Looks like Verizon subscribers who do not have a text package are going to see text message costs increase.
Starting March 1st a pay as you go text will cost 15 cents, a 5 cent increase.
Cingular, now AT&T, and Sprint have also increased their text message rates from 10 to 15 cents. T-Mobile has left their text message costs alone, still at 10 cents a message.
The idea is to get customers to sign up for a monthly plan of text messages instead of the pay as you go method. Hopefully you already have the message bundle, and have nothing to worry about.
For a couple of days now, Robb at RIMarkable has been running a think piece entitled, "Why Verizon has been able to get by releasing new BlackBerry devices a year after other carriers and why that time has to come to an end."
After reading his post, I have been lurking, monitoring reader comments as well.
The way I take it, Research In Motion feels less pressure from Verizon for BlackBerrys with the newest and snazziest features (like camera and video playback) because so much of Verizon's user base is corporate. And that corporate user base is conservative, wanting their BlackBerrys only for email and related tasks.
Also, a big part of the story here is that Verizon is a non-GSM carrier, and that newer functionalities work better on GSM.
Robb, however, thinks that Pearl-type features will eventually become so pervasive in business computing that any carrier that does not demand similar functionalities in at least some of their BlackBerry brands will be left behind.
I'm not as sure as Robb. So let me turn this over to you BlackBerry enterprise users. Do you feel energized enough about, say, BlackBerry multimedia functionality to ask your IT or rep to start leaning on Verizon to lean on RIM- to get a thoroughly modern BlackBerry in the channels?
Surfing Pinstack I came across a somewhat startling post about Verizon.
In the new year Verizon is going to allow advertising on their phones. As if we don't already get enough on TV, on the radio, on the internet, heck even on the way to work.
Verizon says they will start cautiously limiting what can be shown and where. Apparently back in October Sprint began the advertising as well.
This advertising is on the carrier's decks, or the little menu of sites your carrier provides. If you are seeing this already let us know what you think.
BlackBerry Forums member Andrew Palmer writes this morning that Verizon Wireless sent him a reworked, second-hand 8703e, or "Field Replacement Unit" (FRU) BlackBerry 8703e8703e, to replace his 8703e that melted down after just 60 days use. Yet the Verizon replacement arrived -- "and this I find alarming -- with the previous owner's private data STILL ON IT."
Ooh, that doesn't sound good.
Here's the personal data the replacement unit contained:
I know more than one BlackBerry user who wants a Pearl so much that he is thinking of bailing from his Verizon Wireless contract just to sign up with T-Mobile so he can use a Pearl.
There are many more would-be Pearl users who are stuck with their carriers, and with other handsets. Preferring not to pay a $200 early withdrawal charge, some are counting down the months until their two-year service plan expires.
But did you know about Celltradeusa.com?
This outfit lets you buy unused portions of cell phone contracts, as well as list yours.
Pinstacker bdbrown3703 (funny, just typing that made me think about "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown") has just posted that when he sat on a plane (actually in a plane, dude) with a senior Verizon executive last week, he was told that a Verizon BlackBerry phone with international roaming would come out in the next five or six months.
That time frame would seem to point to a May, 2007 release.
No way to independently confirm. This, incidentially, was bdbrown3703's first Pinstack post. That doesn't necessarily elicit doubt, but as a general rule, very experienced forums posters have a built-in track record of creditbility about them that newer posters often do not.
Some posters on other threads report that the solution is merely one of dialing *22889 from your Verizon handheld. That number automatically triggers an over-the-air download of the latest firmware to your BlackBerry.
Not every user reports success with this approach, however.
Consensus seems to be that you can't be sure the problem has been fixed until you call Verizon support at 1-800-922-0204.
Pinstack Admin Hayden is reporting that Cingular will release the Blackberry Pearl by the end of the first quarter of 2007. The only difference is reported to be the push to talk capability, otherwise it will be just like the T-Mobile Pearl.
