BlackBerry® Torch™

[questassoc]

Just signed up w/Consumer Cellular and phone and texting works fine.  Unable to get my Torch 9800 configured to their data provider (server) and their Tech Support isn't much help.  They, of course, would like to sell me a new smart phone.

Has anyone had success w/ Consumer Cellular or have any suggestions so that I can continue using my BB for data?

Kent V.

[BillJ]

It might seem like a dumb question but we ask everything here to make sure we've covered all the bases:  Do you have a proper BIS plan (BlackBerry Internet Service) on your account with them?  A regular data plan will take care of talk and text just fine but if you want BlackBerry features, you need BIS.

Post back and we'll take it from there. 

[questassoc]

Thanks for your reply.

I have never had Blackberry Internet Service (that I know of).  I was an AT&T customer and had phone, text and internet service with them.  I know that Consumer Cellular uses AT&T for phone & text, but they have their own data service.

I hope I answered your question satisfactorily.  My 9800 Torch is just 2 years old.

Thanks again

[BillJ]

OK.  Let me quickly run through an explanation to clarity things.  It might save us writing back and forth if we're all on the same page.

When you  purchase any other brand of smartphone, you get a generic data plan.  Basically, that means that when you surf the internet and you request data from a website, the request goes from your phone, through your carrier's servers, on to the requested server, back to your carrier's servers and back to your phone.  With BlackBerry devices, it works differently.  The data follows that same path but right in the middle, the data shoots off to RIM's servers, where it's compressed then it moves on to your phone.  You might be interested to know that BlackBerry devices typically use about two-thirds LESS data that other smartphones.  Now, in order for the data to follow that path and get compressed in such a fashion, your phone needs special instructions on how to handle that.  These instructions come included in the service books which are on your phone.  These service books get sent to your phone when you have BIS, or BlackBerry Internet Service on your account with your carrier.

With all that being said, you can now see how BIS is essential to your BlackBerry working.  Basically, without it your BlackBerry is a "talk & text" phone only.

I hope that clears things up for you. 

[holtrb1]

I have similar situation.  Blackberry Torch 9810.  Was with AT&T, all worked fine, I had Internet Access and a Yahoo e-mail app.  Now I have neither, and Consumer Cellular's support techs have told me more than once that "We don't support Blackberry".

So from your prior response:  "These service books get sent to your phone when you have BIS, or BlackBerry Internet Service on your account with your carrier."

If Consumer Cellular says they don't support BlackBerry, how do I get BIS with them, or is there another way?

Thanks.

[holtrb1]

Hi, just checking again to see if someone can answer my question below.  My carrier, Consumer Cellular, says they don't support Blackberry, which was not disclosed to me when I transferred my service from AT&T.  As a result I no longer get e-mail via my Yahoo app, nor do I get Internet access.  From a prior posting it seems I need  BIS and service books; I think I have the service books resident on my phone from my time with AT&T.

But if my carrier says they don't support Blackberry, is it possible to get BIS without switching from this carrier?

Thanks.

[sdgardne]

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holtrb1 wrote:

Hi, just checking again to see if someone can answer my question below.  My carrier, Consumer Cellular, says they don't support Blackberry, which was not disclosed to me when I transferred my service from AT&T.  As a result I no longer get e-mail via my Yahoo app, nor do I get Internet access.  From a prior posting it seems I need  BIS and service books; I think I have the service books resident on my phone from my time with AT&T.

But if my carrier says they don't support Blackberry, is it possible to get BIS without switching from this carrier?

Thanks.

---

Hello,

Nope...Service Books are carrier-specific, and also would be wiped out anytime you do an update or other things, and would not automatically repopulate as they do on a proper BB-supporting carrier. Further, if your carrier does not support BB-proprietary services, then they can't create a BIS account for you in their system (since they don't have a BIS system). And any other carrier would not welcome you using their BIS system when connected to another carrier...and not paying them for the use of their system.

All in all, you need a carrier that properly supports BBs. Further, you need a carrier that properly supports your specific BB model number -- most carriers only support a subset, which can cause challenges if you have a BB model number that is not in their supported range.

Good luck!

[holtrb1]

Thanks for the clear, concise answer.  Looks like I'll need to switch carriers, and now I know what questions to ask before making a decision.

Thanks again.

[sdgardne]

You are welcome...enjoy!