How do I get Internet on my Blackberry?

[unnamedplayer]

Hi all,

I'm sure this is newb, but I want to make sure I understand what I have to do. I have just got a Blackberry 8700 from Cingular. I want to be able to connect to the internet so I can send and receive e-mail from my work e-mail address. What do I need to go about doing this?

As I understand it I need a separate data plan for my phone correct? This is what will allow me to connect to the internet from anywhere right? Then, I can configure my Blackberry to get or send e-mail from my work Exchange server right?

Any input is greatly appreciated!

[ua549]

Your understanding is correct.
The Cingular website has plan details.
www.HowardForums.com specializes in all things cellular.

[vertices]

Setting up a Blackberry to work with Exchange sucks if your company doesn't have a Blackberry Enterprise Server. It sucks so bad that I honestly would recommend returning your Blackberry and picking up a Windows Mobile 5.0 device, such as Cingulars 8125.

[unnamedplayer]

Thanks for the replies.

Vertices, that is really bad to hear!! Unfortunately, its not my phone and I didn't have any input on what to get

Why exactly is it so bad? Any advice you can offer to help make this easier would be great!

[vertices]

It can't sync with Exchange. You have to have a client on your PC and leave Outlook running to make it work. It's crap. There's some other Web Client or something that also sucks.

A Windows Mobile 5.0 device can sync directly with an Exhcange server over the air. That's why it so much better than a Blackberry.

If your company has invested in a BES server then all will be fine. Blackberry devices work great with a BES server. But if you have to use the crappy client software, then you are much better off with a Windows Mobile 5.0 device.

[PCJ]

Wow, blackberries can't sync with Exchange? I didn't even know that... I have a 8700 with a Vodaphone GPRS plan (I pay 50 per month and also get a gprs card for my notebook, it's now how I go online most of the time), and I love the way it syncs with my GMail account. I haven't tried any other email accounts yet though.
However, for pop3, it's amazing. It can do the obvious stuff such as downloading only the headers, but it also has an awesome feature where it strips all of the text from the email BEFORE DOWNLOADING IT (no idea how it works), and then sends you the text exclusively, so it only takes like 2kb of bandwidth to get an email.
Probably, every other similar device has this as well, but I still love my BlackBerry. It doesn't do a lot, but it does a few things very well.

[unnamedplayer]

I understand what you mean about the Windows Mobile 5.0 devices syncing seamlessly. I have a coworker who has a Sprint PPC 6700. It is extremely easy to sync with Exchange (after installing the correct security certificates on the server).

What is involved with a BES server? Is it just an application I have to install on one of our Win2k3 boxes?

Thanks for all the info btw.

[vertices]

http://www.blackberry.com/products/software/index.shtml

If you have under 15 people needing to use it you can by with the BES Small Business Edition. It's $1099 for the first 5 users and $99 per user after that up to a total of 15.

If you have more than 15 then you need the regular edition. Be prepared to spend more than $4000.



Windows Mobile 5.0 devices can sync directly with Exchange natively. No need to purchase any additional software. Much preferred in my opinion.

[unnamedplayer]

Wow...I don't think we'll be doing that seeing as we only have 1 person with a Blackberry!

[ksuohio]

It seems like you have a mismatch between what your company can support and the device you have. We have roughly 100 BB inside my company so BES was a no brainer, but the users with a Windows Mobile phone still have good luck.

[SkyDog]

As mentioned above, BlackBerry devices historically haven't been able to sync directly with Exchange. But I thought I read something recently about the possibility of RIM licensing ActiveSync from Microsoft. If RIM does that, BlackBerry devices with the necessary software would be able to sync directly to Exchange without needing BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

If you need BlackBerry Enterprise Server to sync with Exchange, there is a free version for companies with a limited number of BlackBerry users: BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express. The Express version includes one Client Access License (CAL) and you can purchase additional CALs to cover up to 15 BlackBerry devices.

If you can't install BES or BES Express on a server, you've still got a few options, although they're not quite ideal: You can use POP3 or IMAP to access your Exchange mailbox. You could also use Outlook Mobile Access (OMA), which is a watered-down webmail intended for PDA's. OMA is a feature of Exchange 2000 & 2003 and is enabled by default if I remember correctly.

[unnamedplayer]

What about Blackberry Desktop Manager? Is it true that if I install this on a computer with Outlook (that is always on) it will be able to forward e-mails from the corporate address to the Blackberry?

Also, concerning synching, so there is no way I can get Contacts, Tasks, etc synched with a Blackberry? The Desktop Manage doesn't do anything like that?

Thanks again!

[SkyDog]

If you want to forward emails, you could use the BlackBerry Desktop Redirector software. Personally, I'd use rules in Outlook/Exchange to forward messages before I resorted to their Desktop Redirector. That way, you don't have to rely on your desktop being left running and logged-on. (At my workplace and many others, we actually force workstation logoffs and shutdowns after hours, so the redirector software wouldn't be all that practical.)

One other thing to keep in mind is that your IT department might have configured the network or mail system in such a way as to prevent your workstation from forwarding messages.

You can synchronize your BlackBerry to Outlook via a USB cable using the software provided with your BlackBerry. But you wouldn't be able to do over-the-air synchronization without BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

[unnamedplayer]

Thanks for the info SkyDog. One more question:

Wouldn't setting up rules to forward e-mail from Outlook have the same problem as using the redirector (ie, my computer would have to be left on)? Or does setting up rules in Outlook stick with the Exchange server so it doesn't matter? Also, how would this affect sending e-mail from a Blackberry. I would think it would be best if when I send e-mails it would show as coming from my corporate e-mail address as well.

Ok that was more than 1 question hehe, but I'd appreciate your input.

Thanks!

[SkyDog]

A few types of rules in Outlook require having the client open, but many of them will be executed by the mail server regardless of whether an Outlook client is running. In this instance, you'd be using rules for forwarding -- or better yet, redirecting -- and those don't require Outlook to be up and running.

I've actually cobbled together some rules for a BlackBerry user before. Below are the rules and configurations as best I can remember them off the top of my head.

* Configure a rule in Outlook to redirect all incoming messages to your BlackBerry's email address, unless they're coming from the BlackBerry email address. (Make sure you choose redirect instead of forward. Otherwise, all email on your BlackBerry will look like it's from your Exchange address.)
* Set the BlackBerry web configuration to CC: the Exchange address on all outgoing mail.
* Set the BlackBerry web configuration to use the Exchange address as the reply-to address on outgoing mail.
* Configure a rule in Outlook to move mail to the Sent Items folder if it's sent from the BlackBerry address and the Exchange address isn't the only recipient.
* Configure the BlackBerry desktop software to NOT synchronize email via the USB cable.