Blackberry BES

[SV1231]

Before tying myself with a 2 year contract for the BES (Blackberry Enterprise Server) plan Thought I will check with veterans who may have’ been there done that’.

For the records, I did use the search function

I am a heavy user of data (e-mail & internet) so will opt for a default Unlimited plan.

Any suggestion in terms of service providers (M1, Singtel or Starhub) or any specific plan/promotion/VAS would be greatly appreciated.

While we are at it- Would anyone know whether these ‘Unlimited’ Plans lets the user browse any site including youtube etc or usually these are not included & charged over & above.

Just to give you a context. I have been using SingTEL Post paid BES (w/o a contract since Jan 1st, 2012). Just got my first bill for $555. Apparently they assumed that I am on a 4mb plan. But I am expecting that will be corrected for my copy of the signed agreement (not contract) clearly states UNLIMITED. I have disputed it & am told they will come back to me.

I have set my eyes on a 9900 with a 2 year contract. I must get it right

[zzm9980]

People (not businesses, and even then...) still buy Blackberries? Not to crap on your personal preference, since I know people like what they like, but have you considered an Android or iPhone? I hear they have email and youtube too I'd be worried RIM won't be around for another two years and you'll be locked into a contract on a device with no upgrade path or warranty...

Can't speak for their BES specific service, but Singtel definitely has the best 3G coverage on the island. Starhub is more consistant though- consistantly down

[Tigerslayer]

Forget the media band wagon

RIM may have its troubles but they are wildly overblown and the latest BlackBerry devices are ok and selling well.

I used to use BB for BES and would recommend Singtel for coverage with Starhub coming a close second. The company I worked for paid the bills so not sure about plans / VAS / etc...

For what its worth I use Samsung Galaxy S2 now and while for fun and games it is streets ahead of BlackBerry (for now) neither it or the iPhone comes close to the push notification system on BlackBerry and the organized way it displays business content.

I make waaaaay too many typos on touchscreen for my liking but thats probably just down to my fat fingers

[BillyB]

Just a quick correction; BES isn't a data plan - BES is blackberry enterpise server. Your company needs to have this piece of software for you to be able to able to use 'push' email, calendar sync etc. BIS is the data plan / information service.

But aside from being pedantic, I have used 2 networks here for BIS - Starhub and M1. They are both reliable and there isn't any noticeable difference between them in Singapore for receiving messages and general usage. The problem is the blackberry software isn't the best for internet browsing and Singapore is so densely populated and internet bandwidth is finite on the island so at times things just grind to a halt. Also, the default BB browser is very slow. Opera works much better. My GF's iphone works 10 times faster for general websites.

I have used 1GB data plans on both networks and that is more than enough - generally most emails are kb's in size with the option to pull the larger files off the server if you want to view the attachments.

I have never exceeded my usage in Singapore.

However, for roaming - this is where they can bum you. I've had a couple of shocks for 3 weeks of BIS roaming - $1900 dollars, and $700 for 4 days. It is supposed to be capped but there are always exclusions on Starhub. M1 are much better with roaming charges and transparency from my experience. They do cap the rates and your bills are consistent.

It's impossible to compare all 3 networks on a like for like basis, without having 3 identical phones in the same area and testing them at the same time. There are pro's and con's of each service provider. Just read the small print on the T&C's and make an informed decision.

[the lynx]

Whichever you buy, NEVER EVER go to M1.

Too cheap and too crappy. (these two stick together like UHU glue)

[Tigerslayer]

Just a quick correction; BES isn't a data plan - BES is blackberry enterpise server. Your company needs to have this piece of software for you to be able to able to use 'push' email, calendar sync etc. BIS is the data plan / information service.

A correction on a correction. BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server) and BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service - OWA/POP3/IMAP) are two seperate solutions by RIM.

To use a full BES (not BES Express) you will need an Enterprise Data plan and not just a BIS plan.

When you go to the telco it is important to stipulate that you will be using BES to get the right BB Data Plan.

