[zhuq123]

Hi everyone! Here're what I looking to do and someone please tell me if the're doable:

(1) buy an unlocked BB device in US (probably on EBay)
(2) bring it to China and be able to access data (POP3 email, internet email, Skype msgs) on China Mobile plan.
(3) I only need this for maybe 1 month. i assume there's pay as you go for data plan just like the voice plan with China mobile?
(4) the BB device has to be able to text in Chinese.

Basically, I am looking for a short term/low cost solution for data access in China. I have done the voice part no problem many times before in China, basically just buy a sim card and pop it into an unlocked GSM phone and pay as u go. What I want to avoid is to buy a BB (or BB like) device in China because I feel I'd have to pay +2000RMB for one on short notice (maybe cheaper on TaoBao, but don't think I have the time once in China). In other words, I don;t think I have the time to shop around once in China and need something ready to go right away (understand you do need to sign up for a data plan, which I assume can be taken care of in a China mobile store like 10-15min.)
Thanks!

[Radius]

First of all, there is no BIS in China. The only way to get true BB services is with a BES plan through China mobile and for that you're talking a long term contract and a lot of money. As for POP3, etc. I assume you are just talking about accessing the email through a browser? Assuming you can get a data plan then it's possible.

As far as I know, it's the same deal via contracts with the carrier for regular data plans, however I have heard rumor that you can access data services through a pre paid SIM card but you pay a premium. I will ask a good friend of mine about this as I know she has had access to a data connection on her phone and I'm almost certain she just uses a regular pay as you go SIM for a street vendor.

As for Chinese, you need to add the Chinese character set for the OS. use the DM to do this, just download the OS software and when you go in, find the Languages portion of the tree and check off the Chinese fonts. Most likely you just want pinyin input as the rest are pretty useless in my opinion.

So if no one can answer you in about 3 hours about the pay as you go data plan I will call my friend when she wakes up for work and ask her how she does it.

[kickinitlive247]

i travel in asia fairly often
WIFI WIFI WIFI

[Radius]

i travel in asia fairly often
WIFI WIFI WIFI

Depends where you go, more rural, traveling between cities and many places in general you won't be lucky enough to get Wi-Fi. But it is certainly useful in the cities.

[zhuq123]

Well, thanks for the info. Although I am not sure I understand all of these, but somehow I get the feeling that some kind of short term data plan is hard to get (a little confused on this though as I thought China mobile's website seems to indicate short term data plan is doable)? I am willing to pay for the data plan, so don;t get me wrong there, not really looking for free solutions like wifi, etc. Actually anything under 300-400 RMB for a month would be acceptable for me, and if it's more because of the data volume processed, then I can accept it too. My simple understanding of the wireless business in China is that most plans are pay as you go. You can save some under a contract, but unlike US where virtually everything needs to be under a contract.

BTW, by POP3 I mean accessing POP3 email servers on BB. This is not the same as Yahoo emails which u can access with a browser. I also need to be able to do Skype (not the calling part) on BB as well. I have done both on BB here with a AT&T data plan, and that's what I am looking for to do in China.

There's no urgency for me to find a workable solutions though, BTW, as I am not going to China for another month or so.

Thx Again

[kickinitlive247]

most everything is prepaid in asia i dream of a day when they have 2G. almost every hotel/ restaurant ive been to (vietnam, thailand, malaysia, singapore, s.korea) has had wifi regardless of how rural, unfortunately that doesnt help our friend zhuq