[dkallman]

So I got a new curve a few days ago and I thought I'd be able to use all the applications - IM+ for skype, gmail, maps, etc... using my wifi connection. However, none of them seemed to be working on WiFi and I know china mobile doesn't have any blackberry services for individuals. After explaining my problem to the shady street vendor i bought it from, he told me how to get my curve to use china mobile's edge network. To set up GPRS data in china on china mobile, go to:

options --> advanced --> TCP

Then, in the top field, AMS, simply type "cmnet" (without quotes)

I had to take out the battery and restart, but once it came back up, I could use all these applications over the edge network - which is slow but usable. I saw a bunch of people having similar problems bringing their blackberries to china, so i hope this is helpful.

As far as data price is concerned - the seller told me China Mobile only charges 1 RMB a day, which, if is true, would be outstanding. I use prepay with a monthly access charge that's automatically deducted, but fees for minutes and messages are deducted immediately after usage. To test the fees, I checked my balance, loaded a google map (450kb or so) and then checked my balance again and it hadn't decreased at all. The only other way they could hit me with a big charge is if the data is added on in my typical monthly fee, which isn't due for another 3 weeks. So, i'll try to use data sparingly this month, see if I get a fee, and then report back.

Should it really only be 1 rmb a day then this would be a good solution for all using blackberries in China. If anyone else can confirm/deny about how China Mobile will bill for data, please let me know! Thanks.

[dkallman]

Ok, I just got back from China Mobile and got the full story on how it works.

There are two things you can enter into: options --> advanced --> TCP --> AMS. If you enter cmwap, only wap programs will work (like the blackberry browser). if you enter cmnet, everything should work. I currently have google maps, gmail, and IM+ for Skype all loaded and working over EDGE using the "cmnet" setting.

There are two ways to pay - you can sign up for a data package, or you can have it deducted from your balance as you use it, which usually has a 1-2 day delay in hitting your account (which is why my adventure on google maps hasn't been deducted yet)

The rates are as follows for a Regional Roaming (动感地带） SIM Card:

1 yuan a day - 5mb wap data, 1 yuan/mb for each additional mb
15 yuan a month - 100 mb wap data, 1 yuan/mb for each additional mb
40 yuan a month - 300 mb wap data, 1 yuan/mb for each additional mb
80 yuan a month - 500 mb wap data, 1 yuan/mb for each additional mb
100 yuan a month - 1gb data, includes cmwap and cmnet, 1 yuan/mb for each additional mb
200 yuan a month - 2gb data, includes cmwap and cmnet, 1 yuan/mb for each additional mb

All cmnet (non wap) data is 1 yuan per mb unless you have the 100 yuan/month or above data package, which includes cmnet and cmwap! If you don't sign up for a plan I'm assuming it'll automatically do the daily plan once you start using wap services. All plans have a 5gb, 500 yuan monthly maximum. I'm not sure if it's possible to exceed the billing limit if you only have a cmwap plan and use large amounts of cmnet data.

National roaming (神州行）SIM Card:
Same as regional card except the daily wap package is 2 yuan a day

Global roaming (全球通) SIM Card
Same as regional card except there's no daily package, rates just start at 1 yuan/mb if you don't have a package.

Also, according to their brochure, data plans do not distinguish location. The original text is "以上套餐自2008年1月3日起实施， 流量不分省内，省外，台港澳及国际漫游费用另计"
Now, my Chinese isn't perfect, but this should translate as: "The above packages, starting on 1/3/2008, do not separate in-province, out-of-province, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and International roaming data transfer fees. Maybe someone more fluent than I could double check.

Hope this helps and that you can now use data services on your Blackberry in China confidently.

[home2nest]

Hi,

Just wondering whether you eventually got your 8320's Wi-Fi to work in China? Also, what's the going rate for the 8320 in the "shady" market?

Lastly, can your 8320 read & write Chinese SMS and emails (on the gmail app)?

If the wifi somehow does not work, it seems I might as well go for the "official" 8700 from China Mobile as I'd then have a valid warranty on it.

.....plan on using it for voice & the gmail app, not push email (to avoid the charges and also cause I'm told users must have a compatible server for push to work - another words, it's not geared towards private or SME's users without the infrastructure)

Thanks

[lawrence]

So you're technically NOT connecting through RIMs BB servers, am I right? Did you get Push email, or blackberry messenger, or the web browser to work?

I've been looking for a consumer blackberry solution in china - thanks for your help!

[jerjer]

I am in Guangzhou, i am also looking for BB solutions in China.

I have found that there are couple of Local China BES hosting company, I have contacted with one of them. They offer me for the hosting fee to be 100RMB/month, upfront payment for a year. Plus you have to have to be a Global roaming (全球通) user, and the Global roaming BB data plans starts at 348RMB.. Different province have different promotions.... Right now I am just waiting for the Bold (dont know why , 3G isn't even here in China....) There are also other push mail solutions, China mobile have GPRS push mail (I heard is not real push mail).. theres also different push mail provider, but didnt have time to check those out yet.

[dkallman]

Just to respond to some of the previous comments:

Yes - WiFi works fine, though it seems some WiFi apps require minimal amounts of data to work. As an example, I can connect to open WiFi in the mainland, where my SIM card works, but if I go to Hong Kong even if I can connect to WiFi a lot of my apps don't work.

Shady market price, in June, was 2500 RMB for a Curve 8320 (with a little bargaining, of course). That's for an entirely OEM one, BB battery, and everything real. There are some with some parts swapped for about 1500-1600, but you're probably better off avoiding those. Just make sure to check under the battery cover for matching serial numbers on everything before you hand over your cash.

