[PINSTRESS]

Can someone comment on the benefits of pin to pin communication over other methods such SMS text?
Does pin to pin provide any incemental reliability in today's world?

[JSanders]

PIN to PIN is over the RIM network, and is pretty much instantaneous. I don't know that there is any more benefit from it over SMS to SMS, though.

[penguin3107]

+ PIN to PIN uses data from your BB data plan, so you don't get charged per message.
+ PIN to PIN offers delivery confirmation.
+ PIN to PIN is encrypted messaging.

- PIN to PIN only works between BlackBerry devices, whereas SMS will typically work for any device.

[PINSTRESS]

Thanks for the replies
If I am in a city that has a specific crisis event and the wireless communication infrastructure is either down or saturated with traffic, does pin to pin provide a different communication path over SMS text?

[RadHaz75]

- PIN to PIN is device specific, so if you change devices you have to alert all of your friends of your new device, as opposed to SMS which works via your phone number.

I have a device here on my desk that some idiot keeps pinning not knowing the dude got a new unit. You'd think he'd get it after i didn't respond to his first 5 messages. He's been pinning it for over 3 weeks now.

[penguin3107]

Originally Posted by PINSTRESS

Thanks for the replies
If I am in a city that has a specific crisis event and the wireless communication infrastructure is either down or saturated with traffic, does pin to pin provide a different communication path over SMS text?

Yes. PIN to PIN uses an entirely different network than SMS messaging.

However.... that doesn't make it any more reliable.
PIN messaging uses the carrier's data network to get to RIM's network.
If the carrier network goes down... so does PIN messaging.

[TroyDBrown]

Originally Posted by PINSTRESS

Thanks for the replies
If I am in a city that has a specific crisis event and the wireless communication infrastructure is either down or saturated with traffic, does pin to pin provide a different communication path over SMS text?

No, you are still using your carrier to transmit the data to RIMs network. If your carriers SMS transport was down and data still worked you could potentially have this additional path.

[Gbcue]

If BB is down, which seems like it is quite often now, your PIN messages won't work.

[penguin3107]

Originally Posted by Gbcue

If BB is down, which seems like it is quite often now, your PIN messages won't work.

Har Har Har

[wabbit]

btw you can also email a pin? i only thought it was for bbim ... silly me :/

[takeshi]

Originally Posted by penguin3107

Yes. PIN to PIN uses an entirely different network than SMS messaging.

However.... that doesn't make it any more reliable.

It's definitely more reliable in my experience. I've never had a PIN message disappear into the ether like SMS does sometimes. Yes, some carriers support delivery receipts but PIN has delivery and read (IIRC) built in and it works well regardless of your carrier.

I always use PIN if at all possible but not everyone has seen the light.

Originally Posted by Gbcue

If BB is down, which seems like it is quite often now, your PIN messages won't work.

If RIM's network goes down, yes. If your Exchange or BES server goes down it's good to have PIN messaging as a backup.

Originally Posted by penguin3107

+ PIN to PIN uses data from your BB data plan, so you don't get charged per message.

A big plus in some cases. My ex and I used BBM all the time to keep in touch while she was traveling internationally. Aside from the international BB data plan, no charge for any of those long, long discussions from the US to Australia to Taiwan to Bali, etc.

[Sith_Apprentice]

PIN to PIN is secure, instant, data, and to any blackberry or BB Connect enabled device in the world, any time. You can also send voice notes, images, and contact cards via PIN to blackberries and you do not need a messaging plan.