The Blackberry Bold
From: RIM
Offering a number of soutions for the frequent traveler, Verizon Wireless has overcome numerous challenges to allow their customers to use their domestic device almost anywhere. The last week, I had took a vacation to Puerto Vallara, Mexico. Yes, my AT&T Bold would have worked fine, but where is the fun in using the same device over and over again?
Joining me on my journey was a Verizon Wireless Bold 9650. The 9650, has many of the same features as its GSM only counterpart the 9700. A 3.2 megapixel camera, WiFi, bluetooth, and 3G capabilities keep this phone alawys fast. Combined with an international SIM card and a international plan (an add-on to your current plan can be added for the amount of time you will be abroad) make this phone useable almost anywhere.
Activating the phone should have been simple, most Verizon Wireless phones require their customers to program the phones by dialing *228 and send. Pressing option one will program the device, and option two updates roaming capabilities. So excited I was to have the Bold with me, as soon as it arrived it was in my carry on. About two hours in my flight, looking over the Verizon literature reminded me that I failed to activate it in the states.
Arriving in Mexico, pressing *228 let me to a recorded message in Spanish. I pressed the numbers it instructed me to and the phone displayed “Programming.” Unfortunatley after programming was successful, the local telephone company has reprogramed the device to have a Local mexican 335 number- in other words, my phone was having an identity crisis. It was my cell phone from New York, if anyone called my cell it would not be forwarded to the new number.
What is worse, the new number did not allow me to make or recieve any calls. even with the device’s radio unuasable, using WiFi from a nearby starbucks I googled the problem. It seemed as if no one else has ever had the same issue as me. For once, Google failed me.
FAST FORWARD: The next day, I was successful in manually reprogramming the device. By dialing ##000000, send. It brings you to the screen to manually program the device (somewhat the same way *228 automatically does). I would not suggest changing anything in this menu unless you know exactley what you are doing. i entered my number and the country codes,you may be able to get this data from another device on the same network.
After activating the device, it was smooth sailing from there on. The 9650 switched between WiFi and the cellular network to speed up surfing. This feature also helps cut down your bill substantially, data sent over WiFi is not billed. I would suggest disabling data on your smart phone while roaming. On a blackberry device, go to wireless options, Mobile network options, and switch “data while roaming” to off. Verizon Wirless charges $5.12 per megabyte used while roaming in Mexico. A picture from a 8 megapixel camera can be easily be three megabytes, meaning sending that picture of you on the zipline can cost $15.00.
My two main complaints with the 9650, is the near impossible to remove battery door cover. On the 9700 the back slides off when enough pressure is applied. The 9650 requires the latch to be pushed, and at the same time lifted up. For someone with longer nails this is not a problem. The other the placing of the charge port. Placed near the bottom makes handleing the device while charging a bit tricky, however its great battery life keeps this to a minimum.