Blackberry 8520 MTN Prepaid

[JAP]

I have purchased the Blackberry 8520 at Vodashop on prepaid. They said ithe phone is not Vodacom locked and that I can use my MTN sim card.

However, I can't seem to set up internet browsing. The only Browser available is the Hotspot Browser. I don't care about Blackberry free browsing, could anyone please assist me with settings to access the internet from this Blackberry in any way?

I have not had any luck contacting MTN.

Please advise.

[oronte]

You must activate BIS on MTN. You need a contract for that.
You can probably use the regular internet service without it, you probably have to set up TCP settings (in advanced settings).
Call 1555 tomorrow perhaps they can help.

[cerebus]

Sorry to derail your thread but rather than starting my own - on the same note is it possible to use the Blackberry data bundle as normal bandwidth on a PC - use it as a 3g modem or something on those lines? Thanks.

[stevovo]

Sorry to derail your thread but rather than starting my own - on the same note is it possible to use the Blackberry data bundle as normal bandwidth on a PC - use it as a 3g modem or something on those lines? Thanks.

Nope. Vodacom can see you are using the internet apn and therefore charge you the usual R2 per mb or per data bundle if you have one.

[stevovo]

You must activate BIS on MTN. You need a contract for that.
You can probably use the regular internet service without it, you probably have to set up TCP settings (in advanced settings).
Call 1555 tomorrow perhaps they can help.

You don't get bis on mtn prepaid? :confused: That's :sick:

[oronte]

Yes, it's wonderful I hope they never offer it on prepaid, unlike Vodacom, MTN bis actually works.

[Sensorei]

I thought MTN do offer BIS on pre paid for R69/month? Vodacom's prepaid BIS is so easy to access through 111 but the internet FAILs at a quarter of dial up speed.

[JAP]

Thank you for the reply. The bad news is that after I could not get anyone at MTN to help, I decided to port my number to Vodacom. BIG MISTAKE! NEW DRAMA!

Something has gone wrong, and now Vodashop refers me to the Vodacom call centre and the the call centre sends me back to Vodashop and they refer me back to the call centre.... It seems half of my life is being spend speaking to Vodacom/Vodashop and nobody knows what's the problem....

MTN agreed to the porting, but as soon as Vodashop enters the new SIM details their system says porting already in progress and scheduled for 8 November or something? I even bought a new SIM again.

[oronte]

Wow, that was a really bad idea. Even when you get BIS it won't work properly on Vodacom.

[Astound]

Wow, that was a really bad idea. Even when you get BIS it won't work properly on Vodacom.

Oooer, must agree with that, unless you are willing to wait until 24 October when it was promised to be fixed, because until then you will be in the same boat as the rest of us VC victims :erm:

See the VC Speed tests thread (http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=177519&page=24) for more info.

I am hoping that I will be able to change my signature by then :o

[w1tw0lf]

I have heard that mtn will be bringing prepaid bis out as well.

[JAP]

Jippeeeeeeeeeee! After a few more e-mails and a few more chats with the Vodacom call centre, my porting request has been successfully cancelled....so now...I have a Blackberry without, browsing or e-mail...but somehow I am happy... It feels just like the old days.

[Astound]

Jippeeeeeeeeeee! After a few more e-mails and a few more chats with the Vodacom call centre, my porting request has been successfully cancelled....so now...I have a Blackberry without, browsing or e-mail...but somehow I am happy... It feels just like the old days.

:confused:

I dont know whether to be happy or sad for you?

The Blackberry experience should be offering you the ability to do more, from wherever you are, keep up to date with your emails, social networking, instant messaging, capture and instant sending off of photos, videos, multimedia and so on, as long as you are within range of at least GPRS signal.

Here you are rejoicing the fact the you do not have BIS :erm:

If you are going to use email or browse you should at least subscribe to a data bundle as it will save you some money.

Out of bundle rates are R2.00 per MB, but with a data bundle you could be paying 0.80 cents per MB.

A Blackberry handset without the BIS service does not make sense.

Since this is a VC handset on prepaid, why not just activate VC BIS?

Vodacom will have to fix their BIS service, they cannot afford to shoot themselves in the foot.

BIS was the _only_ reason I went for the Blackberry and while Online Browsing is really poor, Emails are running just fine.

