[Rebelsher]

Hi - I'm going to be leaving on a cross country trip from CA to DC to Va on Amtrak. I have a Blackberry Curve 8900. Will I be able to get on the Internet during the train trip? I have an on-line business and need to send attachments when I reply to email messages that I get on my phone. Under normal circumstances at home I can. I have T-Mobile with WiFi and a media subscription (I think that's what you call it). Thanks for any help you can give me.

[_StephenBB81]

If you have a business, you best get a data plan on your blackberry for the trip, reliable wifi on the train can be hit or miss even if it is offered.

[Rebelsher]

I have a data plan. That's what I meant when I said media subscription. I go on the internet all the time at home. Will that allow me to use the internet on the train?

[californiablackberry]

As long as you have a data plan with Blackberry Internet Service, you're covered anywhere that T-Mobile has coverage.
If the your train goes through the mountains, then you'll probably loose service in those areas.

[Rebelsher]

Thank you CaliforniaBlackberry. So if there's a T-Mobile Tower near where the train is traveling, I should be able to get on the internet or send an email, right? I realize it might be slow, but I can scan for WiFi, correct? I'm still learning.

I went to the T-Mobile store the other day and she showed me how to search for WiFi and made sure it would like me know if it was roaming. My daughter-in-law synched BB to my AT&T-UVerse modem yesterday, so now it's super fast at home to send email. It took forever to send with an attachment before. I didn't know how to synche it. Like I said, I'm still learning.

[californiablackberry]

Yes, you should be able to use internet/e-mail. I would check the T-Mobile coverage map, just to make sure.
Although, I'm not sure if you'll have WiFi in the train, unless the train has WiFi or you have one of those broadband things.

[Rebelsher]

I have checked the T-Mobile map coverage. The train does NOT have WiFi and I don't have a broadband thing, but I'll still be able to get internet/email, right? That's what you're saying, correct? So I should be able to send email, right?

[californiablackberry]

Yes, you'll be able to get everything as long as you have coverage.
But WiFi, no, since you won't have a connection.

[Rebelsher]

So I can receive email messages and send responses they just won't be fast, correct? That's if I'm in an area with a T-Mobile tower, right? Sorry to be a pain about understanding. I just don't want to put my business on vacation if I don't have to. If I can send emails with attachments, I won't have to. I really appreciate your taking the time to respond and answer my dumb questions.

[californiablackberry]

As long as you're connected to Blackberry Internet Service, you'll get your e-mails.

[Rebelsher]

What do you mean attached to Blackberry Internet Services? You mean where I put my email addy on blackberry? I get them now. Will I be able to respond to the internet messages and add an attachment then?

[webadpro]

If you can get access to the internet through your cell you<ll be fine. All you need is making sure you get the signal; If so, youll be fine.

[Rebelsher]

Thank you webadpro. I appreciate the response. I can get on the internet on the phone normally. I guess I won't put the business on Vacation and will hope for the best. I understand it maybe spotty if I'm out in the desert or plains somewhere, but near towns hopefully it will work ok.

[Ferretling]

My friend has T-Mobile. She has traveled via Amtrak from DC to Chicago to visit me. She gets service most of the time, though it is spotty through West Virgina, and parts of rural PA and Ohio. (Her route has varied). However, she does get service for a majority of the time. The rule of thumb normally tends to be: coverage is pretty good in urban areas and near major highways, not so good. Looking at the coverage maps, you should have coverage more often than not, especially as you get farther east.

[blackberry-unlocking710]

Like most people say here, using a data plan you are connected to the internet so where you have signal for making calls you will also have internet...

[Rebelsher]

Thank you Ferretling and blackberry-Unlocking710. That makes me feel much better. I figured it might be spotty going through open plains from CA to Chicago, but hopefully not too bad. You all have made me feel much more comfortable about being able to use my business on the trip and not put it on vacation for four days. I just hated to lose the money and contacts during that time. I really appreciate your help.

Ferretling, I cringe at your name. The first time I went on Amtrak years ago, a man's two ferrets got out of his suitcase in our train car and one woke me up in the middle of the night on my "HEAD!" Scared me to death. They got out one more time and tried to get into my suitcase. After that he and the ferrets were put off the train. They are illegal in CA. Because of that incident I don't much like the little critters.

[Ferretling]

Ferrets are actually sweet creatures. But they need to be trained and socialized, just like kittens and puppies. And they need to have not-stupid owners. What that guy did is freaking idiotic, and he gives good ferret owners a bad name.

[Rebelsher]

He definitely did with me. I want nothing to do with Ferrets. They make me cringe after that. Not sure why they're illegal in Ca. Kind of glad they are.

[mobibiz]

If I may add up my two bits, the data plan on the BlackBerry, or BlackBerry Internet Services or Services in general mean that the BlackBerry Device is capable of sending and receiving data (emails, text msg, browsing) via the mobile network. So if you are in a area where your phone receives signal strength, you would be able to access the emails and sent them out. Wi-Fi or wireless is data access in a different process for that you have to have access to a working wi- fi network that means like you have a modem at your house and want to access the internet you hook it up to a wi-fi router (which has limited range - (20 - 50 mts) you will be able to connect your laptop, blackberry or anything which can receive wi-fi to it. About the train thing, i doubt you will get wi-Fi in the train and the mobile network too would not be readily available due to limitations but wherever you see 3G or EDGE displayed in bold on your phone screen you can send and receive emails.

[homer1475]

Ferrets are actually sweet creatures. But they need to be trained and socialized, just like kittens and puppies. And they need to have not-stupid owners. What that guy did is freaking idiotic, and he gives good ferret owners a bad name.

I too own ferrets and this comment is spot on.

[Tiassa]

Easy way to tell. Activate voice dialing on your phone. Say "Check Network" --if the response is "Phone and Blackberry coverage" you are good to go.