[kufire]

Hello everyone,
I just want to start off by saying that I'm totally new to BlackBerry service. I'm coming from an AT&T Treo 750. I live in New York.

I've been researching for two days now and can't seem to wrap my head around all of this stuff. I was inspired to switch to BB because of the Bold. I had a rather dreamy ideal about getting a Bold, but then reality hit me. I'm confused as heck.

Right now, I'm paying $40 for my AT&T voice plan and $40 for unlimited data usage (email/web) and 1500 text messages. I am using the Palm Treo 750 with Windows Mobile 6. In order to get my emails pushed to me, I am using a $5/mo. Microsoft Exchange 2007 account. So altogether, I am paying $45 on the data side (not including voice). What do I get from this $85 setup?
- Push email (instantly delivered on each and every single piece of mail)
- The ability to send mail using my own domain name (i.e. it shows [email protected], NOT [email protected])
- Perfect synchronization between Microsoft Outlook on my desktop and my Treo. This includes email, contacts, tasks, and calendar.

It appears to me that if I were to switch from my current Windows Mobile based setup to a Blackberry setup, and retain all of the functionality, I would have to do the following:
- Sign up for BES (because BIS is strictly email). Signing up for a BES account would mean signing up for a Microsoft Exchange account and then adding a BES package on it.
- Sign up for BES on T-Mobile for $70
- Buy the BlackBerry Bold

My problem is that the Microsoft Exchange hosting plans I see, the ones with BES offered, cost something like $13, and then $10 for the BES, coming out to $23 a month. This is in addition to my T-Mobile service. That means it comes out to $93 a month, as opposed to $85. I am paying a $8 premium to use BlackBerry.

Are there any mistakes in my logic? Anything that needs correction?

My big question is: If I use BES, will everything be synchronized with my desktop PERFECTLY, silky smooth the way it does with Microsoft Exchange/Outlook?

I think I can live without the calendar/contacts synchronization if BES isn't the best experience. Now, my question about BIS: exactly what happens when I order BIS from T-Mobile (only $60, a $25/mo. savings)? I get the idea that you get to set up your blackberry.net email address via your BlackBerry device.

Another question: can I purchase a BlackBerry Bold on eBay or whatever, insert my existing T-Mo SIM card, and then add the $20 BlackBerry Unlimited Add-on? I may not want to start a new 2-year contract.

Thank you everyone for any input, I look forward to joining the CrackBerry family!

[sunkast]

BES is only if your company has a BES server. It would do no good to sign up for a BES plan when there is no BES server to connect to at your company.

[Duvi]

Welcome to the cB family!

[kufire]

Thanks Jayden!

sunkast, I have seen a number of companies offering a hosted BES account for individuals. I can't post links yet, so simply google blackberry enterprise server hosting account. Perhaps I have not understood you correctly?

I am looking for a cheap BES service provider if you guys have any recommendations.

After some further discussion with my colleagues, I've made some decisions. Because we can join a family plan and share a pool of minutes, I can afford to get the T-Mobile BlackBerry Unlimited w/ Enterprise Email plan (at $30). The only issue now is finding the cheapest BES provider.

I still have questions and concerns unaddressed as listed above and some new ones, but in short, here they are:

- Can I use the data connection on T-Mobile while using an unlocked AT&T BlackBerry? I ask this because I couldn't access the internet on my unlocked AT&T Treo 750 on the TMo network.

- If I use BES, will everything be synchronized with my desktop PERFECTLY, silky smooth the way it does with Microsoft Exchange/Outlook?

- Can I set up an outgoing email alias? For example, [email protected] instead of [email protected]

- What is the difference between buying a BlackBerry directly from T-Mobile and bringing one I purchased elsewhere onto an existing line? Will the setup for BIS/BES be any different? I ask this because I want to avoid any set up snafus. I don't want to buy a BlackBerry off eBay and then find out that I needed to get it through TMo due to intial BIS/BES setup issues.

Thanks again!

[crackers]

If I use BES, will everything be synchronized with my desktop PERFECTLY, silky smooth the way it does with Microsoft Exchange/Outlook?


Yes, that's the idea behind BES.

Can I set up an outgoing email alias? For example, [email protected] instead of [email protected]


In your example, [email protected] is a hosted Exchange email account which goes through a hosted BES server, and [email protected] is a BIS email account provided by BlackBerry.

Once both services are enabled on the device, you can choose which service you want to use for each outgoing message.

Additionally, note that with BIS service, you typically can set up more email accounts (may depend on carrier?), either with the usual webmail service providers, or with a standard POP mail provider. Each BIS email account is enabled on the device as an additional service, so again you can choose which service you want to use for outgoing email messages. There are some subtle differences between BIS message delivery depending on your email service provider, as noted at na.blackberry.com/eng/services/internet/email.jsp