I am new to BBM, BlackBerry AND smartphones, question re WiFi only and BBM on Z10
 

I have turned off my Data as I have a low data plan from Bell, and since I am new to smartphones, BlackBerry and BBM, I am not sure if BBM works on WiFi only. Our house has WiFi for the computers and my new Z10 picks it up fine. My daughter who is a Z10 user in another city tells me she got my BBM messages [in text of course] which I sent last night with WiFi only on, Data off.

But I haven't carried out yet with her yet a session with data off. I was starting a BBM session with video available with her when a warning came on this morning that my Data was on, as I had turned it on experimentally...

Re: I am new to BBM, BlackBerry AND smartphones, question re WiFi only and BBM on Z10
 

BBM is data and requires data to be on. Typically a BB, when connected to WiFi, will send data via that route rather than through your carrier's cell plan.

To ensure you are not using your carrier dataplan, you would need to turn cell services off, not data.

Re: I am new to BBM, BlackBerry AND smartphones, question re WiFi only and BBM on Z10
 

Could we go through this again? If I turn "Mobile Network" off, then I can't get a phone call, I would think. It's listed in the Network Connections info box along with "Data Services". If I turn "Data Services" on, then as long as "Mobile Network" is turned on, I can use the phone as a phone AND use the Internet and presumably BBM. If I turn "Data Services" off, leave the mobile network on so I could get a phone call, but connect to "WiFi" which is our house wifi service for the computers, then presumably I can use BBM, but that's what I'm trying to clarify. I need to clarify this so that I don't use up too much of my data plan.

Re: I am new to BBM, BlackBerry AND smartphones, question re WiFi only and BBM on Z10
 

But did you also read this "Typically a BB, when connected to WiFi, will send data via that route rather than through your carrier's cell plan".

If you turn data services off, you cannot use WiFi for data - i.e. no email, no BBM, etc. since those use data.

You are correct in that if you turns network services off, you will lose phone capability and all services related to that, but you should be able to access data using WiFI.

Re: I am new to BBM, BlackBerry AND smartphones, question re WiFi only and BBM on Z10
 

DubDub is trying to insure you understand the potential with what your doing. If you do not insure you are only using WIFI you stand the chance of a big data over charge bill.
And Carriers LOVE that.

Re: I am new to BBM, BlackBerry AND smartphones, question re WiFi only and BBM on Z10
 

I am using a Z10 right now with no SIM card in it. Only WiFi. Obviously Cell Phone service is disabled. BBM works fine, but make sure that the cell is disabled.

Re: I am new to BBM, BlackBerry AND smartphones, question re WiFi only and BBM on Z10
 

There is a fundamental lack of understanding on my part, I believe. I thought I understood that when "Mobile Network" is ON, I could text and phone... If it's "Off" I could not text or phone.

And that when "Data Services", a separate box to enable, is turned OFF, the more expensive data plan is not accessed for internet and, possibly, BBM [not sure about whether BBM is picked up on normal cell phone side or data side... or also carried by free WiFi.] Turnng off "Data Services" has not disabled my access to the Internet while I have a live connection to the house WiFi.

A separate control box is on the Z10 screen for WiFi, obviously that is the free WiFi or the password-enabled WiFi we have in our house for computers...

What I can't still understand from the above posts is why you are suggesting turning the whole "Mobile Network" off [thus disabling phone calls and texts, I assume] and that my turning off the "Data Services" will not be sufficient to protect against over-use on my part of my data/internet plan, costwise. Are you just warning me to be super cautious in case the carrier does charge me, or are you speaking from familiarity with the "WiFi" connection versus the "Data Services" connection. I am assuming here that yes, Data is the same as WiFi but that it is considered the chargeable service provided by the carrier, so that if it is turned off, the WiFi [a separate box] connection will suffice and will not incur charges on my plan. How can I explain myself, sorry.

I believe I used the BBM service with my "Data Services" turned Off, and that it used the WiFi connection we have here in the house which I have connected the Z10 to...

Re: I am new to BBM, BlackBerry AND smartphones, question re WiFi only and BBM on Z10
 

Blackberrys prior to the Z10 needed a special BlackBerry data plan in order for BBM, email, browser, etc to work. They wouldn't work over WiFi. As far as I am aware, that is not the case with the z10. If you disable your Data Services and just use WiFi, you should not be billed for using data.

I am sure someone more familiar with the z10 will correct me if I am wrong. Like you, I am new to the z10 as well as I just started using one this past week.

Re: I am new to BBM, BlackBerry AND smartphones, question re WiFi only and BBM on Z10
 

Well, clarified I hope through my Bell store: when my Z10 is connected at home to our household WiFi [for our computers... from our local cable company and distributed around the house by our own router] and "Data Services" on the Z10 is off, I can use BBM and the Web... "Data Services" as seen on my Z10's settings menu is part of the carrier network basket of services [Bell] I'm paying for as part of my cell plan, and turning that off to save $ is not going to affect my WiFi connection, it's there regardless. Probably and apparently my phone uses the WiFi first if it is available but they were a little fuzzy on that one, so to be sure I turn off the Data Services portion of the Network Connections box... and Airplane Mode is when all incoming services are turned off and the user is only able to access anything stored on the phone... keeping On the "Mobile Network" will allow phoning and texting, and keeping off "Data Services" will keep strictly data charges from being incurred while my Z10 uses the WiFi here available at home... so if that does not jibe with your understanding, I'd be interested to know. Too much confusion around all of this.

If a Moderator wants this put into another Thread or forum, fine... thanks for your comments above but I think I now have the scripture understood from on high -- would you agree?

Re: I am new to BBM, BlackBerry AND smartphones, question re WiFi only and BBM on Z10
 

Some additional information:

The BlackBerry should use wifi instead of the mobile network when wifi is enabled. It doesn't sometimes, according to some users.

On pre-10 models, users who wanted to be sure any and all data went over wifi were advised to turn off mobile network. Disabling data and leaving mobile network on was not the solution for this concern because disabling data turned off ALL data, even wifi. Users who have wifi calling or UMA will still have voice when mobile network is disabled.

The OS 10 model allows mobile data to be disabled while leaving mobile network voice and wifi enabled. I don't personally know the magnitude of mobile network data use when there is a wifi connection, but if it is a concern the safest bet is to disable data in the mobile network settings.