[BBman]

My 7100t will soon be unlocked. If I were to travel abroad and purchase a local SIM my phone needs will be taken care of. But how do I handle my e-mail and data needs?
BBman

[NJBlackBerry]

As has been documented in many, many threads, this is not an easy one. Very few (if any) companies sell pre-paid SIM card with BlackBerry Data Plans. Personally, I carry a second phone and keep that for unlocked SIM cards, and don't use my BB as a phone when I am out of the country. My major charges when roaming are voice, and not data. Data is a reasonable cost. Phone roaming charges are ridiculous.

[BBman]

If you put a locally purchased SIM card in the BB 7100t won't the data still be available through T-mobile. (data being reasonable priced) In other words isn't the BB two phones in one; one for phone and one for data?
BBman

[NJBlackBerry]

No. You must have the BlackBerry data plan enabled on the locally purchased SIM card, which is not eay to accomplish. It is one device.

There is a very good FAQ written by Mark Rejhon which explains GSM (voice), GPRS (data) and the BlackBerry network. You need all three parts in order to get e-mail and data. Voice is easy. E-mail is not.

[Bratag]

When I was in Australia recently the prepaid sim was fine for phone but not for data. Sicne data is $1.50 per MB when roaming internationally and my email was low volume and text I simply periodically switched my sim card from t-mobile back in to get my email.

[BBman]

Good suggestion Bartag,