BlackBerry FAQs
What is BlackBerry©?
A BlackBerry© is a personal communications device developed, distributed, and serviced by Research in Motion (RIM), a Canadian company headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario.
What types of communications can it perform?
A BlackBerry© can provide email, text messaging, web browsing, and telephone service.
What else does a BlackBerry© do?
Standard features on a BlackBerry© include calendar, tasks, notes, alarm clock, calculator, and some games. Third party applications can be downloaded to extend its capability. Some models available from Nextel, Sprint, and maybe other carriers, provide GPS and cellular "walkie-talkie" service as well. Most BlackBerrys are Bluetooth® capable, allowing for the use of wireless Bluetooth headsets to handle telephone calls.
What types of communications can it perform?
A BlackBerry© can provide email, text messaging, web browsing, and telephone service.
Must I connect a BlackBerry© to a computer to synchronize email and calendar items?
No, the BlackBerry© can be set up and operated wirelessly without ever being connected physically to a computer.
What is BlackBerry© Internet Solutions ?
BlackBerry© Internet Solution is designed to allow you to set up up to 10 work and personal email accounts to be integrated to your BlackBerry© Wireless Handheld, such as MSN® Hotmail® plus or POP3/Internet Service Provider (ISP) email. For MSN® Hotmail® or Yahoo email, you would need to subscribe to their POP service which is a premium service.
How is is BlackBerry© Internet Solution different from BlackBerry© Enterprise Solution?
Unlike BlackBerry© Enterprise Solution which requires setup and maintenance of a BlackBerry© Enterprise Server to manage the link between BlackBerry© Wireless Handheld®, email and other enterprise applications, BlackBerry© Internet Solution allows users to access to their emails upon a simple setup over the internet.
Can the same BlackBerry© handheld be used for both BlackBerry© Enterprise Solution and BlackBerry© Internet Solution?
Yes. The only difference will be the setup and configuration of the handheld.
How is BlackBerry© Internet Service™ different from the other PDAs?
BlackBerry© Internet Service™ is a solution that pushes emails automatically to your email account without the hassle of dialing in or downloading. PDA phones currently do not support the application. For PDAs, you would need to configure the POP/IMAP application in your PDA to periodically pull email from your ISP account.
Who is this service aimed at?
The BlackBerry© Internet Solution is for busy, mobile, active people who are always on the go. They want to be reachable from all access points: phone, email, text messaging, at any time whether they are commuting, traveling, out socializing or away from their desks while in the office.
What types of email accounts can be used with BlackBerry© Internet Solution?
BlackBerry© Internet Solution supports: " POP3-enabled " ISP accounts " Hotmail, Yahoo mail " IMAP For MSN Hotmail or Yahoo email, you would need to subscribe to their POP service which is a premium service
Will I get a new email address for BlackBerry© Internet Solution?
Yes. You will be able to customize an email address - username@emtel.blackberry.com with your subscription.
How much storage space is available for my customized BlackBerry© Internet Service™ Email address?
You will be given up to 10MB of default email storage and allows an integration of up to 10 email accounts.
Can I use the service while roaming?
Yes. This service is supported by Emtel GPRS roaming partners.
Do I have to register for International Roaming to use the service to access my emails while overseas?
Yes. You are required to subscribe for International Roaming services and activate GPRS before you leave the country in order to access your emails while overseas.
If I have already subscribed to BlackBerry© Enterprise Solution, how do I sign up for BlackBerry© Internet Solution?
If you already had a BES service, you would automatically be given the BlackBerry© Internet Service™.
Can I use any other applications on my handheld while I am making a phone call?
You can still use the other handheld applications but you will not be able to send or receive your emails or browse web pages.
What is the PIN for my handheld?
You can find your PIN number from the following locations on your handheld:
(a) On the Home screen, go to Options >Status.
(b) On the sticker at the back of the handheld.
(c) Under the battery cover.
What is the largest message size that can be sent to the handheld?
The maximum size of the message is 32kB and messages are sent to the handheld in 2kB parts. Any email contents larger than 32kB will be truncated.
What happens to the phone function after the maximum number of invalid password entry has been reached?
Maximum tries is 10 times. Thereafter the handheld data is erased and can no longer send or receive email messages. However the phone functions will still be accessible.
I keep receiving an email that tells me I am over my quota. What does this mean?
This message means that you're either close to, or have exceeded the capacity of your BlackBerry© Internet Solution account. You will not receive any more emails to your BlackBerry© device until you delete some emails to free-up capacity. You will need to login to your BlackBerry© Internet Solution account to do this.
How do I retrieve a password-protected PDF attachment?
To retrieve a password-protected Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) file on the BlackBerry© Wireless Handheld:

Open the message containing the attachment on the handheld.

Click the trackwheel and click Open Attachment from the menu. The Attachment screen opens.

Scroll to the file name of the document, click the trackwheel and select Password. The Enter Password prompt appears.

Enter the password and click the trackwheel to enter.

