1. gkl's Avatar
    Back when I first started using BBM for messaging (2005-ish), it was great because it used my Verizon unlimited data plan instead of my limited text messaging plan. I could message all the important people I wanted and it would not cost additional fees.

    But now the script has flipped. It's unlimited text and MMS, and we pay per GB of data. BBM is just causing me to use more data. Sure basic messaging takes very little, but add in pics (HD by default especially), the occasional video clip, and it starts to add up.

    Not only was BBM a great messaging app. But it helped save money. Now, it�s still a great messenger but it is actually costing me more to use it.

    Add this all up and the fact that the coolest features are now going paid subscription (timed messages and retraction), and I'm starting to think that there is even less of a reason to use BBM over "free" text messaging. However, if they included free video calls across all devices, this might swing my thinking back the other way.

    Thoughts?

    Z10STL100-4/10.3.1.2558
    04-03-15 12:16 PM
  2. raino's Avatar
    I'm not sure I understand...you want to leave BBM because you're taking advantage of all the bells and whistles it brings you over traditional SMS and MMS--resulting in extra data usage, but you'd consider coming back for the most data hogging feature of all?
    04-03-15 12:32 PM
  3. AnimalPak200's Avatar
    Lol... you do realize that back when you had "unlimited data", the combination of BlackBerry's heavy compression, terribly low camera resolution and complete lack of "HD" image transfer probably meant you were using a fraction of the data you use now?

    It was just another carrier gimmick.

    Posted via CB10
    kbz1960 likes this.
    04-03-15 12:43 PM
  4. gkl's Avatar
    I'm not sure I understand...you want to leave BBM because you're taking advantage of all the bells and whistles it brings you over traditional SMS and MMS--resulting in extra data usage, but you'd consider coming back for the most data hogging feature of all?
    Because it would give a compelling feature beyond simple messaging. Without it, there is little advantage over SMS/MMS.

    Z10STL100-4/10.3.1.2558
    04-03-15 03:38 PM
  5. raino's Avatar
    Because it would give a compelling feature beyond simple messaging. Without it, there is little advantage over SMS/MMS.
    Well you yourself pointed out some of the advantages: the ability to send/receive HD pictures (which you can disable, btw) and video clips. If the problem here is that it takes too much data to do these two things, it sounds like a problem exacerbated by individual usage--you're choosing to send the occasional video clip. You're choosing to keep the HD picture sending option on by default. There's an easy fix for both

    But what I'm really not understanding is that if these relatively small hits are too much for your data plan, how is it going to handle video calling? Isn't that going to be 10x worse?
    kbz1960 likes this.
    04-03-15 04:02 PM
  6. JustUgochukwu's Avatar
    More importantly. Why hasn't BlackBerry made video calls cross platform

    One Smartphone To Rule Them All
    04-03-15 04:14 PM
  7. gkl's Avatar
    Well you yourself pointed out some of the advantages: the ability to send/receive HD pictures (which you can disable, btw) and video clips. If the problem here is that it takes too much data to do these two things, it sounds like a problem exacerbated by individual usage--you're choosing to send the occasional video clip. You're choosing to keep the HD picture sending option on by default. There's an easy fix for both

    But what I'm really not understanding is that if these relatively small hits are too much for your data plan, how is it going to handle video calling? Isn't that going to be 10x worse?
    Maybe I'm not making my point clear...what I'm getting at is, if there is no compelling reason to keep using it, what point is there to a non-user to start using it? Before, when data was cheap, it sold itself. Not so much now.

    Z10STL100-4/10.3.1.2558
    04-03-15 08:43 PM
  8. Peevish's Avatar
    Cross platform video for consumer is dead.

    Posted via CB10
    04-03-15 08:51 PM
  9. Michael Dunn1's Avatar
    Unless I'm mistaken, BBM works over Wifi when connected thereby significantly reducing data usage.

    Also, BBM has proven security benefits over SMS.



    Clicked & Flicked from my beastly white BlackBerry Passport OS 10.3.1.2708
    04-03-15 09:55 PM
  10. gebco's Avatar
    Perhaps what op is saying is that the advantage now goes to mms/sms for sharing data intensive things like pics and videos. Here in Canada many if not not most consumer plans include unlimited video and picture texting. If you have a limited data plan, bbm video and pic sharing could be a concern for you.

    Posted via CB10
    gkl likes this.
    04-04-15 12:58 AM
  11. kg4icg's Avatar
    Hate to point out the bad news, but MMS is a data hit, not a text hit, so you send pics over MMS, it counts against your data.
    04-04-15 09:39 AM
  12. boody78's Avatar
    Hate to point out the bad news, but MMS is a data hit, not a text hit, so you send pics over MMS, it counts against your data.
    I'm pretty sure this is not true for verizon...
    04-07-15 10:17 PM
  13. kg4icg's Avatar
    I'm pretty sure this is not true for verizon...
    It is true for everyone, MMS is the protocol of sending pics in text messages
    04-08-15 08:09 AM
  14. boody78's Avatar
    It is true for everyone, MMS is the protocol of sending pics in text messages
    I know, but it is included in my unlimited txting plan. I'm 99% sure it doesn't count towards my data.

    Posted via CB10
    04-08-15 08:20 AM

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