[Snapdragon]

First off, great forums. Too bad I found them AFTER I bought the new BB.

Technically I got it on the 27th so I could still return it under the 15 day rule, although I'm probably over 100 minutes by now.

I *really* want to be able to use SSH on my BB because I run a web hosting company and I want to be able to shell in, for the obvious attraction of being wireless and have full control. I got the BB so I could get remote help desk tickets and email.

I just waited on hold for 40 minutes to have a BM data services rep tell me that I cannot get MDS over BES hosting from Bell, that I'd have to buy my own BES, and they do not support any application which requires "ip changes" (his words). He told me that any internet application should "just run" and if it doesn't to contact their tech support. I told him the SSH program I was trying to use would not connect and required either TCP/IP stacking or MDS hosting and he said they could not do that.

So I said, "you're telling me I can't do this on Bell but I can on Rogers, so I picked the wrong carrier" and he replies "I guess so".

Reading Mark's FAQ it says that using Bell requires MDS hosting. Does this mean I have to have a big corporate account with a BES server, or is this rep just smoking something and Bell does offer MDS hosting? Maybe it's under the $60 unliminted plan?

As a PS ... the $60 unlimited data plan... is it *really* unlimited? And does it cover all the data - email, SMS and browser?

Thanks from a BB newb. BTW my 7250 came with 4.0.0.204 / 2.0.0.28 installed.

Edit: If I need to move to Telus or Rogers I have no problem breaking my contract and paying the $299 contract fee. It is worth it for a Blackberry they wanted $549 for. I *know* the lock code for my Blackberry, it was plain as day on the salesman's monitor when he activated me - so I could change carriers.... at least, that's how I understand it with cell phones, maybe the SIM card is different.

Help?

[Snapdragon]

OK, I think I answered my own question. I read the FAQ again and I realized that the "Get MDS Hosting" link forwards to the 3rd party hosting thread, and does not mean "Get MDS hosting from Bell".

Shoot.

Telus, Rogers and Bell are all literally feet away from each other here in the mall. Should I go run switch? I'm not happy with Bell since they "lost" about $600 in online baking payments over the past year. I only went with them because we were already on them. That and I hate Rogers.

I don't mind paying a few extra bucks for MDS hosting, I guess that's what I'm going to have to do. I guess I just don't fully appreciate how it works yet. Doesn't the data all go back through Bell first to get to the Internet?

[camerch]

kind of...

[Snapdragon]

What I don't understand then is if I were to setup a BES with my other hosted servers, how would the data get to and from my BB to the server?

[p_dizzo]

Originally Posted by Snapdragon

As a PS ... the $60 unlimited data plan... is it *really* unlimited? And does it cover all the data - email, SMS and browser?

Thanks from a BB newb. BTW my 7250 came with 4.0.0.204 / 2.0.0.28 installed.

Edit: If I need to move to Telus or Rogers I have no problem breaking my contract and paying the $299 contract fee. It is worth it for a Blackberry they wanted $549 for. I *know* the lock code for my Blackberry, it was plain as day on the salesman's monitor when he activated me - so I could change carriers.... at least, that's how I understand it with cell phones, maybe the SIM card is different.

it's unfortunate the BM rep wasn't too helpful, giving you the impression that you're screwed.. there are various MDS hosting service providers that you can find in this forum that can accomodate you for your SSH needs..

i was under the impression that you do have MDS services with BES from Bell, but i haven't talked to anyone that knew enough to confirm that.. as i too was thinking about getting BES through Bell..(but i found non-BES to suit my needs so far)

Bell's $60 RIM plan is pretty much as unlimited as you can get, as Mark will agree, as i found out that Bell does not have a cap like Rogers.. data covers email, PIN, and browsing... sms is a separate protocol, and you'll need either their unltd txt messaging package for $10 or 100 outgoing for $5(incoming sms are always free)

sadly, leaving Bell with their 7250 isn't as useful as you think.. as the lock code that you saw in plain sight on their monitor is only good for the first subsidy lock that is enabled for first time programming.. and even with the master lock code(that's used for programming thereafter), you can't change much to use the 7250 anywhere else.. that's where CDMA is a pain.. no SIM, not much flexibility..

going with telus might be even more inconvenient.. as they don't even give the internet browser previleges to their data customers..(last i heard about 2 weeks ago from a friend that worked at a telus dealer)..

hope you figure something out..

if you really wanted to return your BB within the 15 day policy, don't worry about the minutes.. you can clear the timer with a single click, and i doubt many reps would even know where to look for the timer... and even past a couple days over, they shouldn't hassle you, especially once you give them details on your call with data support..