Go to Table of Contents or Full Content and click Retrieve.

Note: Attempting to access a password-protected document other than a .pdf file will not display a prompt for the password. The attachments will timeout displaying an X beside the attachment. If a resend is attempted the following message will be displayed on the handheld "Password not supported for this format. Resend?"
Are there any limitations on the BlackBerry© Attachment Service handheld?
Limitations of the BlackBerry© Attachment Service on the BlackBerry© Wireless Handhelds:
  • Spreadsheet document dimensions are limited to 10,000 rows.
  • Spreadsheet document view does not support formatting, for instance, bold, underline and italic.
  • Document view does not support Italic.
  • Universal Content Stream (UCS) has a size limitation of 32 K:
  • The UCS size limitation is unrelated to the original document size.
  • The size limit truncates the document and a message displays at the bottom to indicate that the document has been truncated. The Table Of Contents (TOC) feature must be used to access the rest of the document because the document was truncated.
  • The BlackBerry© Attachment Service does not support the More feature, on RIM Wireless Handhelds.
  • The BlackBerry© Attachment Service database size will grow with the number of converted attachments. Space in the database can only be recovered by deleting messages, reconciling email or using the Backup and Restore utility, which can be found in the BlackBerry© Desktop Manager.
  • Password protected documents can only be read if they are in Adobe® PDF
How do I manage "Low Memory" on the handheld?
Low Memory Manager begins an automatic process of removing old, static items from flash memory. This allows new information to be stored when a BlackBerry© Wireless Handheld runs out of the available memory. Low Memory Manager is invoked when the File Free field displays 0 bytes. Flash memory stores user data for handheld applications, such as: Messages, Calendar, Address Book, Tasks and MemoPad. Memory is freed by deleting the data structures listed below in order of deletion.

  • Remote Address Lookup requests
  • Browser cache
  • Old attachment data
  • Old calendar entries
  • Old messages

If memory cannot be recycled by deleting these data structures, then the Low Memory Manager process ends.

Note: Calendar entries and emails deleted by the Low Memory Management are not reconciled back to the mail system.

The File Free field displays memory available for data storage. The File Total field displays remaining storage space, after loading the radio and operating system software as well as the overhead.

To view the File Free and the File Total fields on the handheld:

Go to Options > Status > File Free.
How do I enable a password on my handheld?
One security feature of the BlackBerry© handheld is the password option. If your handheld has a password enabled, the data on your handheld cannot be accessed until the correct password is typed.

To enable the password option, perform the following steps:
In the Home screen, scroll to Options and click the Trackwheel. The Options screen appears. Scroll to Security and click the Trackwheel. The Security screen appears.

While in the Password: field, press the Space key to enable the password. A dialogue box appears, prompting you to enter a password with a minimum of 4 characters. Press Enter when you are finished. You will have to enter your password again to verify it.
Can I read attachments with the handheld?
Yes (with specific attachment file types). The user can request the table of contents of an attachment or request the full contents of an attachment.
For the table of contents, the user can download sections of the attachment.

For the full content, the attachment (up to 2kB) is downloaded to the handheld. The content is compressed (usually less than 1kB) during wireless data transfer. Users can request "more" of an attachment.
What securities are applied on the BlackBerry© Internet Service™ ?
BlackBerry© Internet Service™ implements the following security features: user authentication, content and message encryption and wireless delivery.

User authentication
Subscribers are required to provide a unique user name and password combination to access the BlackBerry© Internet Service™. Passwords must be 4-16 characters in length. The maximum number of failed logins is three (3) times after which the subscriber is locked out. Subscribers can be "unlocked" by waiting for the lockout period (4 hrs) to end. If subscribers forget their password, they can answer a secret question. If they answer the question correctly, the system sends the password to the handheld.

Content encryption
Information that is exchanged between the web server and the user through the desktop-based or handheld-based BlackBerry© Internet Service™ is encrypted using SSL. This encryption verifies the content including user names, passwords and other account information.

Message encryption
Messages that are received by the system through the aggregation server are encrypted using SSL when supported by the email server (POP over SSL, IMAP over SSL, Outlook Web Access (OWA), iNotes). If the email server does not support an SSL connection, a standard non-secure HTTP connection is used.