It's possible to install Chinese language support on a BB. I'm not quite sure how to do this, mine already came with Chinese and English installed.

No - I'm not using BB's servers in any way. Unless it changed very recently, there's only BES in China, no BIS.

[lawrence]

What about getting BIS service from a hong kong provider and then roaming in china? Does this sound feasible, and what would the costs be?

[justcharlie]

thanks for the tip, I'll give this a shot. I got a pearl 8120 recently and noticed that push email hasn't been working! hope there's a fix for this. I'm on china mobile (动感地带) as well.

[thegoblinprince]

Dude, I wouldn't be sending ANY sensitive data through China's data networks. =) But that's just me. Enjoy your trip.

[jeaton]

I recently upgraded from my BB 8800 to a new T-Mobile BB9000 and its a wonderful phone but for some reason my internet access is now limited. I put my china mobile M-Zone sim back into my 8800 and everything works great. The Bold cannot use its built in browser to connect to any pages. All my settings are the same as my 8800 so i just don't understand whats going on. Anyone on here have any ideas?

[crproject]

Hi there, I tried CMNET and it worked fine. I had CMWAP in there before and only my browser was working. Unfortunately I still can't get any service from Google Talk or Live Messenger.

Thanks very much for the info!

[shaper2005]

Sorry I am just a dumby my 8320 at the tcp first line says apn:wap.cingular where do I enter cmnet. I have nothing that says ams anywhere. Just wap@cingulargrpscom and a password for apn. I just bought mine last week and payed 2000 rmb and it seems real to me. Thanks

[IceTrace]

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[Terr]

Thanks for the useful info, dkallman.

Unfortunately I'm having issues with connecting to CMNET despite your advice. I'm running an unlocked 8320 from UK's Orange network. They charge through the roof for int'l roaming so I purchased a China Mobile M-Zone card earlier this week. It's been about 4 days now and I've been calling 10086 constantly about this issue but no one seems to even be able to distinguish the difference between CMWAP and CMNET.

I need to use BBM and access full internet. But my BB browser is currently displaying 'Monternet' at the top, so I'm pretty sure I'm not running CMNET although the 10086 people insist I am. Furthermore, I can't access any of my apps, gtalk, bbm, gmaps etc. I've never received GPRS, only edge lower case. I pay an extra 5 yuan per month for 50M of internet access. Am I using the wrong package? Anyone got any ideas?

My APN is set to cmnet. Left the username and password empty. Pulled battery after changing the APN. Nothing.

HELP!

[vula]

same things happens to me... already change the APN to CMNET but my yahoo messenger, live messenger, opera mini can not work. Anyone can help us..please

[Alexmam]

Dude, I wouldn't be sending ANY sensitive data through China's data networks. =) But that's just me. Enjoy your trip.

haha! why is that?

[Alexmam]

Shady market price, in June, was 2500 RMB for a Curve 8320 (with a little bargaining, of course).

I just got my OEM Bold in Beijing for 430USD. It comes from Canada)))

Wifi, EDGE work fine. Can not connect to some networks due to their security settings.

[robinloh79]

I am using BOLD not and I was told my China Mobile BB person that China currently we can only tight up with one email account and not allow to use multiple additional emails that suppose we are able to use up to 10 email accounts together which is the function of BIS.

I paid RMB398/month for the BB service and it showed EDGE in capital on top right. I can use my MSN messanger, bbm But with without BIS i do not think it's worth it.

Any idea?

[yojosefo]

I am using BOLD not and I was told my China Mobile BB person that China currently we can only tight up with one email account and not allow to use multiple additional emails that suppose we are able to use up to 10 email accounts together which is the function of BIS.

I paid RMB398/month for the BB service and it showed EDGE in capital on top right. I can use my MSN messanger, bbm But with without BIS i do not think it's worth it.

Any idea?

Hey, where did you get the BES service!, been looking for it, but not in sale for single users... ;(

[esther5388]

Im from the UK and currently in China with my blackberry that Ive brought to the UK. Ive bought a China Mobile sim card with internet capacity but cant get my bbm or whatss app to work. Im quite hopeful to be able to use this as its a great means of connecting to family and friends back in the uk and quite essential for my first few weeks here in China whilst im settling down.

At the beginning you mention 'options - advanced - TCP'> where is this 'options'. Im not great at phones so I could really use some help here.

[esther5388]

ok ive found the options i was asking about but it mentions APN and not AMS. Can anyone please help.

[mtint]

Im from the UK and currently in China with my blackberry that Ive brought to the UK. Ive bought a China Mobile sim card with internet capacity but cant get my bbm or whatss app to work. Im quite hopeful to be able to use this as its a great means of connecting to family and friends back in the uk and quite essential for my first few weeks here in China whilst im settling down.

At the beginning you mention 'options - advanced - TCP'> where is this 'options'. Im not great at phones so I could really use some help here.

To get BBM to work need to subscribe to BIS. China mobile have two BIS Lite packages, which include BBM. The price is respectively 68 and 98 RMB per month for 30 or 50 MB BIS data.

[mtint]

ok ive found the options i was asking about but it mentions APN and not AMS. Can anyone please help.

Forget about AMS, just enter cmnet in the APN area.

[gigs373]

To get BBM to work need to subscribe to BIS. China mobile have two BIS Lite packages, which include BBM. The price is respectively 68 and 98 RMB per month for 30 or 50 MB BIS data.

How to apply?
Any sms instruction?

[mtint]

How to apply?
Any sms instruction?

Go to CM Store - many in every city

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com