[feedyourself]

[Mark Rejhon]

[WorldIRC]

[hnwosu]

I have been reading these post with the heated debate about MyBlue/Blackberry, and whether or not they are legal or not, and with all this being said I still have found no answer. So I decided to see if I can find it for myself. Well in no time at all MyBlackberry's website actually answered everybodies question themselves. I qoute...

Q. Why is your MyBlueBerry service so cheap, how can you afford to run it at $10.00/mo?

A. MyBlueBerry is an ISP as well as a Local Service Provider meaning we support numerous local companies with yearly support and maintenence contracts as well as WebHosting, WebDesign and Local Wireless Internet Access. With the income from these sources all of our overhead is easily covered. Some of our clients include local Country Clubs as well as Hospitals and Medical Practices. The funds required to run MyBlueBerry, as well as our other services are all obtained from these sources. Additionally we are a *NIX hosting company so there really are no major licensing fees since linux is a free OS. Additionally all MyBlueBerry front-end and back-end servers are UNIX based to aid is keeping costs low.

The licensing fees we incur for BES, and other related softare is made up primarily from our monthly MyBlueBerry fees we receive. These fees get turned around and put back into the service (with some additional funds from other services we provide) for software upgrades and additional user CALS. Additionally we do not host thousands of MyBlueBerry clients so licensing fees are not as costly as compared to bigger BES companies who have more to pay for.

MyBlueBerry was created to help people who wanted BES/MDS Service but was too costly for them or their company to purchase. MyBlueBerry was not created as a "Money Maker" as most think, it was basically a contribution to the BlackBerry Community to allow all BlackBerry users the enjoyment of BES/MDS..

MyBlueBerry currently has clients from Nextel, Microsoft, Intel, Scion and IBM as well as others.

Now you can also see this for yourself on their page at http://www.citynt.com/ in the third column, just click on the "cost analysis" link. Hopefully I am not the first to see this and this piece of information is simply a repost. Peace peoples.

[ScOObydoo]

Just gives me even more respect for Jamie and the work he is doing.

[Mark Rejhon]

Thanks for posting! Very interesting. Yes, running a rougly "breakeven" side business does make sense if there are other revenue streams that can sustain the business.

Note: In any event, hope this thread stays on topic....I would prefer it that nobody from any hosting service post in this thread to avoid flamebaiting the competition. Keep hosting service threads to Users, Consumers, Prosumers... Some earlier threads ended up being being somewhat controversial with competitors fighting over each other.

[cmeyer]

Is this the same type of service as Mailstreet.com? Just curious if I could get the same set up as i do with Mailstreet right now.

[CaptNblackberry]

Originally Posted by hnwosu

I have been reading these post with the heated debate about MyBlue/Blackberry, and whether or not they are legal or not, and with all this being said I still have found no answer. So I decided to see if I can find it for myself. Well in no time at all MyBlackberry's website actually answered everybodies question themselves. I qoute...

Now you can also see this for yourself on their page at http://www.citynt.com/ in the third column, just click on the "cost analysis" link. Hopefully I am not the first to see this and this piece of information is simply a repost. Peace peoples.

I read this post with interest and thought I would chime in. This is not a flame and not a recommendation of any BES hosting company. The following is just my observations as a businessman and I am not trying to get anyone upset. I just can't understand the logic/rationale of their FAQ.

I am going to stay on topic and not flame or mention anyone else, I just have a few questions as everyone is wondering how they can be so cheap. It seems that their answer, as contained in their FAQ, pasted above, is that:

"MyBlueBerry is an ISP as well as a Local Service Provider meaning we support numerous local companies with yearly support and maintenance contracts as well as WebHosting, WebDesign and Local Wireless Internet Access. With the income from these sources all of our overhead is easily covered.

Additionally we are a *NIX hosting company so there really are no major licensing fees since linux is a free OS. Additionally all MyBlueBerry front-end and back-end servers are UNIX based to aid is keeping costs low."

I am not a computer know-it-all, but this seems odd on 2 levels:

1) I am not a hosting company, but I do know how a business model runs. I run a successful, non-tech, business. As a business owner, I think I can say that no one intentionally operates a business, or division of a business, at a loss or break even point, whether it is a side business or not, just to make people happy or "give back" to a user community. If a company is altruistic, it takes a portion of its profits and gives it to a recognized charity. The explanation given in the quoted FAQ is just illogical. Microsoft makes billions, but you still have to pay for Office, and they sure don't need the money. And any money they "don't need" they give out in scholarships and to recognized charities.

AND

2) They say their servers are *nix based for front end and backend. I wonder how this can be since their webmail is Microsoft Outlook Web Access, which is a part of Microsoft Exchange. Last time I checked, Microsoft Outlook/Office products are not running on *NIX platforms. Assuming they are doing *nix hosting and are an ISP using *nix servers to keep cost low, I believe that they would still have to spend money to be running their BES/MDS/Exchange service because it is using Microsoft products

The next thing that strikes me as interesting is the claim that their greatest feature is their ability to provide multi-channel internet access to your wireless device. They state that other BES providers only support a single data channel to your device at a max speed of about 18k-57k per second, this includes most phone service carriers.

My understanding is that you are limited by your wireless providers' throttle of data to your handheld device. They claim to have an OC48 backbone but your cellular provider isn't pumping data to your handheld that fast.

