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I certainly wouldn't say that a Blackberry without BIS/BES is useless. There are certain features on the Blackberry, independent of BIS that make the phone quite indispensable. Case in point, I have a bad memory, so the Calendar, the Tasks (memo), the Memo pad, the Voice notes recorder and the Password saver are a godsend. Years of operating in the business world has given RIM a unique insight on how to make the Blackberry function like an organizer for individuals. The calendar is really quite replete, and allows you to set the phone to notify you at a specific time before the event occurs. And the address book is probably one of the most complete ones I've ever seen, with space for entering profile picture, job titles, company, company address, home address, birthdays, Messenger address, etc. The alarm clock on my Blackberry has replaced my standalone alarm clock, because it is loud, easy to set up in bedside mode and within reach. The ability to store and play music and video on your media files and a powerful camera are the other nice features, although they may also be found on dumb phones.I've been thinking about getting (starting to desperately want) a BlackBerry for too long now, and have been holding back because my montly phone payments would massively increase should I get one.
For info - I am the poster child for a prepay user. I spend about �400 (or more
) on the latest and greatest every 2-3 years and then about �8 a month on my phone tariff, taking advantage of prepay call and text deals to get all the usage I need. I hardly ever use mobile internet and when I do it only costs a minimal amount.
I like not having a contract. I like freedom to control my monthly outgoings, and to be able to reduce it to ZERO even should I choose.
The problem i'm having is that BIS are only available to those on contract with O2 or Vodafone (they are the only operators that work where I live - any other carrier would give me a nice looking mobile paperweight).
So if I do succumb to temptation and get a BlackBerry Bold 9700 (*drools!*) I would not have BIS
My question to you knowledgeable persons therefore is, in those circumstances, am I wasting my money on a BlackBerry?
Would buying a BlackBerry Bold 9700 without BIS leave me with such a crippled device as to spoil the BlackBerry experience?
Also out of interest, what is the limitations in not having BIS?
As always, very grateful for any assistance
But although a Blackberry is not useless without BIS, it is severly handicapped without it. The most unique feature that the Blackberry is known for is the push e-mail. You set up your e-mail accounts, however many, and you receive individual notification for each, in the manner of your choosing. Many third-party applications also require a constant connection to function well. A previous poster said that she was able to use her browser without BIS or wireless. I don't know how she did it, but I can tell you that it is not the norm. Believe me, I tried. The browser is usually non-functional in the absence of wireless and BIS. This includes Opera Mini, which, after all, is a third-party browser. Blackberry Messenger, another unique delight, would be unavailable. Not all Blackberrys have wireless, but the 9700 does, and you would have to rely exclusively on it to achieve these things. This is highly inconvenient, for the simple fact that most people tend to use their cell phones while in transit, and wireless signals are in much shorter supply than cellular phone signals. Sure, you could use wireless at home, at the coffee shop and at work. But you usually have access to computers in these places as well. The joy of having a Blackberry, after all, is the ability to run your empire away from your computer. You would, in fact, have effectively hamstrung the device without a BIS plan.
The Blackberry Bold 9700 is undoubtedly a lovely device, but I think you should ask yourself if it is not overkill for your aims. There are other less pricy phones that can probably accomplish the same tasks. The way the phone industry operates, you get a substantial discount on phones if you sign up for a contract. I used to be leery of signing up for a contract because I wanted to be in control. I wanted the psychological comfort of being able to decide not to use the phone, and therefore avoid paying fees anytime I chose. I found, though, that I had become so reliant on my phone that I was using it all the time. I couldn't have realistically chosen to not use it any point in time. So, essentially, I was wasting my money buying these beautiful devices at full price, and then ended up not saving any money at all because I was using the phone all the time. You should probably do a cost-benefit analysis to see how much you are really saving, or not saving as the case may be. A starting point might be to call Vodafone and ask them: 1) The cost of the device if you sign up for a contract. 2) The duration of the contract. 3) The cheapest plan they have that will allow you to use data and 4) The penalty for breaking the contract prematurely. You may be surprised at how much more you save by signing the contract. At the end of it, you walk away, and the phone is yours...
A concise answer to your question? Yes, it would cripple your experience, but wouldn't ruin it entirely to use the phone without BIS.Last edited by Barredbard; 01-24-10 at 11:44 AM.
01-24-10 11:03 AM - Hi,
I have a BB and don't have a BIS. Why? Cause I am a student and couldn't afford more expensive BB than 8520. My carrier's O2 who don't support BIS for 8520 yet which is not the main reason why I don't have a BIS. It's too expensive for me, once again, I'm a student. So I only have an O2 internet in my blackberry and so I can send e-mails, can browse any site I want (I can use the BB browser, yes). The only thing that used to irritate was that I got no notifications about new e-mails. Solved out. I can set SMS notifications about new e-mails so when someone e-mails me I got a SMS notification. I would prefer BIS, of course, but it's not worth it yet. For example, neither the BB App world isn't available here yet! :/
So, yeah. I can do everything without the BIS or BES except for using BB e-mail client and BBM. Can't use the BB App world cause I live in the Czech rep. No biggie.
Off topic here but I lived in Prague in 1999 for a few months, was working in Radost FX, is that still around?01-24-10 11:17 AM - to cut a long story short BB minus BIS = dumbphone.I've been thinking about getting (starting to desperately want) a BlackBerry for too long now, and have been holding back because my montly phone payments would massively increase should I get one.
For info - I am the poster child for a prepay user. I spend about �400 (or more ) on the latest and greatest every 2-3 years and then about �8 a month on my phone tariff, taking advantage of prepay call and text deals to get all the usage I need. I hardly ever use mobile internet and when I do it only costs a minimal amount.
I like not having a contract. I like freedom to control my monthly outgoings, and to be able to reduce it to ZERO even should I choose.
The problem i'm having is that BIS are only available to those on contract with O2 or Vodafone (they are the only operators that work where I live - any other carrier would give me a nice looking mobile paperweight).
So if I do succumb to temptation and get a BlackBerry Bold 9700 (*drools!*) I would not have BIS
My question to you knowledgeable persons therefore is, in those circumstances, am I wasting my money on a BlackBerry?
Would buying a BlackBerry Bold 9700 without BIS leave me with such a crippled device as to spoil the BlackBerry experience?
Also out of interest, what is the limitations in not having BIS?
As always, very grateful for any assistance01-27-10 09:43 AM
