[Baylink]

I'm waiting for my new used 7100i to arrive, and prowling around Nextel's Blackberry pages, wherein they *do* say (as the person I called to ask today how the switchover would go *completely* failed to mention) that the BB data plan is required...

and several questions came to mind, which current Nextel subscribers/administrators can probably answer:

Number one on the list, of course, is "what is BIS, what can't you do if you don't buy it, and how much does it cost that they won't admit to its price on the website?"

I sort of infer that it's a hosted BES for onesey-twosey customers, but I'd be willing to be wrong on that.

But can I really not pull POPmail if I don't subscribe to it?

(Note that I *have* used the seach button -- even though it's color contrast with the menu bar makes it almost unlocatable, and I've also read Mark's FAQs ... ok, most of them :-) -- and this is not a question I found an answer to.)

Companion questions include: will text-only MMS messages make it through to SMS-only phones, will the phone send MMS replies to incoming SMS messages (or does Nextel still offer the NetAlert style proxied SMS on their WAP site?), does the BB Data plan include the SMS/MMS stuff, or do you have to pony for yet *another* flat rate plan, and what about Naomi?

ISTM that there's room for a sticky thread here somewhere itemizing *exactly* what services are included in each carrier's various flat-rate plans (though I realize that would be a bear to keep up)...

Any Nextelians got any hard answers?

[finch]

No BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service) no data, email, web, apps etc. period. You'll have a phone that does SMS. Note as a Nextel customer if you use a BlackBerry on the Nextel network they will add the data plan for you as they require BlackBerry users to have a BlackBerry Data Plan.

[Baylink]

those things are true if you don't get the *BlackBerry Data Plan*. The BlackBerry Internet Service appears to be a separate thing. No?

[finch]

Yes their both the same thing, different terms.

[EricaJ1074]

Yes they are the same thing that allow you to use more than the phone and SMS.

The Unlimited Data allows you to surf the internet and send and receive email without being charged an arm and a leg for each kb of data u use, or how much email you send.

The BIS enables you to set up accounts such as Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail, etc to integrate with the BB. It is a service that you set up either on your BlackBerry or on a PC by going to your carrier's website and selecting "Set Up Internet Email."

When you set it up, it will ask you for any addresses you want to receive email from, on your BB. It will also ask you to set up an email address directly to your BB which will end with "@nextel.blackberry.net." Also, with the new version (don't be freaked out by this when you see it on your BB home screen), you will see email icons for each account that delivers mail to your BB.

You can hide all of the extra icons by clicking on the envelopes with the trackwheel and the ALT button (below the ZX key) and selecting "Hide Application." Your messages will still come to your "Messages" inbox icon. You will have options to delete the email from the handheld only, or from the handheld and appropriate email inbox on your pc. Unless you want to keep a copy of the email on your PC, choose the "Delete from Mailbox and Handheld" option.

One fun feature of the BlackBerry Internet Service is the option to set up a signature that is sent out with your email messages. This allows you to attach any type of message you want at the end of your messages, like an address or something on a business card (for corporate users). I've seen some really funny signatures on here (can't remember where that thread is) but the standard BB signature is "Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld" or something like that.

Hope this helps.

[Baylink]

but this page:

/en/solutions/blackberry/index.shtml?id8=blackberry

which is at Nextel's website, even though the forum software is being fairly single-minded about not letting me post it...

links them to two different explanatory pages...

and notes that the Data Plan is a *prereq* for BIS.

This suggests they're *not*, in fact, the same thing.

(Ok, now I *am* Senator Crankypants. Damned forum software.)

[EricaJ1074]

New members can't post links until they have posted 10 messages.

[Baylink]

I won't comment on the presumption of assuming that the 10th message you've posted on someone's forum is the 10th message you've ever posted anywhere.

[gdpmumin]

No, they're two different things. You need to sign-up for a BlackBerry data plan (think of it as your BlackBerry's ISP; not exactly equivalent but close enough for explanation purposes) before you can have access to BIS. And with Nextel (and most other carriers) if you use a BB, you don't have a choice as to whether or not you pay for the BB data plan; you're going to be paying for it. But if you don't proactively sign up for it, they're likely to sign you up on a charge-per-kilobyte basis and you could end up taking out another mortgage on your house.

[wlong995]

Originally Posted by finch

Nextel network they will add the data plan for you as they require BlackBerry users to have a BlackBerry Data Plan.

