Avoid roaming costs for blackberry services

Wanted to post this thread in Tips/Hints etc, but I don't have the priveleges yet.

I just want to share my experience with you regarding the blackberry services abroad.

In the Netherlands I use my standard T-Mobile carrier. However I'm quiet often in Indonesia and I don't want to get a surprise from T-Mobile (high costs).

So I tried to activate blackberry services onto a prepaid SIM card in Indonesia (carrier SIMPATI by TELKOMSEL).

According to the website of telkomsel it is very easy to activate blackberry services by calling *303# and follow instructions.

My fear was actually that it was impossible to have blackberry services at another provider than T-Mobile (my current one in the Netherlands).

Telkomsel offers blackberry services for one day, one week or one month.
Well, I chose "one day", just to test. (the unlimited package is Rp6000/day which is approx. USD 0.64/day or EURO 0.47/day).

For safety I changed my settings for data to "off when roaming". Just to make sure that T-Mobile doesn't charge.

After activation it took approx. 2 minutes for activation and the blackberry services are working great.

I don't know how it works, but it still uses my emailaccounts which I activated earlier at T-Mobile (instantemail.t-mobile.nl).

I asked T-Mobile if they don't charge extra for services abroad they said that they won't (by email).

So I'm a happy blackberry services user (messenger, using my emailaddresses, internet etc) abroad.

I don't know if this is shocking news to all of you, but I wrote this fot those who didn't know yet.

happy it was easy for you

I've actually seen other first-hand reports by other Blackberry users about this..that they've been able to successfully activate pre-paid BIS services with carriers abroad without having to release the Blackberry PIN with their home carrier, thus enabling you to use their services.

I think what this does is just provide your phone with access to the prepaid carrier's Blackberry APN, and your existing e-mail accounts work since they are really run by RIM and not the carrier itself.