[Snapdragon]

Originally Posted by p_dizzo

Bell's $60 RIM plan is pretty much as unlimited as you can get, as Mark will agree, as i found out that Bell does not have a cap like Rogers.. data covers email, PIN, and browsing... sms is a separate protocol, and you'll need either their unltd txt messaging package for $10 or 100 outgoing for $5(incoming sms are always free)

SMS isn't a big deal for me. I'm using it this week because a group of my clients are all meeting in one place in the US, after that I doubt I'd use it much at all. It's the Email and browsing that I need.

Originally Posted by p_dizzo

sadly, leaving Bell with their 7250 isn't as useful as you think.. as the lock code that you saw in plain sight on their monitor is only good for the first subsidy lock that is enabled for first time programming.. and even with the master lock code(that's used for programming thereafter), you can't change much to use the 7250 anywhere else.. that's where CDMA is a pain.. no SIM, not much flexibility..

I actually got the master lock, the subsidy lock was much longer and I knew it was pointless to memorize because it was one-shot. Hmm.. I really wonder if I should boot to Rogers, but again, if I get really serious on the data.. but $60... I already pay $60 just to use this thing a month.

I'll end up keeping it... what would make it better for me is the ability to SSH and use port 8443 on the browser (that's my hosting control panel software port). Then I'd be using it all the time, I could set new clients up remotely without touching a computer. Talk about professionalism.

I'll have to weigh those two options against another ~$20 bill and how much I use it against $60 data plan. I can do without the browser, right now it's just a verifier that the sites are functional. I can resist playing with it. I bought the Blackberry for remote email, first and foremost. A remote monitoring company emails me if I lose any connectivity from my server farm.

[TheWastedYears]

With the recent news about Telus putting a 50mb cap on their "unlimited" plan, I certainly wouldn't go w/ them.

btw, are you Snapdragon of Darkside Forums? (off topic, i know)

[Snapdragon]

Hah! Small world. Yes, I run Wild Rose, I am the same Snapdragon who hosts neons.org and Darkside. We got tired of Darkside and we'll bring it back later in the year.

I got the Blackberry so I could stay notified of server health and connectivity issues.

[bdee]

I am looking to purchase a BB...

I will be using in downtown Toronto and in many fringe areas...

How did you find access to the network and did you swith networks and find any difference...

Any info is appreiciated..

B.

[bcrdukes]

TELUS does not allow foreign ESNs on their network anymore.

[tjh455]

Originally Posted by bdee

I am looking to purchase a BB...

I will be using in downtown Toronto and in many fringe areas...

How did you find access to the network and did you swith networks and find any difference...

Any info is appreiciated..

B.

I live in Oakville, work downtown and travel alot. I use a 7250 through Bell Mobility and I am quite surprised how good their network coverage is. Keep in mind that the device is dual mode (800 digital, 1900 digital but no analog) so in more "remote areas" i.e Tobormory, the phone nor data will work since there is no analog board and data only works in digital. Other than that I have had no problems going from Toronto to Q city , Toronto to Windsor and into the states in New York and Michigan roaming on Sprints network. I have not been in a spot where I thought I should be able to use data and voice and have not been able to.

P.S
Just to let you know Bell's web site and phone customer service people are terrible. Find a good person at a Bell store like I did and deal with him. A few of them really know their stuff.

Good Luck

[nesbbj]

Can anyone tell me what account the MDS service uses when you connect to your internal web sites? I am trying to setup a site to only allow my BB users access to it and not all anonymous users.