Re: using a Blackberry curve for Gophone account... data plans?

ESQUEIRO · ‎09-29-2008

I couldn't find any answers on the support center for this, so I'll ask you guys. I'm getting a blackberry curve in a couple of days, and I have a prepaid GoPhone account. my quesion is, would the unlimited media net data plan work with this? or do you have to get the "blackberry package" on the regular plans? I would assume the unlimited data package on prepaid for 19.99 might work, but I wanted to make sure. any info would be helpful.

Message Edited by ESQUEIRO on 09-29-2008 06:53:34 PM

wilcre · ‎09-29-2008

@ESQUEIRO wrote:
I couldn't find any answers on the support center for this, so I'll ask you guys. I'm getting a blackberry curve in a couple of days, and I have a prepaid GoPhone account. my quesion is, would the unlimited media net data plan work with this? or do you have to get the "blackberry package" on the regular plans? I would assume the unlimited data package on prepaid for 19.99 might work, but I wanted to make sure. any info would be helpful.

You are required to have the blackberry data plan with the BB; and unfortunately you cant get that on a prepaid account, you can use the pay per use media net though, but you will have to make sure you have all the required service books on the device so that the media net connection can be made.

ESQUEIRO · ‎09-29-2008

thanks for the help, wilcre- I'll make sure they're set correctly, once I get the phone and figure out what those even are... 😃 I'm not much of an emailer, just a texter and I like to surf the internet, and as long as it lets me do that on the prepaid unlimited data plan, it's all sunshine and rainbows.

wilcre · ‎09-30-2008

ESQUEIRO wrote:
Thanks for the help, wilcre- I'll make sure they're set correctly, once I get the phone and figure out what those even are... 😃 I'm not much of an emailer, just a texter and I like to surf the internet, and as long as it lets me do that on the prepaid unlimited data plan, it's all sunshine and rainbows.

You are welcome, you will be able to surfe the internet with the deice, but not with the unlimited data plan, the unlimited data plan is a media net plan which is not permitted with the BB's and such devices, you will only be allowed to use the pay per use media net which is charged at the r ate of $0.01 per KB used.

ESQUEIRO · ‎09-30-2008

thanks for the info. One more question though, is the pay-per-use media net thing for use with the BB browser? I was going to put Opera mini on it and surf that way, will I be able to use the data plan if I use Opera or will I instead be charged per kb?

Zandora · ‎09-30-2008

ESQUEIRO wrote:
thanks for the info. One more question though, is the pay-per-use media net thing for use with the BB browser? I was going to put Opera mini on it and surf that way, will I be able to use the data plan if I use Opera or will I instead be charged per kb?

If you are on prepaid, you will be charged per kb for data on the BB.

If you're doing prepaid and want to surf, you should really use another phone other than the BB. I don't think PPU data is even available for Blackberries.

sm0k3y · ‎09-30-2008

(Keep it courteous)

U CAN USE A BB ON A PREPAID ACCOUNT IT JUST THAT U CANT USE THE DATA
U CAN TEXT CALL AND EVEYTHING I HAVE A PREPAID CURVE !

Message Edited by scoobydoo on 09-30-2008 10:41:54 PM

wilcre · ‎09-30-2008

csp_gp wrote:
ESQUEIRO wrote:
Thanks for the info. One more question though, is the pay-per-use media net thing for use with the BB browser? I was going to put Opera mini on it and surf that way, will I be able to use the data plan if I use Opera or will I instead be charged per kb?
If you are on prepaid, you will be charged per kb for data on the BB.
If you're doing prepaid and want to surf, you should really use another phone other than the BB. I don't think PPU data is even available for Blackberries.

It is available, but most reps are ignorant to the fact that you can have a blackberry with the pay per use media net on the account, thye mostly say you have to have the blackberry data plan, I cant wait for RIM to release their update by the end of the fourth quarter to resolve this debate with the reps and make it easier for users of blackberries to use the pay per use media net if they want to, then again i cant see many of them wanting it due to the amount of data a BB can burn through in a short period of time.

