[givechanceachance]

On September 10th all T-Mobile customers in the USA using Blackberry BIS service will no longer have data or MMS. If you are concerned T-Mobile recommends contacting Customer Care at 1-800-937-8997. In all likelihood you will be encouraged to upgrade your phone to either a BB10 or other. However if BIS gives you piece of mind you might want to give T-mobile some insight that their spectrum upgrade not only would decrease their customer base but also affect Blackberry's customer base.

Also a text from T-mobile was suppose to go out over a month ago and three BB folks I know and I did not get that text. Here is the content of the text that T-Mobile claims every Blackberry user should have received:
Attachment 369692

Be mindful that the majority of T-Mobile support that I and friends have had contact with this issue were unaware of it and it's implications to Blackberry BIS data with the OS 7 and older phones. T-mobile staff can refer to document #98512.

Attached is a discussion with such support exemplifies that point:
Attachment 369691

*in case the embedded images do not show please see attachments.

[lnichols]

IMHO BIS should have had an EOL put in it the day BB10 launched. US should have been 2 years, and emerging markets given more time. I don't blame T-Mobile for discontinuing support of BIS.

Posted via Z30

[Cozz4ever]

What network changes? The only thing I know T-Mobile is doing is getting rid of their 2G towers along with AT&T in February 2017

Posted via CB10

[Troy Tiscareno]

As of 9 months ago (or whenever it was that Chen and Legere had their falling out), T-Mobile only had 45,000 BB users total. They probably have considerably less than that now, and many are already on BB10, so I'm sure they aren't going to care much about the few hundred people who will resist upgrading to a modern phone if they lose them. The cost savings of being able to shut down BIS support would likely more than make up for it.

Progress marches on, and all carriers are redeploying their spectrum. In the next year or so, phones that don't have LTE are going to start losing network connectivity, because they're going to be refarming everything to LTE, including 2G frequencies (CDMA and GSM). It isn't just T-Mobile, but every carrier in the US and Europe are working on it, and others will follow. BBOS phones have had their day in the sun, but they are quickly becoming obsolete (or have been for a while, from most people's perspective).

Don't expect T-Mo to cry too much over this.

[givechanceachance]

My initial response to T-Mobile and BB was this:

To whom it may concern,

We are considering moving to a different network with the recent knowledge of how your network upgrades will disenfranchise the peace of mind that only the older Blackberry Devices can provide: BIS (Blackberry Internet Service.)

While your upgrades void the data of many older cell phone devices, there is a large community of movers and shapers that rely on the privacy, in the face of fermenting oppression, that BIS provides. It has been our long standing understanding that T-Mobile values the same privacy principles that would otherwise compromise a sincere and open society.

We would hope that you take into consideration the impact that the shutting down of the T-Mobile servers that BIS devices and their users rely on could have on the future leaders in this country and abroad.

With hope,

Sincerely,

However seeing that LTE spectrum "gobble" is inevitable with progress would it be ideal then to petition BB in support of any viable effort to bring BIS to BB10 even if it means that BIS is restricted to only certain applications or throttled to 2G like speed.

There are enough folks on these forums with the inclination and precipitation to rally against BIS so I would find it disingenuous to respond that sentiment and to leave a welcome to those responding in support of BIS. Thank you.

[crazylegshinch]

However seeing that LTE spectrum "gobble" is inevitable with progress would it be ideal then to petition BB in support of any viable effort to bring BIS to BB10 even if it means that BIS is restricted to only certain applications or throttled to 2G like speed.

One gets the feeling that BlackBerry isn't particularly invested in bringing BIS to BB10. Or anything to BB10 in the near future.

[thurask]

Sign of the times.

Posted via CB10

[AnimalPak200]

Sounds like a good opportunity to offer a year of BES cloud 'lite' for users that are forced to switch from a BBOS device and still wanted BIS.

Too bad BlackBerry has the suit and tie too far up their a$$ to ever consider user options like that (think MS Office 365).

