[Someone1234]

Hello,

I currently have a Q9C for Sprint using the Messaging Plan but am considering swapping phones for a BlackBerry Curve 8330. From what I understand, the Curve didn't always NEED to have the Data Plan + BB Plan in order to use it's simpler functions (texting, calling, voicemail, camera, etc), hence some people being able to use it on a Messaging Plan provided they bought the phone/plan before it "required" the Data Plan.

Is this correct? I ask because I have a friend who works for a retailer (multiple carriers) and he is able to activate the phone on the Messaging Plan provided I go through him personally.

I use my phone purely for texting, calling/voicemail, and occasionally the camera, which is why I wasn't willing to shell out every month just to have the BlackBerry. However, now that I have a friend in the cellular business I'm thinking it would be a nice trade.

My reasons?

- My Q9C is slow, even after a master reset. It can take several minutes to delete long SMS conversations (sometimes well over 15 minutes to delete everything). The UI is generally laggy and unresponsive, not to mention basic and unappealing.

- The extended battery is irritating. I would rather charge my phone daily rather than have it be twice as thick. The phone alone is just kinda blocky and ugly.

- Dust under the screen. The LCD was barely visible under direct light until I finally brought it in to be cleaned, and now, 2 weeks later, I can already see it collecting again.

That said, do you think the BB would help correct these issues, and if so, would it be worth the trade?

[dc/dc]

I think a BlackBerry is useless without a BlackBerry plan.

[Dubdub]

Without a BB data plan you probably will not be happy. Plus you could end up with some high inadvertent data charges.

[rambo47]

I don't know what kind of Sprint Kung-Fu your friend has, but the rest of us cannot activate a BB on Sprint without a BlackBerry data plan. It's my understanding that even if you previously had a BB activated without a BlackBerry data plan, any new BB activation will require the BB data plan, whether or not you bought a new device or simply want to activate a used one bought elsewhere.

This is now the trend among all carriers. Some are even adding data plans to users' accounts automatically, even if they were previously being used without them. They send a text message that says something to the effect of "Hello there. You now have a BlackBerry data plan. Details are available on your My*Carrier*.com page."

[southwestcomm]

All Sprint PDA's require a data plan.