RIM to cut BlackBerry fees?

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BlackBerry fees to be cut?

Research In Motion will be forced to slash the fees it charges carriers for BlackBerry service this year, an analyst said on Monday as another U.S. government customer edged away from the service, cutting into a pillar of the struggling smartphone company’s business model.
 
Great news, this will make vodacoms conjested BIS even better....
 
I am really starting to get tired of my BB.
I really love my BB but lots of little things are starting to drive me crazy:
- The tendency of the BB to reshuffle my custom icon placement on menu screens.
- The frequency with which it un-favourites random apps, causing them to disappear from my favourites screen.
- The slowness of uploads and downloads.
- The stealing of airtime off my device by Vodacom for services that are supposed to be covered under BIS.
- The inability to download and update multiple apps simultaneously in Appworld.
- The slowness of BBM in delivering messages of late.

About half of these are issues with the device/OS. BB has no explanation or solution for those little niggly issues.
The other half are issues with Vodacom specifically. I gave them an extra month to resolve the issues and have had no feedback from the Engineers since they took my device for a day and saw the problem for themselves.

Unfortunately, at present, I only spend R70pm on my phone and can do a LOT with it.
No other service provider or device can claim a similar value proposition or even come close.

However, I believe the fees RIM is looking at cutting are those specifically related to BES, or server licenses. You know, the roughly R700 - R1000 per BES user license that companies or employees have to pay to access corporate BB servers and services. It is unlikely to affect the R60pm that normal users pay for BIS.
 
OS 10 for BB better be a miracle or RIM might as well close shop.
 
The Trutherizer said:
Between our expensive mobile 3G and BB's possible (but I don't think probable) demise we here in SA will be quite screwed in the smartphone department. If you want to actually use your smartphone that is.
Click to expand...

I don't agree, the cellular service providers are releasing cheaper and cheaper bundles every couple of months. You can get 1GB bundles for under R100 now. Two years ago, when 1GB of 3G still cost R1000+ I would have agreed with your statement, but times are changing and BB hasn't updated their value proposition.
 
achuman said:
I don't agree, the cellular service providers are releasing cheaper and cheaper bundles every couple of months. You can get 1GB bundles for under R100 now. Two years ago, when 1GB of 3G still cost R1000+ I would have agreed with your statement, but times are changing and BB hasn't updated their value proposition.
Click to expand...

I don't know which network you were using, but 2 years ago a 1GB 3G bundle was a few Rands more expensive than today (Vodacom, MTN, CellC, Virgin Mobile etc.).
It was with the specials that CellC launched, then 8ta and then MTN that data became slightly more affordable.

Quote me on it please.
 
teraside said:
I don't know which network you were using, but 2 years ago a 1GB 3G bundle was a few Rands more expensive than today (Vodacom, MTN, CellC, Virgin Mobile etc.).
It was with the specials that CellC launched, then 8ta and then MTN that data became slightly more affordable.

Quote me on it please.
Click to expand...

My point is around how much cheaper it is now compared to a couple of years back. I used R1000 loosely, but my argument still stands. This article lists the 1GB bundles at around R350 which was 2 years ago. I've seen as low as R100 for 1GB in the last week which gives us a decrease of 71.42%.
 
achuman said:
My point is around how much cheaper it is now compared to a couple of years back. I used R1000 loosely, but my argument still stands. This article lists the 1GB bundles at around R350 which was 2 years ago. I've seen as low as R100 for 1GB in the last week which gives us a decrease of 71.42%.
Click to expand...

Would you mind telling me who offers a 1GB mobile data bundle for R100? I could really use it.
 
Jeez, things looking rather gRIM for Blackberry!

They've only got themselves to blame:
Phones which look identical across the entire range, sloppy or rather dated & repetitive OS, along with the small screens have them facing their demise.

Perhaps a buyout or partnership with Google/Android is the way forward...?
 
Yay good news. Now i can save even more money and still keep in touch with friends and do important business things
 
If I could get 300/400mb of data for the same R59 that I'm paying blackberry on PAYG each month I'd probably switch.
 
AniV said:
However, I believe the fees RIM is looking at cutting are those specifically related to BES, or server licenses. You know, the roughly R700 - R1000 per BES user license that companies or employees have to pay to access corporate BB servers and services. It is unlikely to affect the R60pm that normal users pay for BIS.
Click to expand...

Hate to quote myself, but people appear to be missing the important point of the article.
It's not regular pre-paid BIS users that are going to get a reduction in fees.
It's the BES-type Enterprise Server licenses that are probably going to get cheaper.
 
Those were the days my friend, I thought they would never end.....

RIM is staring down the barrel of a gun. If it has lost 80 % of market value in the last year.....I don't think they will be able to survive what the article says they are facing - it will be the final straw that breaks the camels back
 
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