Cingular is saying it will take until next year to release the Pearl due to rigorous testing. Guess we will have to wait and see if that testing fixes the problems with the Pearl. For the extra wait, I sure hope it does.
I bet there are lots of very excited Cingular subscribers out there wishing next year will get here a little faster.
With the BlackBerry 8703e now available on Verizon and due for release on SprintNextel October 1, there's lots of love for the BlackBerry 8703e in an ever-expanding Howard Forums thread entitled The "Get My 8703" Thread.
The thread was started by HoFo-er retroinspired, who wrote in his thread-opener that he is "freakin' stoked" to activate his new device. He follows that up with a post on what he thinks so far.
But for the most complete assessment on this thread, you'll want to check with HoFo'er sparky12.
Just in time, considering that the Verizon BlackBerry 8703e is now available and the T-Mobile flavor of same is on tap for an October 1 launch.
As to RIM's BlackBerry Accessories store, the BlackBerry 8703e section makes its debut with an assortment of Bluetooth headsets, holsters, battery chargers, cables, tote bags- even a Smart Card reader.
All of these-including several models of many of these categories, are up on this newly created area.
Here's some grabs that will show you what's listed, and for how much.
Back in November, 2005, I wrote several posts chronicling the massive retail and direct distribution confusion Cingular Wireless had been experiencing with relation to their then-new BlackBerry 8700c. Some stores had them, others didn't, and incredibly, retail employees didn't seem to be in the loop.
Then, a couple of months ago, I described another type of confusion at Sprint- the fact that a year after the merger with Nextel, both BlackBerry carriers still maintained separate inventory and billing systems unintelligible to retail employees trying to sell you a BlackBerry.
My point in dredging up these issues is to contrast the relative orderliness and discipline of T-Mobile in rolling out the Pearl. I mean, most T-Mobile stores received their Pearl more or less on time, and the device's official retail availability wasn't greeted with either "huh," or "yes, we've ordered some, they will be here soon."
For the record, Verizon Wireless stores seem to be pretty much on board with the BlackBerry 8703e launch. They should be available at the stores in early October, but there has been some pricing confusion on the Verizon Wireless site.
Makes you wonder why some BlackBerry carriers have their act together at retail, while others are disorganized. No great mystery, though. Some carriers run tighter ships, and pay as much attention to their retail distribution channels as to their most favored national accounts.
Summing up: when it comes to BlackBerry retail distribution, T-Mobile "gets it," Verizon Wireless sort of gets it, Cingular and SprintNextel do not.
Two-year contract-$349.99 list-$100.00 online discount, for a price of $249.99.
One-year contract- $399.99. Interesting that Verizon Wireless charge you more than the list price for a one-year contract. I guess that's their way of discouraging shorter-term contracts.
You know what would be a good idea? I can understand the one-time, $35 setup fee for a one-year contract, but why not waive it for two-year agreements?
I know when I say "device simulator," some of you will think that I am pointing to a resource for developers.
But no, not in this case. As they release the BlackBerry 8703e, Verizon Wireless has just posted a simulator that shows you key steps in setting up and using your 8703e. What's more, the simulator actually is configured so that you can use it to try out various features just with the touch of a button.
The BlackBerry Technical Knowledge Center has posted a Getting Started Guide for the Verizon BlackBerry 8703e, which will go on sale Monday.
While this 28-page PDF is pretty much garden variety BlackBerry GSG, there is that very useful feature-pointer we've learned to expect from those GSGs.
The BlackBerry 8703e will be available from Verizon Wireless for $349.99 with a new two-year customer agreement beginning on Sunday, September 17 online and through Verizon Wireless business sales channels on Monday, September 18.
It will be available though Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in October.
Looks like Verizon subscribers who do not have a text package are going to see text message costs increase.
Surfing Pinstack I came across a somewhat startling post about 
Pinstacker 
Pinstack Admin 
