1. billybeany's Avatar
    Hello I am new to these forums and did a lot of searching before posting this question but I am still lacking some basic clarity on the solution. I reasonably tech savvy guy and like many others on this forum I choose to use a Blackberry because I need to get things done.

    To avoid a long winded story here is the broad strokes:

    1. I have a Blackberry Bold 9900 and my service provider is in Canada. I use both BIS and BES services.

    2. I am in a China and face three choices.

    Option 1 - Pay astronomical roaming fees to use my phone with Blackberry services.
    Option 2 - Use my Blackberry only on WiFi and buy a portable MiFi router so I have my Blackberry Services
    Option 3 - Get a local SIM card with BES and BIS services emabled

    The problem with Option 1 is obvious. The problem with Option 2 is that with MiFi routers is a go (you have a 3G signal) or no go (no 3G signal present) service and in a place like China 3G service is not everywhere. With a conventional SIM card (with or without BES/BIS services) when there is no 3G signal you would drop down to 2G or EDGE services in bad coverage areas.

    I went the Option 3 route and it has been a nightmare. In a country of 1.4 billion people and a city of 22 million people the only place where you can get a Blackberry SIM is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Also, the people who work in those shops are very unknowledgeable or helpful. After two trips to the shop I have now got my BES services working but my BIS services are MIA and spending countless hours on the phone with "customer service" trying to explain that my IMSI number is on the SIM card and reading it to them I have given up and count myself lucky to just have BES services

    The simple question I have is why can't I just put in a regular SIM card and tunnel my data? Afterall I am still paying for a SIM card in Canada and paying from my Blackberry Services. Even if I say put in local 3G SIM card which did not have BES/BIS services enabled why can't I access these services over WiFi. Or better yet why can't I just use two Blackberry devices via Blackberry Bridge and "share the data connection". Bluetooth uses way less power than WiFi hotspot and the phone keeps the connection all the time to the network versus a MiFi router.

    Any thoughts will be much appreciated as well as a basic relationship to how the SIM card is tied to accessing all BB services (i.e. why if I put in a SIM card without BES/BIS services activated I can't even access them via WiFi as I still am paying for these services in Canada and the Blackberry infrastructure is tied to my device PIN and knows I am paying to use this infastructure right?) Any links will be much appreciated.

    Thank you in advance for any insight.
    10-06-12 12:50 AM
  2. Nine54's Avatar
    Good question. I do think the SIM and services are linked--at least with some carriers. I switched from an Android phone to a BB and had AT&T enable BES and BIS on my account. I asked if I could swap the SIM back-and-forth between the BB and the Android phone if I wanted to and got a somewhat vague answer of it being best to call AT&T again and let them know if I went back to the Android phone. And despite reading on the forum that it should work as long as you regularly use the BB, if I swap my SIM back in my Android phone, I do not get data services...

    So while I'm not in the international roaming situation you're in, I'm hoping the answer to your dilemma might shed light on mine. Best of luck in your situation! I know it must be frustrating...
    10-06-12 12:54 PM
  3. robsteve's Avatar
    I think the only easy way to take your BlackBerry services with you is to bring two phones, one for a local sim and making calls, the other phone with your home sim in it for BlackBerry services over wifi.

    Just out of curiosity, I tried getting my Rogers BIS over wifi, but the wifi provided by a Bell account and hotspot on my wife's 9810. It worked! Assuming you can get a second phone on a local data plan that offers a hotspot, you, may be able to use the hotspot to provide a connection for your 9900 and a BIS connection to your home account.

    To answer one of your questions,. Your home BIS/BES only works when your home sim is in the phone. This probably means the BlackBerry service account at your home provider is associated to the SIM number, not the Phone.

    If the Chinese phone company is asking about your imei, it is the phones unique identifier, not related to the SIM. The help screen will show your imei, just press the left alt, right shift and have keys at the same time.
    diegonei likes this.
    10-06-12 09:29 PM

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