[nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn]

I've been searching google for a while now, and can't seem to find the answer to my question. I'm a tech idiot, so bear with me.

I will be going to Europe for 6 months to a year, and I do not want to get the global data/voice plan. It is not worth the cost to me. I've been told that I can either get a blackberry over there that is prepaid, or I can unlock my phone and pop in a sim card from whatever country I am in.

Now here is my question, if I were to put in a new sim card from the country I am in, would I be able to BBM to people in the USA without being charged international rates? I do not know anyone in Europe with a blackberry, but have any of you guys BBM'd with a friend who lives in Europe?

I am with Verizon, and I talked with support for about 20 mins, and the guy was subtly saying that he wanted me to pay for the global plan and won't offer advice on not using them.

[BTM]

BBM is data, not talk or text. I think that means BBM would be at the going data rate for where ever you are, and whatever that plan states. Other than that, BBM works like always - virtual live messaging.

[nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn]

Originally Posted by BTM

BBM is data, not talk or text. I think that means BBM would be at the going data rate for where ever you are, and whatever that plan states. Other than that, BBM works like always - virtual live messaging.

Yeah I know it is data. I'm just wondering if, even if I'm in the USA, sending a BBM to someone international would result in more charges.

[jpsum]

Dude again, BBM is data. No roaming if you have a data connection. Do you get roaming for sending an international email?

[BTM]

Originally Posted by ferrari355fi

Yeah I know it is data. I'm just wondering if, even if I'm in the USA, sending a BBM to someone international would result in more charges.

No, they would be charged however their plan charges them, and you would be charged however yours is. As long as you both have data plans, which are required for BBM to work anyway, you're good.

[nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn]

Originally Posted by jpsum

Dude again, BBM is data. No roaming if you have a data connection. Do you get roaming for sending an international email?

told you im a tech idiot

Originally Posted by BTM

No, they would be charged however their plan charges them, and you would be charged however yours is. As long as you both have data plans, which are required for BBM to work anyway, you're good.

ok great. Thanks.

Do you personally have any experience with a blackberry overseas?

[BTM]

Originally Posted by ferrari355fi

told you im a tech idiot


ok great. Thanks.

Do you personally have any experience with a blackberry overseas?

In the sense that I've received and sent BBMs to out people outside the US, yes. Everytime I've had my BB outside the country I've been on vacation. Which means my phone is off.

[JayKay335i]

You can use a US plan and BBM for free as well. Calls will cost lotsa $$$ though.

[M3Bahn]

When I travel, I sign up for international email($20 month tmob) and with that and bbm I am good to go.

[slamako]

don't quote me, but I don't think using a EU sim card will allow you to get the full data plan to your unlocked phone. I think you will still need to "register" your phone to the EU carrier so that it would register to the BB servers.

i had a similar question before about this, and I think somebody told me this (or read it somewhere)

[silvergray545]

Go to crackberry.com and go to the unlocking section of their forum. You can buy an unlock code for cheap and it enables you to use a SIM card from any carrier. I plan on doing it next month for when I go overseas.

[solefald]

Originally Posted by jpsum

Dude again, BBM is data. No roaming if you have a data connection. Do you get roaming for sending an international email?

false statement.

if you are going ANYWHERE outside your service zone, you will get voice AND data roaming charges. There is an international data plan you can buy when you go overseas. In addition to which you can buy data packages. 20Mb, 50Mb and 200Mb, i think. This is the cheapest way to go. Make sure you don't run out of data, or you will get raped on data roaming. RAPED.

[BTM]

Originally Posted by solefald

false statement.

if you are going ANYWHERE outside your service zone, you will get voice AND data roaming charges. In addition to that, there is an international data plan you can buy, which comes in packages. 20Mb, 50Mb and 200Mb, i think. This is the cheapest way to go. Make sure you don't run out of data, or you will get raped on data roaming. RAPED.

Right, it's data. Make sure you have data connected to your talk/text plan...he's not gonna be using a US talk/text plan in Europe...

[solefald]

fuck, just get a google voice number. get some cheap phone with data plan in europe and have your friends text your google voice number. I think this will solve alot of problems. it wont cost them any extra, and it will be cheap for you.

[jpsum]

Originally Posted by solefald

false statement.

if you are going ANYWHERE outside your service zone, you will get voice AND data roaming charges. There is an international data plan you can buy when you go overseas. In addition to which you can buy data packages. 20Mb, 50Mb and 200Mb, i think. This is the cheapest way to go. Make sure you don't run out of data, or you will get raped on data roaming. RAPED.

dude, he was asking about sending a BBM msg from the states to someone internationally. Read his post just above mine. So if he has data connection here, then it wouldn't be any extra fee for sending a BBM. That's what I mean by roaming.

[Comet]

roaming charges on data is rape

unlock your phone (why people buy locked is beyond me), get a local line with a data plan
6 months is a long time to be roaming or using prepaids..
it'll come out to cheaper
I do this on a regular basis..

using your US line, you will be charged:
* roaming
* data
* data roaming
all three get charged.. I've gotten slapped with a 4,000$ bill for using my "roaming data plan" for a week in Italy once.. I went over my 100mb package so fast and I don't even know how..
they also said that the network my phone decided to choose was not one they had an agreement with (phone switched to it due to better service in the area), so they made me pay the above charges
this will happen over a time period of 6months guaranteed

[silvergray545]

Originally Posted by Comet

roaming charges on data is rape

unlock your phone (why people buy locked is beyond me), get a local line with a data plan
6 months is a long time to be roaming or using prepaids..
it'll come out to cheaper
I do this on a regular basis..

using your US line, you will be charged:
* roaming
* data
* data roaming
all three get charged.. I've gotten slapped with a 4,000$ bill for using my "roaming data plan" for a week in Italy once.. I went over my 100mb package so fast and I don't even know how..
they also said that the network my phone decided to choose was not one they had an agreement with (phone switched to it due to better service in the area), so they made me pay the above charges
this will happen over a time period of 6months guaranteed

Exactly. I'm unlocking my Blackberry when I go to Lebanon this summer. Pop in a SIM card from over there and you're good to go. Do you know if they have prepaid SIM cards that support BIS?

[Comet]

Originally Posted by silvergray545

Exactly. I'm unlocking my Blackberry when I go to Lebanon this summer. Pop in a SIM card from over there and you're good to go. Do you know if they have prepaid SIM cards that support BIS?

prepaids support BB service
with MTC it is 40$ I believe
don't know with Alfa.. should be the same...
don't know what the 40$ gets you.. but everyone I know is on it and they are always on BBM so I assume it is enough to last you a month

[silvergray545]

Originally Posted by Comet

prepaids support BB service
with MTC it is 40$ I believe
don't know with Alfa.. should be the same...
don't know what the 40$ gets you.. but everyone I know is on it and they are always on BBM so I assume it is enough to last you a month

Perfect. Money isn't any issue. I'll be there for a month, so it should last me. I just need to make sure I can still use BBM and I'm gonna need the internet on my phone because we don't have internet up in the mountains where my grandparents live.

[Comet]

Originally Posted by silvergray545

Perfect. Money isn't any issue. I'll be there for a month, so it should last me. I just need to make sure I can still use BBM and I'm gonna need the internet on my phone because we don't have internet up in the mountains where my grandparents live.

PM me when you're here
we'll chill with Elie335 :P

[silvergray545]

Originally Posted by Comet

PM me when you're here
we'll chill with Elie335 :P

Haha for sure. I'll let you know when I'll be in Beirut too. I'll be spending most of my time in Batroun, where I'm from.

[Elie335i]

oh silvergray, that's nice