[BillyB]

Just a quick correction; BES isn't a data plan - BES is blackberry enterpise server. Your company needs to have this piece of software for you to be able to able to use 'push' email, calendar sync etc. BIS is the data plan / information service.

A correction on a correction. BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server) and BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service - OWA/POP3/IMAP) are two seperate solutions by RIM.

To use a full BES (not BES Express) you will need an Enterprise Data plan and not just a BIS plan.

When you go to the telco it is important to stipulate that you will be using BES to get the right BB Data Plan.

You're actually wrong.

BES is a server that sits with your employer and your employer owns the traffic and it runs in a VPN and fully encrypted environment with full access to resources - banks, hedge funds use this for information security.

BIS is simply a carrier run server so it's much less secure and, usually, restricted in the content that can run on the phone by the carrier.

And you don't need a BES data plan to use a BES server. A standard carrier data plan will give you access to all the features.

[Tigerslayer]

Its very easy to say 'You're wrong' but have you actually checked?

http://info.singtel.com/personal/commun ... blackberry

Just look half way down the page...

The plans are...

BIS 1GB / BIS 3GB / BIS Unlimited

BES 4MB and BES Unlimited

If you pick BIS you will NOT get BES Service through your device (Unless the company uses BES Express)

BES IS a server in the company, but BIS IS NOT carrier run. It is hosted by RIM themselves and serves POP / IMAP / OWA connections.

The reason for there being specific plans for BIS and BES is that RIM charge carriers an extra premium for providing the data service between device and BES Server which isnt part of the BIS package.

Some telco's will swallow the charge and combine BIS and BES plans into a single BlackBerry plan but most (like Singtel above) will pass the charge onto the customer who therefore MUST have a BES plan to use their device with their company's BES Server.

[BillyB]

Its very easy to say 'You're wrong' but have you actually checked?

http://info.singtel.com/personal/commun ... blackberry

Just look half way down the page...

The plans are...

BIS 1GB / BIS 3GB / BIS Unlimited

BES 4MB and BES Unlimited

If you pick BIS you will NOT get BES Service through your device (Unless the company uses BES Express)

BES IS a server in the company, but BIS IS NOT carrier run. It is hosted by RIM themselves and serves POP / IMAP / OWA connections.

The reason for there being specific plans for BIS and BES is that RIM charge carriers an extra premium for providing the data service between device and BES Server which isnt part of the BIS package.

Some telco's will swallow the charge and combine BIS and BES plans into a single BlackBerry plan but most (like Singtel above) will pass the charge onto the customer who therefore MUST have a BES plan to use their device with their company's BES Server.

If you read my original reply you'd know that I said I'd only used the service on SH and M1 - where there is no tiered rates for data.

[Mi Amigo]

For what its worth I use Samsung Galaxy S2 now and while for fun and games it is streets ahead of BlackBerry (for now) neither it or the iPhone comes close to the push notification system on BlackBerry and the organized way it displays business content.

I make waaaaay too many typos on touchscreen for my liking but thats probably just down to my fat fingers

I'd recommend you try using Swype for text entry (only available on Samsung handsets AFAIK). After the initial learning curve (which includes learning that you don't need to move your finger either slowly or very accurately over the characters), I found it a very useful feature and wouldn't want to be without it now. Previously I also suffered from the 'fat fingers' scenario.

[Tigerslayer]

If you read my original reply you'd know that I said I'd only used the service on SH and M1 - where there is no tiered rates for data.

I'm Sorry but What?!?

Starhub offer these two post paid BlackBerry plans (Read carefully)


BlackBerry Premium

Data plan for BlackBerry-supported devices that comes with 1GB bundled data. Excess usage charged at 0.34cts/kb & capped at $36.38. Support BIS only.

BlackBerry Unlimited

Unlimited data usage for PushMail on BlackBerry-supported handsets for the ultimate road warrior. Support BIS/BES.

How does that make any of your misleading and sweeping statements about BlackBerry Data plans correct? You are baselessly claiming people to be wrong who arent and by doing so are misguiding anyone who doesnt know BlackBerry well

To run through...

