[Emerald]

When communicating via BB Messenger w/ someone in another country, is it free or will there be charges?

[jsconyers]

There's no additional cost with BBM. If you have an unlimited data plan, you're fine

[Emerald]

Thanks

[kirrinjones]

This is a very interesting question. I would go a bit further to put the question this way. Within my home country, I have unlimited data. Now I leave and go to India (which is happening soon), now I'm roaming, any data service that I use, will incur roaming data charges. Now, will I be charged roaming data charges if I use BlackBerry Messenger?

[jsconyers]

You would, as it would be using data while roaming. The fact that you're using BBM is irrelevant. If you would use any data it would incur charges.

[kirrinjones]

Interesting, because I have heard the argument that just as how e-mail uses data and would not be considered roaming because its using the BlackBerry network to distribute the e-mail to your device wherever you are in the world (once your provider has a partnership), then so to the BBM uses the BlackBerry network to transmit your instant messages.

I have always been skeptical of this theory as I have never been able to test it myself, so I would just like to know from someone who has in fact traveled a lot and tried this and found the answer.

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by kirrinjones

Interesting, because I have heard the argument that just as how e-mail uses data and would not be considered roaming because its using the BlackBerry network to distribute the e-mail to your device wherever you are in the world (once your provider has a partnership), then so to the BBM uses the BlackBerry network to transmit your instant messages.

I have always been skeptical of this theory as I have never been able to test it myself, so I would just like to know from someone who has in fact traveled a lot and tried this and found the answer.

I have traveled all over the world with my BlackBerry (Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Afghanistan, England, Scotland, Japan, South Korea, Guam USA, Singapore, and others) and here is the definitive answer to your question:

As jsconyers mentioned, you will in fact incur roaming charges. ALL data (including BBM messages) sent and received from the BlackBerry device traverses the BlackBerry network, but it also traverses the GPRS/EDGE/UMTS network of the carrier on which you are roaming as a tunnel connection. The carrier on which you are roaming does not care about what device you are using, it just knows that you are using data and it should pass the per-kb. charges to your home carrier for billing to you. The only exceptions to this rule are the few carriers in the world that offer unlimited international BlackBerry data plans that allow a customer to use their device whilst roaming and not incur any additional costs beyond the additional MRC that they pay for that add-on.

The bottom line is that if your carrier doesn't offer an unlimited international BlackBerry data plan like some of the carriers in the US do, you will be charged per kilobyte or megabyte for ANY and ALL data that you transmit and receive in addition to the per minute and per message charges you incur for voice calls and SMS messages. It is also important to keep in mind that anytime your device is turned on, you are sending and receiving data. If you do not wish to incur the charges, you should ensure that data services are turned off from within the network options of your device BEFORE you depart your home country.

I hope this helps clear things up.

[kirrinjones]

Wirelessly posted

Thanks dc/dc. Appreciate the education, now I know. Is it possible for me to get your job so that I can travel like you do? .

I really think that these phone carriers should in fact provide unlimited data to their subscribers anywhere in the world.

[MidnightDraven]

Originally Posted by kirrinjones

I really think that these phone carriers should in fact provide unlimited data to their subscribers anywhere in the world.

unforuntately you would pay an unbelievable amount of money for it, as they would have you subsidising what they pay the other carriers to use their towers.
thats why romaing costs so much, because you carrier wants their share, and they then have to pay the other carriers for tower use.

[kirrinjones]

Wirelessly posted

That is true and sad at the same time. But I guess its how it has to be.

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by kirrinjones

Wirelessly posted

Thanks dc/dc. Appreciate the education, now I know. Is it possible for me to get your job so that I can travel like you do? .

I really think that these phone carriers should in fact provide unlimited data to their subscribers anywhere in the world.

Blood, sweat, and tears honestly...

Originally Posted by Midnightdraven

unforuntately you would pay an unbelievable amount of money for it, as they would have you subsidising what they pay the other carriers to use their towers.
thats why romaing costs so much, because you carrier wants their share, and they then have to pay the other carriers for tower use.

This is not totally true. Three of the 4 major US providers offer unlimited international data plans. Verizon and at&t charge quite a bit, but T-Mobile offers it for $20/mo. in addition to the existing BlackBerry data plan of $24.99/mo. for Personal or $39.99/Mo. for Enterprise.

[Malks]

further to this, BBM to America from NZ for example is free (assuming a data plan in New Zealand) is that correct.

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by Malks

further to this, BBM to America from NZ for example is free (assuming a data plan in New Zealand) is that correct.

Assuming that each participant has a BlackBerry data plan and is in their home zone (i.e., not roaming), then yes, there are no additional charges.