Vodacom Data Sim for Blackberry (different than other data sims?)

[ebendl]

Does anybody know if you need another "kind" of Data Sim for a Blackberry to work? My scenario is as follows:

* I have an iPhone contract
* I have 2 datasims already - one for my iPad and one for my 3G stick
* I have an old BlackBerry which I want to use while travelling abroad for basic email access (when you disable MIME, make sure no applications are running in the background, and limit it to one email account which you seldom use, it becomes a very cheap option, esp. on the Vodacom partner networks @ R17 a MB). I will try and get a local prepaid account for data-access locally, but the BB makes a good backup.

So I activated BIS this morning and put one of the datasims in the Blackberry. It picks up the network and enables 3G, but doesn't want to connect to the BIS server (no capital GPRS/EDGE or the BB icon next to 3G). Can log in at www.mobileemail.vodafonesa.co.za (from when I had a BB contract a couple of months ago), but it says there's no device associated with my account.

Phoned Vodacom but they said I should wait 24 hours for the service to activate. So my concern is that the Data SIM for a Blackberry is DIFFERENT Than the other data sims. Anybody knows if this is the case??

[Ockie]

The BIS service will be provisioned on your main sim...not the data sims iirc. You should use the sim that is in your Iphone in the Blackberry or you could request another Data Sim (we have a specific Data Sim for Blackberries). The BIS service will then be moved over to this new Blackberry Data Sim and will only work with that sim.

[ebendl]

Great, that's exactly what I wanted to know.

Who do I contact to request this? Can I request the BIS service to be moved to one of my existing data-sims via 111 or 155?

[Haldex]

Tell them to activate data sim 2.

[Ockie]

Great, that's exactly what I wanted to know.

Who do I contact to request this? Can I request the BIS service to be moved to one of my existing data-sims via 111 or 155?

No...it cannot be manually moved by us. When you activate the new Blackberry Data Sim, the sevice will be provsioned on that new sim and de-provisioned from your normal sim via automation on the system. Reason why it cant be moved is because the Blackberry Data Sim has its own service code on the system and it can only be activated on that.

You will need to go into your closest Vodacom shop and request a new sim and tell them you want the Blackberry Data Sim....BE VERY VERY CLEAR ABOUT IT HAVING TO BE THE BLACKBERRY DATA SIM....else they might go and just activate a 3rd data sim again...and it wont work.

[ebendl]

Mmm, the lady (and her manager) at 155 seems to think differently - they took down the SIM number of the one, existing SIM and will provision it. She says she doesn't pick up my BIS subscription on the system, but that it can take 24 hours (sounds suspicious). Will wait until tomorrow, then head to a Vodashop. Not really in the mood to pay another R90 or whatever to "buy" yet another SIM, but if I have to, that's fine.

Thanks for the help ocleroux.

[Ockie]

Mmm, the lady (and her manager) at 155 seems to think differently - they took down the SIM number of the one, existing SIM and will provision it. She says she doesn't pick up my BIS subscription on the system, but that it can take 24 hours (sounds suspicious). Will wait until tomorrow, then head to a Vodashop. Not really in the mood to pay another R90 or whatever to "buy" yet another SIM, but if I have to, that's fine.

Thanks for the help ocleroux.

OK cool...if they can do it for you great. Perhaps I am wrong. Cant say I have ever had a request exactly like this so never dug deeper. Hope you come right.

[ebendl]

OK, she just phoned be back to confirm that I will need a new SIM. Need to go to a Vodashop and request a SIM with service code "TNM2" - that's the one with the BlackBerry gateway enabled.

[Haldex]

OK, she just phoned be back to confirm that I will need a new SIM. Need to go to a Vodashop and request a SIM with service code "TNM2" - that's the one with the BlackBerry gateway enabled.

Thats what i said...

[ebendl]

Indeed - thanks Haldex & ocleroux. You were both right.

[Ockie]

OK, she just phoned be back to confirm that I will need a new SIM. Need to go to a Vodashop and request a SIM with service code "TNM2" - that's the one with the BlackBerry gateway enabled.

/giggles

/Does the "Told You So" dance

[ebendl]

Ja ja, rub it in.
:P

[ebendl]

Ok, apparently I can't use this datasim on an iPhone contract. Is this true??? Or is the Vodashop in Woodlands useless?

[Ockie]

Ok, apparently I can't use this datasim on an iPhone contract. Is this true??? Or is the Vodashop in Woodlands useless?

Mmmmm....it could be. I heard a year or two ago that the Iphone and BB APN's do not play nicely together...but thought that was fixed.

PM me the number and I will check if the system gives the option for the BB Data Sim to be activated on your contract.

[Haldex]

Ok, apparently I can't use this datasim on an iPhone contract. Is this true??? Or is the Vodashop in Woodlands useless?

Vodashop Woodlands is useless lol!!

It should work, I have mine the opposite, BB contract with BES and iphone apn loaded.
You might need to load BIS/BES on your iphone contract.

Why do you want mails for your BB anyway? iPhone mail is not as bad as people think it is, Ill be surprised if my mail only bill exceeds R100/month.(i send and receive a ton of email every month)