Blackberry on my iPhone Data plan
 

I'm heading down to the US in Aug and even though I love my iPhone, I know better then to use it in the states. I'm considering taking a blackberry when I head down there. All I would need to do is flip my SIM card but the problem is that I won't have a true blackberry plan. Will I still be able to get email even if I decide not to hook it up to a BES?

nope

Why do you think using a Blackberry in the US would be any different than using an iPhone? You would still be using the much more precious international data.

Yeah...you don't get a different international rate by using a BB.

Depends on your email account, if it is with hotmail then yes...just log on the website with your brower.

Covered by the FAQ:
What do I need a Data Plan for? - BlackBerryFAQ

If you change your data plan from an iPhone plan to BlackBerry BIS you can get all data services, including email. Make sure to get some kind of an international plan though. Roaming data charges are insane without an international plan from your carrier!

You can call AT&T and explain that you want to be able to SIM swap between your iPhone and your Blackberry, they will prevision your account within 5-7 days for you to do so. I have it on mine and it works fine. I can take the SIM from my BES bold and use my iPhone and have that attached my my activesync Exchange server and sync just fine.

Can you elaborate. This has been forbidden on AT&T in the past. Does your account now show as having both plans on it?

I too am interested in this. I currently have a BB Bold w/unlimited data through work although I am considering getting an iPhone for personal use. Would my BB data plan cover my iphone or do you have to pay for 2 services? Also, I'm going to get my wife an iphone and add her to my plan. Will she be covered under my existing plan or will I still have to pay $20+ for the iphone package?

I recently spoke to ATT about getting an Iphone and sim swapping. They said while the plans cost the same now, I would have to change my plan everytime I swapped sims. I am confused and don't want to get charged more than I am already paying for data.

Please explain how you did this, and do you still get bis and all that.

The reason that you have to change your plan is because the blackberry data plan runs off of RIM's network and not ATT's data network. In order for you to have a successful connection to data services using a blackberry, you need to have a blackberry data plan or it won't connect. Same goes for if you have an Iphone and previously had a blackberry. You need to change the plans. If you sim swap your Iphone to bb, or bb to Iphone, ATT's billing system and provisioning system will detect the difference of the bb data plan and the Iphone data plan and bill you accordingly. To avoid exhubberant data roaming charges without an international data plan on your Iphone, turn your data fetch off, turn wifi on, and turn airplane mode on as well. You can reach ATT's International customer care at 877 707 9208 for more information on how to get data plans etc.

Does this also apply to those of us that are staying in the US and want to sim swap?

bdsguru - really? RIM has their own network and you don't use AT&Ts data network?

AT&T's data network allows you to connect to RIM's data network/servers as far as I know, so they are seperate but you use both, not sure about other carriers. Which I believe is why you typically end up with two browsers on an AT&T Blackberry, MediaNet = AT&T, Browser = RIM. Switching between devices is fairly simple process, but it would get annoying to switch because you would have to call everytime to update your IMEI number as well as your data plan, and it would look confusing as hell on your bill, but it is possible.

So what you mean is that for the BlackBerry to work properly, you need BOTH networks, and therefore need a BlackBerry data plan.

That's correct, the OP would need to switch their IMEI number and their Data Plan to get BB service and receive emails.

yes he is right. the bb does use att's network to attatch to Rim's network. you may be in "edge" but until your BB reads "EDGE" you wont be able to send/recieve email or surf the net. they coincide together, but if you dont have one the other won't work.

Except that with some carriers it is completely possible to get EDGE without having a BlackBerry Data Plan.

Both of my kids have BlackBerrys with no BlackBerry Data Plan. T-Mobile offers a "Feature Enabler" which give them EDGE and no data plan.

Post #12 reads as if you need RIM's network instead of AT&Ts.

you can have an "EDGE" network coverage for voice and not have a data plan, but in order to be able to send emails you need that blackberry data plan because it uses the "RIM" network/servers. you can have 3G or EDGE for voice all day long but you wont be able to send or recieve email or browse internet until the correct data plan is on. that is why it is important for the correct data plan to be on the account....... next question :)

I find this entertaining... Should I grab some popcorn?