Posted via CB10

[Cozz4ever]

Sounds like a good opportunity to offer a year of BES cloud 'lite' for users that are forced to switch from a BBOS device and still wanted BIS.

Too bad BlackBerry has the suit and tie too far up their a$$ to ever consider user options like that (think MS Office 365).

Posted via CB10

You would think Blackberry would offer something like that to keep their customers. I had a seminar last week about the dropping of 2G from networks. Companies that are using 2G data are already working on promotions for their customers, simply to remain customers even though 2G ends in 2017. 2G is mostly used for GPS tracking of fleet vehicles now a days. DEI (viper) announced they will drop T-M/ATT go with Verizon as their CDMA 3G network is the biggest in the country and Verizon will continue to use CDMA until 2022.

[lnichols]

Anyone who thinks BIS is giving them piece of mind and security doesn't know how BIS works. It uses weaker keys, your messages are only secure as long as you don't send an email to anyone without a .BlackBerry.net account. Your BBM messages on BB10 are just as secure, your e-mail is just as secure, the only thing you lose is OWA account support. Just buy the F'ing Classic or another brand of phone and let BIS die. Your not being persecuted, the technology has been replaced. You should be worrying more about BlackBerry going to that hot mess of Android than BIS.

Posted via Z30

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

While I think other big carriers in the US like Verizon and AT&T will hold off doing the same for a couple of years, as they were selling BBOS device up till last year. You do have to wonder about smaller carriers around the world.... If they only have say 1000 users on their 20 tower network, how much longer will they pay for BIS?

[kvndoom]

Hmmmph. Guess my 9900 will become a brick. Not like I use it anymore but I liked having it as a backup.

Posted from BlackBerry Classic, T-Mobile, no camera, 10.3.2.2205

[jelp2]

http://forums.crackberry.com/t-mobil...015-a-1035881/

I think this is the same?

[givechanceachance]

Old BlackBerry users:

I just called T-mobile's Blackberry team of 45 staff, rep said while WAP 1.0 phased out there is a work around they can do on their end, however it is not guaranteed to continue working or at least so long as you do not register any new accounts through BIS. So if you register new email address for example then WAP 1.0 overwrite from BIS and BIS data will cease. This is only workaround to get old BlackBerry working on tmobile. Must call tech support tmobile BlackBerry in Albuquerque. They have team of 45 staff and they said they scratching their heads why t-mobile would do this since in their words "BlackBerry users most loyal customers."

[givechanceachance]

Basically change APN from the tmobile one to blackberry.net and update routing tables if needed and you are set.

[lnichols]

Just update your phone! BlackBerry isn't even going to support BB10 so you expect a carrier to keep giving BlackBerry $5 a month so you can use your outdated BIS service? BIS is dead. BB10 is dead. Move to iOS or a real Android OEM and jump off the Waterloo crazy train. They don't care about you as a customer anyway.

Posted via Z30

[Cozz4ever]

Just update your phone! BlackBerry isn't even going to support BB10 so you expect a carrier to keep giving BlackBerry $5 a month so you can use your outdated BIS service? BIS is dead. BB10 is dead. Move to iOS or a real Android OEM and jump off the Waterloo crazy train. They don't care about you as a customer anyway.

Posted via Z30

Calm down

Posted via CB10

[givechanceachance]

Just update your phone! BlackBerry isn't even going to support BB10 so you expect a carrier to keep giving BlackBerry $5 a month so you can use your outdated BIS service? BIS is dead. BB10 is dead. Move to iOS or a real Android OEM and jump off the Waterloo crazy train. They don't care about you as a customer anyway.

Posted via Z30

Please mind you; there are real and practical reasons I'm sticking with the old BB, features and functions not found anywhere else. And this is a Blackberry forum and as such your treading against as such is trolling.

[lnichols]

Please mind you; there are real and practical reasons I'm sticking with the old BB, features and functions not found anywhere else. And this is a Blackberry forum and as such your treading against as such is trolling.

There is nothing I could do with BBOS/BIS that I couldn't do with BB10. In fact I can do way more with Bb10 than I could even dream of doing with BBOS. So please let us know what features are keeping you on BBOS/BIS that can't be found anywhere else.