Wireless delivery
Messages that are sent and received between the BlackBerry© Internet Service™ and the subscriber's handheld are not encrypted. When these messages are transmitted over the wireless network, they are subject to the existing or available network security model(s).
How many email accounts can be added to the BlackBerry© Internet Service™ account?
Up to 10 email accounts through the BlackBerry© Web based email client.
Is the message delivery to my handheld in real-time?
Yes. Once your BlackBerry© Internet Service™ Account received the email, a message notification (including up to 32 recipient names and the first 2KB of the message) will be delivered to the handheld immediately. If the message is longer than 2 KB, the user can request more of the message. The next 2KB of the message is then delivered. The user can retrieve up to 32KB of a message.
Are there any requirements for setting Password?
Your password must be a minimum of four characters and a maximum of sixteen characters. For optimum security, use a combination of alphabetic and numeric characters. Your password is also case sensitive.
What types of attachments can BlackBerry© Internet Service™ support?
All text formats of the following attachment types:
  • Microsoft® Word 97-XP
  • Microsoft® Excel 97-XP
  • Microsoft® PowerPoint 97-XP
  • Corel® WordPerfect 6-2000
  • Adobe® PDF 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4
  • ASCII text
How do I delete messages in the BlackBerry© Internet Service™ account?
To delete all messages within the BlackBerry© Internet Service™ account:
  • Log into the BlackBerry© Internet Service™ Account.
  • Select Options > scroll to Viewing options.
  • Type 500 in the field for Messages per page > click OK and the user is returned to the Inbox.
  • Note: 500 messages is the maximum amount displayed per page.
  • Next to the From field is a check box, select the box.
  • Note: Selecting this box will select all messages currently displayed.
  • Once highlighted click Permanently Delete.
  • Repeat the above steps until the Inbox is cleared
How do I disable forwarding when the Handheld is on the cradle with BlackBerry© Internet Service™ ?
There is no option available to disable email forwarding when the BlackBerry© Wireless Handheld is on the cradle with the BlackBerry© Internet Service™ account.

The enterprise configuration of the handheld uses the BlackBerry© Desktop Redirector or the BlackBerry© Enterprise Server to monitor the mailbox and to determine the handheld's state. The BlackBerry© Internet Service™ account is unable to verify this information and cannot disable email forwarding.
How do I Import/Export my Outlook Address Book to my BlackBerry© Internet Service™ Address Book?
To import your Microsoft Outlook® Address Book to your BlackBerry© Internet Service™ Address Book, please follow these steps:
  • From the Microsoft Outlook® main screen go to File > Import and Export. The Import and Export Wizard appears.
  • From the Choose an action to perform list, select Export to a file then click Next to continue. The Export to a file window appears.
  • From the Create a file of type list, select Comma Separated Values (Windows).
  • Select the folder you wish to export your Outlook Address Book. Save your file.
  • Click Finish to complete the export of the address book to a comma separated value (.csv) file.
  • Name and save the file in any location.
  • Map the custom fields and select Finish.
  • A file with extension .csv will appear.
  • From the BlackBerry© Internet Service™ login site, login and go to the Address Book.
  • Note: The address book should be empty.
  • Select Import.
  • Browse and select your .csv file.
  • Click Add and your BlackBerry© Internet Service™ Address Book will now have all your contacts.
How do I integrate an external email address with my BlackBerry© account?
Up to 10 ISP accounts can be integrated with your BlackBerry© Internet Service™ account.

Some service providers offer email forwarding, which you can configure to have your other mail accounts automatically forward messages to your BlackBerry© Internet Service™ account. BlackBerry© also supports Post Office Protocol (POP3) polling but some providers do not permit it.

Follow these steps to integrate an external email address with your BlackBerry© account:
  • Log in to the BlackBerry© Internet Service™ account.
  • Click on Profile.
  • Under Email Accounts click on other email accounts.
  • Click Add Account.
  • Type in the email address of the account you want to integrate, as well as typing in its authentication information into the Your User ID/Login and
  • Password fields.
  • Click Submit to complete the configuration.
How can I view the BlackBerry© Internet Service™ account from Microsoft Outlook?
Within Microsoft Outlook® 2000 or Outlook XP
  • If the Folder List is not visible on the View menu, click Folder List.
  • From the Folder List, right-click Inbox and click New Folder from the menu.
  • In the Name field, type BlackBerry© Internet Solution™.
  • Verify the Folder Contains is set to Mail Items and click OK.
  • In the Folder List, right-click the BlackBerry© Internet Solution™ folder, and choose Properties.
  • On the Home Page tab, type the web address of your BlackBerry© Internet Service™ Account in the Address field.
  • Select the Show home page by default for this folder check box, then click OK
Can I "power forward" the email with an attachment that cannot be opened?
Yes, you can. Although you cannot open the attachment, you can still forward the attachment to other email accounts.
Can I edit the original message when I am using the "reply to" or "forward" handheld function?
No, you cannot edit the original message when you are using the "reply to" or "forward" handheld function because this content is not sent from the handheld.
Can I delete and file a message with the handheld in sync with my BlackBerry© Internet Service™ account immediately?
Yes, simply use "wireless reconciliation" (press the "Reconcile Now" option) after completing the deletion and message filing on the handheld.
Why is it that < no name > is displayed in the handheld address book?
Cause
Contacts in the handheld Address Book are sorted by: First Name, Last Name, or Company. If the contact was created in Microsoft? Outlook? and all of the above fields were left blank then the contact will be displayed as <No Name> in the Address Book after the handheld synchronized with the desktop.

Resolution
The contacts in Outlook must specify First Name, Last Name or Company. The handheld can then be synchronized with the desktop to apply changes to the Address Book