BB data usage

I am new to BB and activated the BIS service on my mobile account about a week ago. However I still find data charges on my mobile account. Some data sessions are marked as blackberry.net sessions while others simply show internet.
I spoke to my carrier and they assured me that the settings on my phone are correct.
I have the following questions:
1) Is all data on the BB device free?
2) Is there a device setting that should be changed?
3) What should the APN be set to under Advanced Options>TCP.
4) Is data transfered by apps like OperaMini and Google Maps also free?

Hope somebody can help me, the whole motivation of moving to BB was that data transferred to and from my mobile would be free, I'm a bit miffed to finding these charges on my account.

Thanks
Cobus

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Data charges depend on your carrier, some BIS accounts have 5mb/month, some 6gb/month, and some lucky few have unlimited.

Data charges are totally up to your carrier. Your device doesn't distinguish...data is data. Fortunately I am one of the lucky few that have unlimited data included in my plan. That is becoming more of the norm it seems with increased competition between carriersm

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

It can't be related to hitting the data cap as I haven't used that much data yet. The charged data sessions are also distributed randomly between free data sessions. The charged sessions are marked "internet" while the free sessions are marked "blackberry.net", I assume this refers to the APN through which the data was transferred but how do I ensure all data routes through the blackberry.net APN?

Cobus

Originally Posted by cvzyl

It can't be related to hitting the data cap as I haven't used that much data yet. The charged data sessions are also distributed randomly between free data sessions. The charged sessions are marked "internet" while the free sessions are marked "blackberry.net", I assume this refers to the APN through which the data was transferred but how do I ensure all data routes through the blackberry.net APN?

Cobus

blackberrys access data only through the BIS system unless connected via wifi or through your carrier's WAP portal.

as for your APN settings, you should call your carrier for that info.

Are you seeing data "usage" or data "charges" on your bill? My bill shows data "usage" but I am not "charged" for data.

I get something like that on my bill but I'm not sure if my situation is the same as yours.

I use my Berry for tethering in addition to browsing the net on the device. When I use data services on my Berry it shows up on my bill as "unlimited blackberry". When I tether to my laptop it shows up as "tether data plan".

Don't know if you're tethering or not, but that might explain the two different billing charges if you are.

It shows as data usage that I am charged for. I do not use tethering, only on device usage.

Cobus