That's not true. I used my 7520 on nextel for two months before I called and added the data plan. Now, I definately wouldn't be without it.

When you get the data plan, you automatically have access to BIS. It's just a way to get email to your Blackberry without a BES.

[gdpmumin]

Wirelessly posted (VZW 7130e: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0) BlackBerry7130e/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Originally Posted by wlong995

That's not true. I used my 7520 on nextel for two months before I called and added the data plan. Now, I definately wouldn't be without it.

When you get the data plan, you automatically have access to BIS. It's just a way to get email to your Blackberry without a BES.

I would say you got lucky and slipped under the radar. There's no official way to get by without a data plan with Nextel.

[finch]

Reality is this, if you want to you use the web, email, third party data apps etc. with your BB you need a BlackBerry Data Plan or BIS service (Whatever your carrier calls it?) No other option or way around it. If not you've got yourself a really pretty phone that does SMS and syncs with Outlook.

[Baylink]

Originally Posted by gdpmumin

No, they're two different things. You need to sign-up for a BlackBerry data plan (think of it as your BlackBerry's ISP; not exactly equivalent but close enough for explanation purposes) before you can have access to BIS. And with Nextel (and most other carriers) if you use a BB, you don't have a choice as to whether or not you pay for the BB data plan; you're going to be paying for it. But if you don't proactively sign up for it, they're likely to sign you up on a charge-per-kilobyte basis and you could end up taking out another mortgage on your house.

Ok. *That* seems to square with what their webpages (referenced above, and which finch doesn't seem to be reading . Nextel's pages, as I noted, say that the BBDP and BIS are *different things*, and that you need BBDP to get BIS.

But they quote BBDP at $50 a month, unlimited, and about BIS, they say "call us for a price". That usually means "or, don't bother, because you don't want to sell your car. But since the marketing for BBDP implies that it includes email service, and that's also about all the page for BIS says *it* provides, you can understand why I'm confused.

I'm going to call Nextel, now that it's not midnight , and I don't expect to get any less confused.

Oh, and the UPS truck left at 8:43am.

[Baylink]

I can't really call it an authoritative answer, since (as per usual) the *sales force* doesn't seem to really understand what they're selling...

Nextel currently offers 3 BB Data Plans:

$50 'unlimited' - this *includes* BIS, which is what provides the "10 email boxes" thing and the Blackberry browser in addition to the Nextel Online WAP browser.

$40 5MB mail/web - this also includes BIS (2.0, they say), but limits you to 5MB/mon; overage rate unspecified.

They've also apparently got a $25/mon plan, which is also 5MB, and I believe includes email, but not the Blackberry browser -- only NOL (which is, actually, pretty handy by itself; I've lived with it on my i730 quite happily for 2 years, and my i95 another year before that).

Their website is the culprit, for two reasons: it fails to explain that BIS is included in the upper 2 BBDPs, and it implies that you can buy BIS separately -- which there would be no reason to do, since it's bundled in the BBDP.

So, there you have it: yes, the $50 BBDP *does* include BIS (2.0).

[gdpmumin]

If I had to guess, that $50 will drop to about $45 if you also have a voice plan. The price listed on their website is the maximum price. That's the way they used to do it; I assume they still list it that way. Verizon does the same thing. Advertise a $50 data plan, but only charge $45 if you have a voice plan.

No, you can't buy BIS access separately. It comes with the data plan. Too, when they explain that the $25 plan doesn't include BlackBerry Browser, be sure they're not talking about the data plan for regular PDA phones. PDA phone data plans and BB data plans are two different animals. I wouldn't think (but I could be wrong) that RIM would allow Nextel to offer a data plan without access to the standard BlackBerry stuff.

And no question about it: don't even consider the 5mb plan. "Don't stare directly at the light."

[OldTimer]

I have had my BB about 3 weeks now. Started with the basic no email plan for $25 a month, 5mb limit. It has the nextel wap browser only and if you DL any ring tones you are eating into that limit.

Just went up to the $39.99 unlimited plan and now have an internet browser icon which is html, email from nextel or anyone else you want. Also you can use BBlocal for maps, MMS and no worry on DLing ringtones, themes etc.

[Baylink]

You say 'the $39.99 unlimited plan'.

Are you getting a bundle discount or something? Or did you mean 'the $39.99 5MB plan'? Or maybe 'the $49.99 unlimited plan'?

[luriadotcom]

for me, the unlimited is 39.99 but thats due to my corporate discount.