Blackberry Emailing on the cruise

[Belle1997]

My DH and I are thinking of getting a blackberry one of the older version Black and white and getting as pay as you go plan with a service provider to be able to send emails and receive emails while on board. No w As i do not know much about this technology do I have to pay exta because we are on the ship. I realize phone calls would be expensive but would emails remain the same rate has anyone done this. Thanks for your help

 

[CM_Mom]

Since the Blackberry technology relies on Wireless cell services, don't count on receiving e-mails on the ship when it's not in a port. I would expect that the Blackberry has the same "range" as cell phones.

 

[tvguy]

A Blackberry is merely a cell phone for text messages.

 

[crainbow]

A Blackberry is merely a cell phone for text messages.

And you are wrong! A BlackBerry is a wireless data device that works with an email account. It is usually associated with your work account and redirects your server based email. The current models use the dedicated data channels that use the GPRS protocol.

Text messages run in the control channel of the voice side of the signal.

But to the OP, the BB service does not work aboard the ship. As stated it uses the cell towers. Or if it is really old it runs off of the cdpd network. None of these signal technologies reach more than a mile or so off the coast. If it is one of the new devices (pin number will start with a 2), it can be provisioned for Internation Roaming by the carrier and function on most of the islands.

Chuck

 

[jel0511]

My DH has a blackberry, and it didn't work on our cruise, once we left Key West. He got sporadic messages during the sailing to Key West, but once we sailed from Key West, it was a virtual blackout until we got to Port Canaveral. These won't give you non=stop e-mail access during your cruise. Even if you get one of the newer ones, they will only work while in port, not during sea days or on Castaway Cay.

 

[Talking Hands]

Just pay for the internet service on the ship if you really need to get your email while cruising. I have a Sidekick and it did not work on the cruise. Sidekick is a similar type of cell phone, email, text messaging combination and I like it very much. Blackberry cell phone is impossible to use as a hard of hearing user.

 

[tvguy]

And you are wrong! A BlackBerry is a wireless data device that works with an email account. It is usually associated with your work account and redirects your server based email. The current models use the dedicated data channels that use the GPRS protocol.

Text messages run in the control channel of the voice side of the signal.

Chuck

It is dependent on cellular service to transmit and receive data.
It only works where there is cell service. Yes it has software that will do neat stuff, but only if there is service.
Sort of like my DSL connection. It's a plain old phone line. I can not use DSL without a phone line, and yes, it uses a different portion of the line just like the Blackberry, but it's still a phone line.

 

[Belle1997]

Thanks for all your help. Guess it would make more sense to just go with the internet access on the ship. Thank you