In Australia on just about any of the major service providers (Telstra, Vodafone, Optus) If you get a plan of anything over $49 (unlimited text, usually around $500 calls and mms etc and usually ranges from 500mb to 1gb of data) you can get a free BB Pack which includes Unlimited BIS thats all it is but is free. Cause when I originally signed my new plan with vodafone they give a free phone with your plan So i was like hey I will see what the android devices are like, gave it a whirl sold the thing within 4 days...
But what I am curious about is in other countries in the world do you get free UNLIMITED BIS with your plan or do you have to pay for it, also keep in mind you also get to keep that 500mb-1gb of data too.
In India, we have two unlimited plans:
1) $12.00 for unlimited BIS on device
2) $18.00 for unlimited BIS on device and 2 gb per month tethering. For this there is also an option to pay $139.00 for the entire year up front. This comes out to $11.00 per month.
Here in the US on ATT, I pay 30$/month unlimited data, though most new customers will get the $25/month for 2GB plan. Calling & texting plans are additional.
In Canada, the unlimited BIS plans are limited to the social apps and BBM/email and does not include web access with the browser. In reality, how man mb can you put out typing on twitter, BBM, facebook and etc.
Just from memory, the BIS plans are $10-$15 on top of just the regular voice plan. With all the new smartphones on the market, the carriers have made it even more complex to find the proper mix of plans/services for a Blackberry. In the past Rogers had a page with just Blackberry plans, now it brings up a page with many combinations which may or may not apply to Blackberries.
It looks like Rogers has a 300 minute voice with the unlimited evenings and unlimited Social Networking on BIS with a choice of one additional add-on for $42.78. Looks like you would have to choose the unlimited messaging as the add-on to get email. For a $52.78 plan you can get the 500mb data as well, and $5 more gets you 1gb data and tethering.
In the U.S., you pay for a data plan. Voice and texting are separate plans and vary by carrier. For data, there are various tiered plans and it also varies by carrier (unless you are "grandfathered" in from a previous, but no longer offered to new subscribers, unlimited plan, like I am). But whatever it may be, pretty much every carrier requires a data plan with a "smartphone".
If that phone happens to be a BlackBerry, BIS is added at no extra cost. And it covers everything you need data for - email, internet, BBM, streaming, whatever you are using your phone for. Data is data and there is no differentiation in how it's used. Only in how much is used if you are on a tiered plan and you reach that fixed amount.
(in Canada)