[Mikepraba]

Hi All, I was reading some postings on why Carriers hate wi-fi? BB 880 and E-61 both initially had built in WI-FI but due to the pressure from North american carriers. Is that mean, If am able to purchase one from Europe would it be a WI-FI model? If you get a wi-fil built in model, you dont have to shell out so much data fee to these big companies like Singular, T-mo and Rogers.

[JSanders]

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

The current 8800 doesn't have WiFi, so until a BB model comes out with built-in WiFi, it is all a hypothetical question of what "carriers" or "careers" might offer with WiFi capability. So, hypothetically speaking, if you bought a WiFi BB in Europe and brought it to North America, it might work. But you'd still need a BB Data Plan to receive "push" email from the RIM network, hypothetically speaking.

[takeshi]

8800 does not and will not have WiFi. An "8800 with WiFi" is an 8820. Blackberries with different features have different model numbers.

If your European carrier offers the 8820 it will have WiFi. If only the 8800 is offered it will not have WiFi.

[Berry One]

Originally Posted by Mikepraba

If you get a wi-fil built in model, you dont have to shell out so much data fee to these big companies like Singular, T-mo and Rogers.

I would not count on it.

[SchmutzBerry]

Originally Posted by Berry One

I would not count on it.

why?
if the evil empire Ted Rogers built had a truly unlimited data plan (not 25 mb, and no, not 200 mb), like most American carriers, i wouldn't see the need for Wifi, as much.
i don't think the telcos have as much control as you might think by the way. the iPhone is coming, with built in wifi, and that will drive features as well.

[Berry One]

WiFi is data transport. Just like GPRS. There are many GPRS phones out there but you still need blackberry data plan to use GPRS blackberry to full extent.

Did anyone (Rogers, T-Mo, Cingular, RIM) state that blackberry data plan will not be necessary for WiFi blackberry?

[Perfect Storm]

Originally Posted by SchmutzBerry

why?
if the evil empire Ted Rogers built had a truly unlimited data plan (not 25 mb, and no, not 200 mb), like most American carriers, i wouldn't see the need for Wifi, as much.
i don't think the telcos have as much control as you might think by the way. the iPhone is coming, with built in wifi, and that will drive features as well.

You're joking right? Carriers decide what devices will reach the masses. They have a HUGE amount of control. If carriers don't want to carry a device due to it's features or any other factor, it doesn't see the light of day (aside from the minority who will bring it over unlocked) on their network.

Carriers are not adopting wifi devices because it cuts into their bottom line. With UMA/GAN implementations they can remedy this by still charging for usage over wifi. I can almost guarantee that RIM won't be releasing a device that doesn't make use of this. why? Because the carriers decide what they want. Not to mention that the push functionality would be useless on a non GAN device.

Finally, you can complain all you want about rogers but it aint gonna change. Yea, it sucks, I agree. But take a second to think that Canada is the second largest country in the world, but we've only got 1/10th the US population to fill it. There's no way rogers could provide as broad a coverage as they do and charge US level prices for service. They'd be out of business in a week! So before you jump on the ted rogers bashing bandwagon, consider that this country is not in the same situation as the US.

[jvloyola]

If the 8800 initially was going to have wi-fi could it be possible to use uSD card for this? what about the drivers?

Vinny

[JSanders]

Originally Posted by jvloyola

If the 8800 initially was going to have wi-fi could it be possible to use uSD card for this? what about the drivers?

Vinny

Nope. However, you are always welcome to try it and see... You might lead the way in doing it.