[The Sand]

Since I am now on the xxx8220;BESxxx8221; plan itxxx8217;s $250 dollars to ask RIM a question. Only for personal BIS accounts is the fee $49. So the person who answered the phone put me on hold and tried to find out what he could. In the end he didnxxx8217;t have an answer, he just kept repeating, xxx8220;the BES has encryptionxxx8221; which I already knew. I know itxxx8217;s up to the device (more specifically the user of the device) to select the use of SSL, I selected it personally for everything I have put the hosted exchange account through so far. I hope BB, when prompted for that question, answered it the way I wanted them to.

To get the BES cost me $15 more monthly from AT&T and about $5 more as an add-on for hosted exchange ($20. Monthly) If you have a household of Blackberryxxx8217;s this could add up quick. To put hosted exchange through my other smartphones cost me - nothing. Add to this the ability to now use Hotmail and Google as exchange accounts through some of these other smartphones giving the consumer a full sync for contacts/calendar and push email xxx8211; all with a protected SSL connection. RIM will have to think about this, itxxx8217;s hard to compete with xxx8220;free.xxx8221; Why should I have to pay and use the BES just to get basic SSL and contact/calendar sync??? Which is all I am really after, I donxxx8217;t need some xxx8220;governmentxxx8221; level lock down that the BES provides.

But if you like BB that is what you will have to doxxx8230; and I will do it because I am a fan, I have an established relationship with BB xxx8211; that is why I am willing to pay that. If RIM wants new users, they are going to have to do something to change this.