T-Mobile Shiver 8900

Perhaps I'm overreacting. Given how mobile operators conduct business, I have a hard time not jumping fast in this situation.

Last Saturday, I purchased a shiney new 8900 curve to replace an aging Dash. I had been using it successfully to work with my exchange server. Not wishing to wait for a 3G device, I jumped for the 8900. I wanted to drive the 8900 using both "enterprise" webmail and "internet email". I started with "manage internet email" and everything was fine even though the reconcile function really didn't. I then installed "Blackberry Professional" software on the exchange server and the 8900 went through the "activation" process successfully. Since I had only 14 days to "try out" the device, I continued to exercise the phone with different email accounts and I began to have error messages while trying to access the "manage internet email" icon function on the phone. When the error messages flipped to spanish, I removed all other languages except english. The error messages continued to be in spanish. So I wiped the phone and re-authenticated with the enterprise connection on the exchange server. At that point, I could no longer send any email. The 8900 simply reported "unable to send message". I checked the logs on within the Blackberry software on the exchange server which reported 'unable to execute XML script'. I wiped the 8900 one last time and when I tried to "manage internet email", I was treated to an advertisement for a Suzuki SUV. When I called T-Mobile, the representative said, "Wow, that is the first time I have heard THAT one."

I am 7 days into my trial. I wiped the phone, put my sim card back into the Dash, and am returning the 8900. I'm very disappointed with T-Mobile. I am not an expert on Blackberry devices but I told the rep that I really felt that it was their network that was the problem. I just don't feel that I can afford to risk having a defective device vs T-Mobile rolling a network breakdown.

The 8900 is really quite an attractive phone. Sigh.