You're actually wrong.

Not true

BIS is simply a carrier run server

Not true, hosted by RIM and charged to the carrier hence why you have to pay monthly extra for BIS as well.

And you don't need a BES data plan to use a BES server. A standard carrier data plan will give you access to all the features.

Not true a standard non BB carrier plan gets you carrier APN but not BlackBerry APN access.

Even if you mean BB plans.... BIS is very different to BES data and even BIS Plans can be tiered by telcos which can offer plans for email only (no browsing) / email and social networking (no browsing) / etc...

So best be clear about what you want to use your phone for when asking about your plan... no matter which carrier you choose.

BIS is the data plan / information service.

Also not true.

BIS is a RIM service that is covered by a plan. BES is also a RIM service and also needs to be covered in the plan whether that is a combined or not is down to the specific plan by the carrier.

This is why I said it is important to state to the carrier when signing up for a plan that you intend to use BES.

Anymore fabrications to add?

[zzm9980]

BillyB is completely right. BES was the Enterprise server your company would host in order for your Blackberry to securely attach to your mail environment.


Now Singtel has a BES plan yes, I'm unclear if this is just the plan you need to subscribe to for the privilege of using Singtel's network to attach to your BES server, or if Singtel and/or RIM actually host BES instances for individuals to park their mail on. When you subscribe to this, do you get an @blackberry.com or @singtel.com (or something similar) mail account to use? Do you need to configure your mail provider to send mail there? Quite curious how it works. I haven't used a Blackberry since the dark ages. (Pre-iPhone and when Android alphas were copying Blackberries and not Apple)

[zzm9980]

Either way, RIM has a silly model which has suffered terribly recently in cascading outages, and is (likely) subverted regionally by invasive governments.

[BillyB]

If you read my original reply you'd know that I said I'd only used the service on SH and M1 - where there is no tiered rates for data.

I'm Sorry but What?!?

Starhub offer these two post paid BlackBerry plans (Read carefully)


BlackBerry Premium

Data plan for BlackBerry-supported devices that comes with 1GB bundled data. Excess usage charged at 0.34cts/kb & capped at $36.38. Support BIS only.

BlackBerry Unlimited

Unlimited data usage for PushMail on BlackBerry-supported handsets for the ultimate road warrior. Support BIS/BES.

How does that make any of your misleading and sweeping statements about BlackBerry Data plans correct? You are baselessly claiming people to be wrong who arent and by doing so are misguiding anyone who doesnt know BlackBerry well

To run through...

You're actually wrong.

Not true

BIS is simply a carrier run server

Not true, hosted by RIM and charged to the carrier hence why you have to pay monthly extra for BIS as well.

And you don't need a BES data plan to use a BES server. A standard carrier data plan will give you access to all the features.

Not true a standard non BB carrier plan gets you carrier APN but not BlackBerry APN access.

Even if you mean BB plans.... BIS is very different to BES data and even BIS Plans can be tiered by telcos which can offer plans for email only (no browsing) / email and social networking (no browsing) / etc...

So best be clear about what you want to use your phone for when asking about your plan... no matter which carrier you choose.

BIS is the data plan / information service.

Also not true.

BIS is a RIM service that is covered by a plan. BES is also a RIM service and also needs to be covered in the plan whether that is a combined or not is down to the specific plan by the carrier.

This is why I said it is important to state to the carrier when signing up for a plan that you intend to use BES.

Anymore fabrications to add?

I may have made mistakes in parts of my answer, but it was made with the intention to help the original poster out.

Remember, nobody likes a smartarse.

Incidentally, your comment on RIM not being in trouble is the biggest load of shite I've heard in a long time. The share price is down 70% this year and the company is on it's arse.......

[JR8]

Either way, RIM has a silly model which has suffered terribly recently in cascading outages, and is (likely) subverted regionally by invasive governments.

Yes. For example you'd be wise to work from an assumption that any e-comms you make from phone calls to e-mails are monitored and recorded.

Hey, even forum posts too!