They go on to say that they allow channel-on-demand for those speed intensive internet applications and browsing which require more bandwidth. Channel-On-Demand currently allows multiple channels at approx 100k-120k per second giving you a broadband link to the internet from your wireless device. I don't believe that any cellular wireless device is capable of broadband reception, whether its upload or download speed.

I am not saying anything about their service and/or support. THis post has nothing to do with that. I read their customers' posts that their service and support is great. All I am asking is how the FAQ makes sense to others on this forum. I think that their cost analysis explanation is vague and senseless.

No flames please. Just trying to understand.

[BlackBerryGuide]

I'll throw in my two cents (ok ok, I'll throw in three for good measure)...

There's a few things that make me question as well (on the technical side)... but as for doing it to give back the BB community, I fully understand that. I spend a lot of time putting together a website (btw. not affiliated with anybody) that hopefully some BB users find helpful for absolutely no monetary gain (actually a bit of a loss)... why?

Easy enough to explain... it makes me feel tingly warm inside (jk).. no it's about a couple of things:

1) I depend on others in the community to share what they know, it seems only fair to me that I share what I know... as best as I can

2) Sometime in the future it may pay off... whether that be in the form of a new job or even if the site were to start making money doesn't matter, there is a possibility there.

I would think from their perspective it's a we'll do it this way for now, but we may change our business model in the future... I can think of several retailers that use this approach when entering new markets.

In any case, if they want to do it and they can... it doesn't matter how they pull it off, whether legit or not isn't really my concern...

[Gothalyptic]

Is this the same type of service as Mailstreet.com? Just curious if I could get the same set up as i do with Mailstreet right now.

A bit off topic, but yes.



I hate to say, but I'll agree with the captn in one regard. MS Outlook and the Unix thing. I've never put that together until just now, then again I never knew they were running a unix system. Is there a way MS outlook runs on Unix that I haven't heard of? Not a flame or anything, just like the captn, just trying to understand that point.

As for the whole thing of a "side business" I can see their thought behind that. I do know a few people (owner of my company for case) that own a business, and have side ventures that they break even on, justification is actually simple (in my mind) if they provide a service they can easily take care of with the "main" business, then customers on the side venture are more likely to inquire about other ventures they are on and perhaps may bring return business in for them. We sell phones here for the "main" business, a side business is Dish Network, Face plate instalations, minor phone repairs, and cellular insurance, all of which we make zip on, but offering them to a customer is sure to bring return business, and does bring it.

Job models change almost monthly, they will change according to the market I'm sure. If they start to loose their income from the ISP stuff, they'll raise prices up without doubt. Overhead gets big as you expand, and overhead requires having higher prices unfortunatly, they'll change prices within the next 2 years I'm sure of it. A business model is never set in stone, it needs room for change, as the market changes, as the clientel changes, as the product changes, etc etc.

[Mark Rejhon]

I am definitely curious about the UNIX versus Windows thing, but I would think they simply run one or two Windows servers, and just recycle their existing datacenter/connection, using UNIX for everything else.

A BES server with less than a thousand users, uses almost no bandwidth on an OC48 connection, it's almost like a droplet in Olympic size swimming pool.

[CaptNblackberry]

Originally Posted by Mark Rejhon

I am definitely curious about the UNIX versus Windows thing, but I would think they simply run one or two Windows servers, and just recycle their existing datacenter/connection, using UNIX for everything else.

A BES server with less than a thousand users, uses almost no bandwidth on an OC48 connection, it's almost like a droplet in Olympic size swimming pool.

But Mark,

You still get back to the original licensing issue.... 1000 users and Microsoft in your guts is still a big load. It just doesn't add up. No matter how you cut it...

[mobileweb4u]

There is a *nix exchange solution called OpenExchange created by Novell for SuSe Linux, it is not free it is not cheap but it is an alternative. However BES must run on a windows box.

I wanted to check out the citynt.com to read the stuff from the previous posts, but apparently my office (yes I own MobileWeb4U) has been IP blocked from their site, as I recieved a 403 not authorized.

I was able to finally read it when I got home, but it still is blocking my office IP addresses when I tried from a remote connection, strange a business would do this...... but anyway.

No flame, just saying competition is competition and all is fair as long as people are playing by the rules.

I am hoping this does not get crazy like the last topic.

[Mark Rejhon]

Any future posters who replies to this thread, please continue to be civil. Appreciated in advance.

[WorldIRC]

David,
they blocked your ips?

[mobileweb4u]

Yes 403 Unauthorized from my office, but if i take the laptop home or anywhere else I have no problems looking at their site.

[DrBB]

Hey Guys. I dont want to get into the harsh debate we had last time - so no flaming is intended through this post.

I'm also very interested in the *NIX solution end of this. I checked out the solution David talked of and he was right - it must run on a windows box.

I also don't understand why his IP was/is/should be blocked from them. Granted, they are a private business and can do what they please - it is a *free* country. But, it just seems a little odd.

I agree - CaptB - the reviews are great. No one can disagree that they are committed to helping their users. I'm just curious as to how they do it....

Just my 2c....

[MyBlueBerry]

Deleted by user.

[DrBB]

So you purchased your Microsoft licensing on ebay?

[MyBlueBerry]

Deleted by user.