My BlackBerry in India. What should I expect?
Nov 27, 2007, 6:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: VLO
Posts: 233
My BlackBerry in India. What should I expect?
I have a BlackBerry 8820 that I will be bringing with me to India next month with a standard, unlimited data account on California's AT&T Wireless service.
Assuming I do nothing and just keep the phone as is, what sort of service will I get in major Indian cities?
I want to be able to use the phone to make local and international calls and most importantly, receive my email.
Does anybody have any experience with this? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Assuming I do nothing and just keep the phone as is, what sort of service will I get in major Indian cities?
I want to be able to use the phone to make local and international calls and most importantly, receive my email.
Does anybody have any experience with this? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Nov 27, 2007, 6:39 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Diego, CA, USA
Posts: 246
Make sure you set up your account for world calling (or world roaming, or whatever they call it), and that will make the BB ready to work.
Our company has had a few issues mostly with placing phone calls on the BB within India. Only good for calling w/in India or back to the country of origin of the BB. The data coverage, while spotty sometimes, is there and usually works OK, although not cheap at 2 cents/kb.
There are coverage maps on AT&T's site which should give you a better idea of the available services in the cities you'll visit.
Our company has had a few issues mostly with placing phone calls on the BB within India. Only good for calling w/in India or back to the country of origin of the BB. The data coverage, while spotty sometimes, is there and usually works OK, although not cheap at 2 cents/kb.
There are coverage maps on AT&T's site which should give you a better idea of the available services in the cities you'll visit.
Nov 27, 2007, 6:43 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: VLO
Posts: 233
Make sure you set up your account for world calling (or world roaming, or whatever they call it), and that will make the BB ready to work.
Our company has had a few issues mostly with placing phone calls on the BB within India. Only good for calling w/in India or back to the country of origin of the BB. The data coverage, while spotty sometimes, is there and usually works OK, although not cheap at 2 cents/kb.
There are coverage maps on AT&T's site which should give you a better idea of the available services in the cities you'll visit.
Our company has had a few issues mostly with placing phone calls on the BB within India. Only good for calling w/in India or back to the country of origin of the BB. The data coverage, while spotty sometimes, is there and usually works OK, although not cheap at 2 cents/kb.
There are coverage maps on AT&T's site which should give you a better idea of the available services in the cities you'll visit.
Nov 27, 2007, 6:52 pm
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
It will "just work" for the most part in the cities. You may have to select a roaming partner to use, but overall it should be OK as long as you've got the world plan activated. I hope someone else is paying your data bill (and knows what they're in for). The roaming data charges are insane.
Nov 27, 2007, 6:58 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: VLO
Posts: 233
It will "just work" for the most part in the cities. You may have to select a roaming partner to use, but overall it should be OK as long as you've got the world plan activated. I hope someone else is paying your data bill (and knows what they're in for). The roaming data charges are insane.
Even if I don't have a world plan, will it still work in major cities if I choose the right "roaming partner" (that's a hilarious term, btw) but just cost me an insane amount??
Wow, thank you guys for writing back so quickly. Much appreciated.
Nov 27, 2007, 7:00 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: lapsed UA 1K (now a lowly 2P), HGP Platinum
Posts: 9,607
Yep. I just got a new one and when I went to Thailand and India it didn't automatically work, but I was able to do live chat on AT&T's support site and an agent was able to turn on the right features in no time at all.
But, yes, in major cities (my experience is with Bangalore) you'll get EDGE service and notice no difference.
If you pay your own bills, do look up the roaming charges and take heed. A recent two-week trip racked up about $200 in roaming data/voice charges for me. Not end-of-the-world horrible (and I'm not the one paying), but had I known, I would have paid a little more attention to what I was doing on the phone.
But, yes, in major cities (my experience is with Bangalore) you'll get EDGE service and notice no difference.
If you pay your own bills, do look up the roaming charges and take heed. A recent two-week trip racked up about $200 in roaming data/voice charges for me. Not end-of-the-world horrible (and I'm not the one paying), but had I known, I would have paid a little more attention to what I was doing on the phone.
Nov 27, 2007, 7:06 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: VLO
Posts: 233
Yep. I just got a new one and when I went to Thailand and India it didn't automatically work, but I was able to do live chat on AT&T's support site and an agent was able to turn on the right features in no time at all.
But, yes, in major cities (my experience is with Bangalore) you'll get EDGE service and notice no difference.
If you pay your own bills, do look up the roaming charges and take heed. A recent two-week trip racked up about $200 in roaming data/voice charges for me. Not end-of-the-world horrible (and I'm not the one paying), but had I known, I would have paid a little more attention to what I was doing on the phone.
But, yes, in major cities (my experience is with Bangalore) you'll get EDGE service and notice no difference.
If you pay your own bills, do look up the roaming charges and take heed. A recent two-week trip racked up about $200 in roaming data/voice charges for me. Not end-of-the-world horrible (and I'm not the one paying), but had I known, I would have paid a little more attention to what I was doing on the phone.
Thanks.
Nov 27, 2007, 7:39 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: lapsed UA 1K (now a lowly 2P), HGP Platinum
Posts: 9,607
I don't have a monthly global plan, so I did pay roaming. I do have international dialing and texting enabled on my account and I think I have like a $2 or $3 monthly charge for cheaper rates for that--I don't think that's related to calls placed FROM international locations, though.
