3 Mobile Goes Bold... BlackBerry Bold

[BESadmin]

3 Mobile goes Bold... BlackBerry Bold
3rd December 2008
www.itwire.com

The BlackBerry Bold boldly goes where BlackBerries have gone before – to the 3 Mobile network in Australia. BlackBerry fans on 3 who want the best physical QWERTY keyboarded Blackberry in existence are sure to be shaken and stirred at the news.

Although the BlackBerry Storm, which is exclusive to Vodafone, arrives later this week to eager Storm fans, not everyone online has been enamoured of the Storm’s “touch and click” interface.

Some prefer the real keys and better accuracy of BlackBerry’s other top-end model for 2008, the Bold, which has itself been a very popular model.

Indeed, I’ve just received a BlackBerry Storm review unit from Vodafone today, and while I won’t go into too much detail, not yet having had enough time for a proper test, I can say that the touch and click on-screen keyboard on the Storm works very well, whether in portrait or landscape mode.

Having said that, it’s easy to see that some CrackBerry addicts, especially those with well trained thumbs, will prefer the “real” BlackBerry keyboard that the Bold offers.

So, while the Storm is definitely a brilliant opportunity for Vodafone to get lots of new and existing BlackBerry customers, and is clearly one of the reasons why Vodafone did a global deal with RIM, the Bold is also still very appealing, whether to new users or those upgrading from older models.

3 says the Bold is “available now from selected 3 Stores and 3 Dealers, the BlackBerry Bold will be offered on a range of 24 month plans and will include unlimited Email, Facebook, Instant Messenger and Google Maps in 3's Broadband Zones and on the 3 network in other 3 countries plus a range of great value talk, text and data inclusions.”

Noel Hamill, who I always like to not-so-subtly note shares the same surname as the actor that portrayed Luke Skywalker in that great sci-fi epic, is in actuality 3 Mobile’s Director of Sales, Marketing and Products, although whether there’s any family connection to Mark is unknown. I’ll have to ask Noel one day.

Casting aside my fictionally scientific allusions, and probably thinking about the fact he looks after technologies that were once but science fiction themselves, he boldly stated that: "The BlackBerry Bold is latest BlackBerry smartphone, and with 3's affordable plans it's a great addition for both consumers and businesses who want to connect with the people and information they need, when they need it.”

So, what will 3 Mobile charge its customers to use and buy the BlackBerry Bold?

So, what are the costs to boldly go with the BlackBerry Bold on 3?

For individual customers, the plans (minimum spend over 24 months) are as follows:

First is the $89 per month plan. This is broken down into a $49 cap, a $10 handset instalment and a $30 BlackBerry Internet Service charge, which gives you 3GB of data, unlimited Facebook, IM and selected Planet 3 sites.
You also get $350 worth of calls, SMS and “more”, and $240 of Free Talk 24/7 to anyone else on the 3 network.

Second is the $99 per month plan. There’s no monthly handset instalment, instead you’re on the $69 cap with the same $30 BlackBerry Internet Service charge.

This gets you the same 3GB of data and unlimited Facebook (etc), but on this plan you get a much more generous $650 worth of calls, text and more, and $350 of Free Talk 24/7 to anyone else on 3.

This second plan looks like it’s the golden plan, the plan in the middle that mid range users will go for, given that $10 per month more than the first plan gives you so much more included talk time.

But if you need more talk time and know you’ll go over the $650 limit, then you’ll want option three which costs $30 more but has much more talk time.

The third plan is $129 per month, which is a $99 cap and $30 BlackBerry Internet Service. Once again you get 3GB of data and unlimited Facebook (etc), but you now get $1000 worth of calls and text, and $1750 of Free Talk 24/7 to anyone else on 3.

3 Mobile says that the “total minimum cost over 24 months is $2,136 ($89 plan), $2,376 ($99 plan) or $3,096 ($129 plan)”, and that “fees apply on early termination.”

3’s included 3GB of data is naturally for use in 3’s broadband zones, with a 10c per MB charge if you go over the 3G limit. When you’re roaming, you get 2MB of data and a $1.65 per mb charge, although this should probably change to a much better rate in mid-2009 when 3 Mobile unveils the pricing of its new roaming agreement with Telstra.

As no BlackBerry has a front mounted video camera, video calls aren’t possible – one day RIM must get with the video calling program, but it’s hardly a deal breaker for the zillions of existing CrackBerry addicts out there.

Those who like to tinker with other apps or online services are advised that “Unlimited IM (Yahoo! Messenger/Google Talk/BlackBerry Messenger) and Facebook only applies if accessed via the relevant application.”

The caps include “national and $100 of international voice calls, SMS and MMS, Voicemail, 13/1300/1800 numbers and directory assistance, Voicemail, 13/1300/1800 numbers and directory assistance. Standard rates apply once the Cap & International voice limit is reached. Free Talk applies to national voice calls. Standard rates plus 30c flagfall applies once the Free Talk minute limit is reached.”

So... if you want a BlackBerry Bold on 3 Mobile, they’re now available. True CrackBerry addicts who couldn’t wait may well already have a Bold on another carrier, but then 3 Mobile has plenty of fans too, and if you’ve been patiently waiting, then the wait is finally over.

[MJKooLio]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.162 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/258)

I've got the bold on three typed this on it too!!

[kairi_k]

is the software update now available online so i can load Three software onto my Optus bold??

cheers

[GaryCutri]

Originally Posted by kairi_k

is the software update now available online so i can load Three software onto my Optus bold??

cheers

The Bold firmware from 3 still isn't online but you will find it HERE when it is made available.