather app still available in BB World: Il Meteo v1.4.6. It has excellent coverage of Mediterranean region and was still working when I tested it in the summer of 2020. It requires BBM to be installed. Another weather app which still works ok is The Weather Network v3.0.7.41 (also available in BB World).

Also make sure that you have Opera Mini v8.0 (the version available in BB World is outdated). Here is the OTA link (it must be run from BB Browser):

http://m.opera.com/minibb.jad

LogicMail is an email client that should work without BIS, but it won't be push email. To get fast notifications you can simply setup email (with your email provider) to be forwarded as SMS. After receiving such a notification open Logic Mail app and retrieve the message manually.

http://logicmail.org/ota/

http://www.logicmail.org/builds/logicmail/

https://sourceforge.net/projects/logicmail/

http://darkstar.x10host.com/nibble/logicmail.html

Google Maps still work ok:

https://forums.crackberry.com/showth...1#post13595265

To monitor CrackBerry forums you can use CB Forums app v1.0 (available in BB World). Some tips can be found here:

https://forums.crackberry.com/showth...1#post13453748

[FinTS78]

Sorry; I have to ask this here, because it sort of is a continuation to the discussion from the post starter. So; how does this January 4th, 2022 affect non-US BB10 users (mine is Z10, and I live in Finland)? Does our email, sms and phone stop working as well? As for connections, 3G works here (in general) at least until 2023. I was a bit lost with the information about the shutdown; first I understood everything stops working, but apparently something works, somehow even after that, if I understand correctly?

[Chuck Finley69]

Sorry; I have to ask this here, because it sort of is a continuation to the discussion from the post starter. So; how does this January 4th, 2022 affect non-US BB10 users (mine is Z10, and I live in Finland)? Does our email, sms and phone stop working as well? As for connections, 3G works here (in general) at least until 2023. I was a bit lost with the information about the shutdown; first I understood everything stops working, but apparently something works, somehow even after that, if I understand correctly?

BlackBerry is shutting down BBOS and BB10 servers. This will have an impact on ALL BBOS and BB10 devices regardless of planetary location. How much of an impact has been debated for some time and isn’t 100% certain. The BBOS devices require the BlackBerry data plans and servers for all traditional applications but can be run on carrier data just somewhat crippled. The BB10 devices run on traditional carrier data so are only really affected by servers being shutdown for security features that require BlackBerry systems contact.