Just go to http://forums.wireless.att.com/, register for an account there if you don't already have one, then go the live chat and talk to an agent there. They can answer all your questions and give your account the right settings.
International use itself, I'm pretty sure requires no charge, it's just turned off by default for loss prevention.
Just go to http://forums.wireless.att.com/, register for an account there if you don't already have one, then go the live chat and talk to an agent there. They can answer all your questions and give your account the right settings.
International use itself, I'm pretty sure requires no charge, it's just turned off by default for loss prevention.
Nov 27, 2007, 8:02 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Indianapolis, IN USA
Posts: 2,066
I have a bb 8830 and while in SIN:
Options
Mobile Network
I changed the network selection mode to manual.
And then tested the three networks and found one in Singapore that would let me use web browsing, etc.
When I let the BB self select the network it wouldn't allow me to surf. Only use the phone function.
In NRT couldn't get anything to work.
I would stop in ATT store before you leave just to make sure. I stopped at VZW and they said you don't have a SIM card. I wouldn't have been happy if I found that out when I got to SIN.
Options
Mobile Network
I changed the network selection mode to manual.
And then tested the three networks and found one in Singapore that would let me use web browsing, etc.
When I let the BB self select the network it wouldn't allow me to surf. Only use the phone function.
In NRT couldn't get anything to work.
I would stop in ATT store before you leave just to make sure. I stopped at VZW and they said you don't have a SIM card. I wouldn't have been happy if I found that out when I got to SIN.
Nov 28, 2007, 10:04 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Programs: AA 2MM - UA 1P / Hyatt Diamond - SPG Plat / Hertz 5* - Avis 1st
Posts: 3,886
One practical item for when you return to the states is that you may need to turn off the Blackberry and remove the battery for about a minute, then put it back in and turn it on.
I do this as soon as the aircraft lands now on every trip home from India, and it eliminates other issues that pop up otherwise.
The other issues I used to experience upon return include calendar not synching and emails not synching.
I do this as soon as the aircraft lands now on every trip home from India, and it eliminates other issues that pop up otherwise.
The other issues I used to experience upon return include calendar not synching and emails not synching.
Nov 28, 2007, 11:11 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: The People's Republik of MSN
Programs: After years of status, back to Peon levels. Anti-Apostheid Platinum, PWP CentCom
Posts: 4,767
So it did just work without adding a world plan? Or you did add the world plan? I'm looking on the website and can't see how much it costs to add. Do you have any idea, excluding charges incurred from use, the world service costs? Is it a feature I can add for a month than take off?
I've only dealt with it in western Europe. There, the no-cost plan is $1.29/min for voice, $0.50 for SMS out, $0.10 SMS in. The $5-6/month charge drops the voice fee to $0.99/min.
Just call ATT and tell them you want to add international roaming to your account. They should offer you both options.
Nov 28, 2007, 11:59 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: lapsed UA 1K (now a lowly 2P), HGP Platinum
Posts: 9,607
I have a bb 8830 and while in SIN:
Options
Mobile Network
I changed the network selection mode to manual.
And then tested the three networks and found one in Singapore that would let me use web browsing, etc.
When I let the BB self select the network it wouldn't allow me to surf. Only use the phone function.
In NRT couldn't get anything to work.
I would stop in ATT store before you leave just to make sure. I stopped at VZW and they said you don't have a SIM card. I wouldn't have been happy if I found that out when I got to SIN.
Options
Mobile Network
I changed the network selection mode to manual.
And then tested the three networks and found one in Singapore that would let me use web browsing, etc.
When I let the BB self select the network it wouldn't allow me to surf. Only use the phone function.
In NRT couldn't get anything to work.
I would stop in ATT store before you leave just to make sure. I stopped at VZW and they said you don't have a SIM card. I wouldn't have been happy if I found that out when I got to SIN.
Your phone didn't work in NRT because Japan uses an older CDMA technology (for the most part). Actually, this is one case where the Verizon phone would have had a shot (I think), but your GSM-Blackberry cannot work anywhere in Japan, as they don't have that network.
Nov 30, 2007, 2:49 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco, California
Programs: Amex Centurion, United Global Services
Posts: 847
I've taken my 8800 and 8300 'berries outside the country several times, for the most part they "just work", and I only use them for email and web and get a local SIM for calling (with another phone).
AT&T has a deal for an extra $20 that gives you unlimited international blackberry, which pays for itself very, very quick when traveling. It used to be you could get it on a month-by-month basis, so if you knew you were going to be gone for a few weeks, you pay the extra $20 for the month and maybe save $80.
Just recently they started making you sign up for a year - you can't just turn the international bberry on and off at will, you have to commit the extra $20 per month for 12 months.
AT&T has a deal for an extra $20 that gives you unlimited international blackberry, which pays for itself very, very quick when traveling. It used to be you could get it on a month-by-month basis, so if you knew you were going to be gone for a few weeks, you pay the extra $20 for the month and maybe save $80.
Just recently they started making you sign up for a year - you can't just turn the international bberry on and off at will, you have to commit the extra $20 per month for 12 months.