Traveling to India and want to use my Blackberry data

Hi, I've unlocked my girlfriend's 8310, on which she has an email and PIN plan from Rogers in Ontario, Canada.

She is going to be traveling to India for a few weeks, and she wants to be able to use blackberry messenger and PIN message while she's there.

I was reading in the forums something about data not working even if you get a SIM card with an appropriate plan until Rogers deactivates her BIS? Is this so? I've never heard of this issue until I just read it in the forums.

What are my options?

:( help pls?

You can't have active BIS with two carriers at the same time, you will have to not be with Rogers for the time she is in India. You should also check that an Indian SIM card will allow data, I have found that sometimes abroad that is limited to contracts only, not a pre-paid like I assume that she will be doing.

Weird, I currently have BIS with AT&T and last month traveled to Mexico.

Now, Telcel does offer BIS for prepaid (Amigo Kit) so I bought the BIS for the week I was going to be there. I never talked with AT&T I just removed AT&T SIM on the plane and put the mexican one when landed, bought credit after customs before leaving the airport and used the cellphone without any issue. I just did have to re add all my email accounts on Telcel's BIS, but everything worked without an issue, even BBM messages sent during my flight arrived.

My question actually would be what happens when you go to a place when you can get data but not BIS? (Like Yoigo from SPAIN) as that makes me believe it's better to take an iphone or some other phone that does not depend on the carrier.

yeah i would say that because the iphone doesn't use bis, and any internet plan will do, it *might* be better for travelling

Originally Posted by ksc6000

Hi, I've unlocked my girlfriend's 8310, on which she has an email and PIN plan from Rogers in Ontario, Canada.

She is going to be traveling to India for a few weeks, and she wants to be able to use blackberry messenger and PIN message while she's there.

I was reading in the forums something about data not working even if you get a SIM card with an appropriate plan until Rogers deactivates her BIS? Is this so? I've never heard of this issue until I just read it in the forums.

What are my options?

Hello,

BlackBerry smartphones have each a unique PIN identifier burned deep into their circuitry. This PIN may not be changed and is used to authenticate a BlackBerry with a carrier. If a BlackBerry has been activated for a BIS plan, it means that the PIN for this BlackBerry has been reserved for use on the carrier the BIS plan was activated for. Should you try to activate a second BIS plan for your BlackBerry, you will not be able to authenticate it on another carrier despite using a different SIM card as the PIN is unique to the device and not the SIM card. To overcome this you will need to suspend your current BIS plan in order to free the PIN for use on a BIS plan for another carrier.

An option would be to temporarily sign up for a roaming plan with Rogers (cost can be very high, I don't recommend this, but it's the easiest method).

One possibility to utilize BlackBerry data with a local SIM without issues with the PIN is to look for a pay as you go BlackBerry plan. Very rarely are pay as you go SIM cards equipped with BlackBerry data, however. I made quick research and found no Indian carrier with this possibility. This means that your girlfriend must either use her BlackBerry strictly for voice and SMS, or she will need to sign up for a contract with a local carrier. I do not recommend this, as it will most likely cost more than a roaming plan with Rogers and depending on how long she is going to stay there is little reason to go for another contract.

Originally Posted by shinkodachi

Hello,

BlackBerry smartphones have each a unique PIN identifier burned deep into their circuitry. This PIN may not be changed and is used to authenticate a BlackBerry with a carrier. If a BlackBerry has been activated for a BIS plan, it means that the PIN for this BlackBerry has been reserved for use on the carrier the BIS plan was activated for. Should you try to activate a second BIS plan for your BlackBerry, you will not be able to authenticate it on another carrier despite using a different SIM card as the PIN is unique to the device and not the SIM card. To overcome this you will need to suspend your current BIS plan in order to free the PIN for use on a BIS plan for another carrier.

An option would be to temporarily sign up for a roaming plan with Rogers (cost can be very high, I don't recommend this, but it's the easiest method).

One possibility to utilize BlackBerry data with a local SIM without issues with the PIN is to look for a pay as you go BlackBerry plan. Very rarely are pay as you go SIM cards equipped with BlackBerry data, however. I made quick research and found no Indian carrier with this possibility. This means that your girlfriend must either use her BlackBerry strictly for voice and SMS, or she will need to sign up for a contract with a local carrier. I do not recommend this, as it will most likely cost more than a roaming plan with Rogers and depending on how long she is going to stay there is little reason to go for another contract.

don't go for the roaming plans.It might cost you a leg and an arm. Many carriers in India offer Go as you pay BIS plans;one of theme is AIRTEL -an extremely reliable carrier. Maybe this will help you Airtel

does uk have any pay as you go BIS?

I don't mean the one that you buy a blackberry and get free pay as i go BIS free for one year, I mean like for travelers.

Thank you all for the replies! It's been very helpful, though also confusing.

So for some, getting a BIS plan elsewhere has worked fine without canceling BIS with their current carrier, while for others it hasn't? That seems strange.

I think the best option I see right now is for my girlfriend to try Airtel and see if the BIS works, and if not, get a generic prepaid SMS plan.

What do you think?

Originally Posted by 9700On3

does uk have any pay as you go BIS?

I don't mean the one that you buy a blackberry and get free pay as i go BIS free for one year, I mean like for travelers.

9700On3, when I looked, orange seems to have a pay as u go BIS plan.

really?
their website is terrible, i'll have to walk into a shop and ask.

Check with Rogers if they offer prepaid data plans cuz I'm with fido and they do offer it but first u need to buy a prepaid card

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Originally Posted by ksc6000

Thank you all for the replies! It's been very helpful, though also confusing.

So for some, getting a BIS plan elsewhere has worked fine without canceling BIS with their current carrier, while for others it hasn't? That seems strange.

I think the best option I see right now is for my girlfriend to try Airtel and see if the BIS works, and if not, get a generic prepaid SMS plan.

What do you think?

I would say she will have to either talk to the carrier and ask if it is possible or explain that she is traveling and temporarily cancel BIS. It sounds like local traveling (i.e. same continent like to Mexico and with a GSM carrier) is not necessary for that fact that if anything, it's probably roaming/still picking up the same carrier's signals. To an entirely different continent is another story.