Posted via Z30

[givechanceachance]

To start off and this won't be a complete list unless I come back and edit later:

1. Convenience buttons
2. Pause and resume on video record
3. Wifi calling through BBM
4. BIS - I've heard the rebuttals don't need anymore...
5. Query a contact in an instant with OS 6x 7x, the OS 10 takes way too long to be usable.
6. Utilitarian UI
7. Responsive UI
8. Resource conservative software development
9. Removable battery for extended battery option and instant pull for sensitive environments
10. Touch screen is a cool idea that has taken on however in certain situations it can be a detriment, unintended touch / battery drain / glass breaks etc.

[docfreed]

TMO isn't even going to offer the (oft-promised) WiFi calling on the Blackberry Classic - what we're watching is Blackberry and T-Mobile negaged in a race to the bottom.

[lnichols]

TMO isn't even going to offer the (oft-promised) WiFi calling on the Blackberry Classic - what we're watching is Blackberry and T-Mobile negaged in a race to the bottom.

BlackBerry has to supply them a 10.3.2 version of code that supports Wifi Calling to T-Mobile. Clearly BlackBerry is focused on Android and decimating it's BB10 engineering staff, and maybe according to reports already waxed the Venice staff too.

Posted via Z30

[axe50]

To start off and this won't be a complete list unless I come back and edit later:

1. Convenience buttons
2. Pause and resume on video record
3. Wifi calling through BBM
4. BIS - I've heard the rebuttals don't need anymore...
5. Query a contact in an instant with OS 6x 7x, the OS 10 takes way too long to be usable.
6. Utilitarian UI
7. Responsive UI
8. Resource conservative software development
9. Removable battery for extended battery option and instant pull for sensitive environments
10. Touch screen is a cool idea that has taken on however in certain situations it can be a detriment, unintended touch / battery drain / glass breaks etc.

You can't be serious. OK, I'll bite.

1. You have a convenience button. In absence of using it, try swiping, Quick settings, or using BlackBerry assistant.
2. You can do this on Bb10 not sure where you heard you can't. I do this all the time when recording video of my twins...
3. Just did this yesterday.
4. Sure, but why? You miss the message too big error?
5. Launch contacts, start typing. It's instant. How many contacts do you have?
6. Really? Care to elaborate?
7. Umm, bbos was not responsive. If it were then half of the themes wouldn't have text running off the screen, and you wouldn't need versions for each phone of a theme.
8. There is no application development anymore on bbos, so I'll give you this one; can't get more efficient than zero.
9. Bb10 devices - some have a removable battery. In any event, hold the power button, and the device shuts down in 3 seconds.
10. Get a classic or q10, and don't use the screen.

Posted via CB10

[Jerry A]

Isn't BIS going away because they're re-farming the spectrum? I don't see this as an anti-BB move so much as it's a pro-customer (everyone else) move.

Don't know about you, but I'd hate to have better services held back b/c of less than 1% of the customer base.

[mrlahjr]

As of 9 months ago (or whenever it was that Chen and Legere had their falling out), T-Mobile only had 45,000 BB users total. They probably have considerably less than that now, and many are already on BB10, so I'm sure they aren't going to care much about the few hundred people who will resist upgrading to a modern phone if they lose them. The cost savings of being able to shut down BIS support would likely more than make up for it.

Progress marches on, and all carriers are redeploying their spectrum. In the next year or so, phones that don't have LTE are going to start losing network connectivity, because they're going to be refarming everything to LTE, including 2G frequencies (CDMA and GSM). It isn't just T-Mobile, but every carrier in the US and Europe are working on it, and others will follow. BBOS phones have had their day in the sun, but they are quickly becoming obsolete (or have been for a while, from most people's perspective).

Don't expect T-Mo to cry too much over this.

And I still haven't gotten any official word from them and I'm a customer. That's to show you that they don't give a **** about BlackBerry.

TMO  Z10,STL100-3/10.2.1.2156