[JAP]

No, you are right Astound - I wanted all that and was more than happy to buy data bundles. The problem is MTN could not give me the settings to set either one up. So, that's why I wanted to move to Vodacom. I am just happy that I am not speaking to Vodacom tonight as I have been for several evenings. Maybe MTN will be able to help me one day...until then I can at least sent sms's ;)

[Astound]

No, you are right Astound - I wanted all that and was more than happy to buy data bundles. The problem is MTN could not give me the settings to set either one up. So, that's why I wanted to move to Vodacom. I am just happy that I am not speaking to Vodacom tonight as I have been for several evenings. Maybe MTN will be able to help me one day...until then I can at least sent sms's ;)

You bought a BB Handset from a Vodashop on prepaid and it seems that you have not been able to successfully activate VC BIS on prepaid.

My suggestion then is to PM VC reps like VodacomData or maybe ocleroux who I am sure will help get you sorted, these guys thrive on these things.

Looking at the date, almost 24 October, you will be having a great BIS experience with us if you act now and PM the reps ;)

There are some people on the forum, fismail comes to mind, who managed to get their VC/MTN phones to work on the other Network or vice versa :)

But try to get the VC reps to help you, VC BIS is cheaper :D

[oronte]

Call 1555 they can help. You need service books which will arrive as soon as BIS is properly activated on your account.

[oronte]

You bought a BB Handset from a Vodashop on prepaid and it seems that you have not been able to successfully activate VC BIS on prepaid.

My suggestion then is to PM VC reps like VodacomData or maybe ocleroux who I am sure will help get you sorted, these guys thrive on these things.

Looking at the date, almost 24 October, you will be having a great BIS experience with us if you act now and PM the reps ;)

There are some people on the forum, fismail comes to mind, who managed to get their VC/MTN phones to work on the other Network or vice versa :)

But try to get the VC reps to help you, VC BIS is cheaper :D

How is it cheaper? And considering VC blackberry users have only had 2 weeks of good Blackberry service in the last 3 months how would anyone benefit from that?

[Astound]

Call 1555 they can help. You need service books which will arrive as soon as BIS is properly activated on your account.

That number 1555 says the number you have dialled is incorrect, only available to internal MTN staff.

He can rather call 808 and follow the prompts for BIS.

[oronte]

1555 works for me. I just checked, but it might only work for MTN contract users?
808 is useless and can only activate BIS, they can't help with problems 1555 can.

[Astound]

1555 works for me. I just checked, but it might only work for MTN contract users?
808 is useless and can only activate BIS, they can't help with problems 1555 can.

Hmmm, it seems the number to dial is 083 1555 but that is for Business?

[Astound]

How is it cheaper? And considering VC blackberry users have only had 2 weeks of good Blackberry service in the last 3 months how would anyone benefit from that?

LOL, I am _not_ going to argue about this ^

It just seems to be a simpler solution for OP to just activate VC BIS on a VC BB Handset, as he was reporting issues getting MTN to help him.

Other than Snakepit, there are no MTN reps who I know of who can help him?

[fismail]

All you do is take MTN issued blackberry , stick in Vodacom sim with Blackberry services enabled on it , do a host routing table update , register on Vodacom's BIS site -> www.mobileemail.vodafonesa.co.za -> setup your accounts and voila.

The reverse is true for MTN and I subscribe to BOTH services from BOTH carriers so that I can test when things break which occasionally happens.


You bought a BB Handset from a Vodashop on prepaid and it seems that you have not been able to successfully activate VC BIS on prepaid.

My suggestion then is to PM VC reps like VodacomData or maybe ocleroux who I am sure will help get you sorted, these guys thrive on these things.

Looking at the date, almost 24 October, you will be having a great BIS experience with us if you act now and PM the reps ;)

There are some people on the forum, fismail comes to mind, who managed to get their VC/MTN phones to work on the other Network or vice versa :)

But try to get the VC reps to help you, VC BIS is cheaper :D

[w1tw0lf]

fismail, correct me if i am wron, to change from mtn to vodacom, you need to call mtn to release then pin/imei from there network to be able to register it on vodacom. Or other way around as well.

[mayurh]

hi everyone
jus want to ask something please
if i bought an imported bb 8520 and i have a vc/mtn prepaid sim card.will i stil able to activate the bis for R60 /pm?

[oronte]

Yes. Just call them.