[buddha023]

I would like to know whether anyone has travelled abroad with their BB, after unlocking it, and put in a different sim chip? If so did it change over flawlessly. Did you have to change any software or settings on your BB?

I ask b/c I am a neophyte and I am planning on signing up for BES through a third party provider. All in hopes of staying connected for a month while I am in India.

I have a 8700g and do not want to sign up for international service.

Please share experiences.

[NJBlackBerry]

You must have a BlackBerry Data Plan on your SIM for it to work for anything besides voice and SMS text messaging. Even if you get it unlocked, and have the third party BES, you must have a BB Data Plan.

If you can find a carrier in India that will sign you up for a SIM card, with a BB Data Plan, then you should be just fine once you get your BB unlocked.

[estabulla]

I believe Airtel in India offers a BB plan. Hutch/Orange may have begun offering too, I know Cingular roams on both carriers in India. In Bombay (excuse me Mumbai) it roamed on Hutch/Orange and sometimes BPL while in Chennai, it roamed on Airtel.

I dont think they offer BB prepaid though - you may have to sign up for a month to month which means you need a ration card, PAN card with a resident address and the whole laundry list.

[muskiemania]

I unlocked a 7100t a couple months ago and sent it to my cousin in Panama. Haven't heard any complaints yet.

[BryanHarig]

Airtel has the best BB rates and support in india. You will probably end up paying less there for service than you do in the USA after you convert their prices from Rs to $.

[BryanHarig]

BlackBerry from Airtel

Here are their rates, where will you be going in india?

[buddha023]

I will be going to various parts of Andhra Pradesh (e.g. hyderabad).

[estabulla]

Originally Posted by buddha023

I will be going to various parts of Andhra Pradesh (e.g. hyderabad).

Here is a link to the operators by city

GSM Roaming - India

[vbaskar]

Cingular 8700c and i have unlocked it..

When i was in bangalore for 15 days i used it with a new Airtel SIM card without any data plan etc and it was cool.

[buddha023]

Originally Posted by vbaskar

Cingular 8700c and i have unlocked it..

When i was in bangalore for 15 days i used it with a new Airtel SIM card without any data plan etc and it was cool.

But did you also get your BES emails from the states on that phone? In other words you didn't have to sign up for a data plan to get all the benefits out of your BB? Meaning you were able to access your outlook contacts and what not without hooking it up to your laptop.

[vbaskar]

my corporate BES was hooked to my US number so i wasnt getting any mails and my intent was also not

That trip basically gave me a comfort that my BB works on a indian sim card..so when i get there for good i would hook up with Bharati BB Plan...

[BryanHarig]

^^ So you just used it for voice?

OP: you can get data, you will just need to set up a plan on the SIM you buy. Should be about $20 for a month of unlimited data/email through their BIS. It will be a little less to use your BES but i'd contact them via email first to make sure there isnt any configuration needed.

Airtel works in Hyderabad.

[takeshi]

Originally Posted by vbaskar

my corporate BES was hooked to my US number so i wasnt getting any mails and my intent was also not

BES and BIS do not tie to your cell number. They tie to your Blackberry's PIN. You can confirm by inserting any SIM with an associated Blackberry data plan into any Blackberry and the email won't move from Blackberry to Blackberry until you explicitly change it.