ESQUEIRO · ‎09-30-2008

good point, I would hope that there will be a way in the future to use the media net data plan to surf the somewhat limited things that media net can do now on other phones, instead of pay per kb. like I said I'm not much of an emailer, I am getting the blackberry primarily for text messaging as the keyboard is much easier to use, and I text message a LOT. however I would like to surf the internet and go to the usual sites, nothing horribly large and data-eating... maybe someone will make that happen soon. I don't see the harm in allowing blackberrys use media net data plans, prepaid or not. I can live without the email feature.

thanks again for all the help

Zandora · ‎10-01-2008

ESQUEIRO wrote:
good point, I would hope that there will be a way in the future to use the media net data plan to surf the somewhat limited things that media net can do now on other phones, instead of pay per kb. like I said I'm not much of an emailer, I am getting the blackberry primarily for text messaging as the keyboard is much easier to use, and I text message a LOT. however I would like to surf the internet and go to the usual sites, nothing horribly large and data-eating... maybe someone will make that happen soon. I don't see the harm in allowing blackberrys use media net data plans, prepaid or not. I can live without the email feature.

thanks again for all the help

It's not a matter or "let" the BB's use MediaNet. It's a matter of cannot unless the right hardware and software is on the phone.

Most phones, except for the 8310 have to go through the RIM server for data access. There is no RIM PPU data available. So you either get the data plan or you don't. Unfortunately, prepaid aren't allowed data plans. (But I think the 8310 can only use MMS without a data plan, but can't surf unless with data plan).

When you surf on a BB, you're surfing thru the RIM server, not medianet.

Message Edited by csp_gp on 10-01-2008 03:42:18 AM

coolchick200583 · ‎10-01-2008

I was thinking about purchaseing the blackberry curve 8310 again for my prepaid plan. I had bought it before and used the unlimted media net just fine. I had taken it back because I thought something was going on with the phone but it turned out that I had a data outage in my area that week and regreated taking it back ever since. If the unlimted media net for blackberry 8310 is not suppose to work for prepaid than why do they offer it when you call 611 lol?

Michael622 · ‎10-01-2008

My credit wasn't the best when I switched to AT&T. I just paid the deposit and then have any plan to choose from. Might go that route if you want all the bells and whistles.

Zandora · ‎10-01-2008

coolchick200583 wrote:
I was thinking about purchaseing the blackberry curve 8310 again for my prepaid plan. I had bought it before and used the unlimted media net just fine. I had taken it back because I thought something was going on with the phone but it turned out that I had a data outage in my area that week and regreated taking it back ever since. If the unlimted media net for blackberry 8310 is not suppose to work for prepaid than why do they offer it when you call 611 lol?

Could be that the 8310 actually uses medianet not RIM. I don't know for sure. It's also possible that 611 isn't supposed to offer that. Since this would mean that it's better to be on prepaid than on postpaid for the 8310 since it's about 1/2 the cost of a data plan at postpaid ($15 unlimited medianet-prepaid vs $30 unlimited PDA data plan - postpaid). I would call it an unfair practice by AT&T if true. Postpaid customers should have the perks not prepaid.

Message Edited by csp_gp on 10-01-2008 05:13:57 PM

wilcre · ‎10-01-2008

@coolchick200583 wrote:
I was thinking about purchasing the blackberry curve 8310 again for my prepaid plan. I had bought it before and used the unlimited media net just fine. I had taken it back because I thought something was going on with the phone but it turned out that I had a data outage in my area that week and regretted taking it back ever since. If the unlimited media net for blackberry 8310 is not suppose to work for prepaid than why do they offer it when you call 611 lol?

It should not be offered through the automated system or even a live rep when you call in. the system should catch that you are using a BB and not offer it, and a rep should see you have a BB registered to your account and not add the feature.

ESQUEIRO · ‎10-01-2008

well, maybe by some unexplained fluke, the unlimited data on prepaid works brilliantly on my 8310 (which I hope they don't take away from me now that I mentioned it -.- ). so I can't get push email, so what, I have the gmail app and it's great, I may not get alerts but I'm also not a huge emailer. the only annoying thing is getting the transaction screen frequently when surfing, but other than that, it's awesome. I thought I was for sure going to have to send it back, but as soon as I took it out of the box it was ready to go on the internet thru the media net browser, and didn't charge me 1 cent per kb, it uses the data plan.

for the record, best phone I ever had. I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but I've had my prepaid for several years.

and I was on a regular plan at one time, but cingular totally screwed me over, ROYALLY... but that's another story. so I cancelled their service, and got prepaid. I've been very happy with it ever since they introduced the different package options.

Message Edited by ESQUEIRO on 10-01-2008 10:26:45 PM

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Re: using a Blackberry curve for Gophone account... data plans?

using a Blackberry curve for Gophone account... data plans?