Digitel and RIM today announced that Sun Cellular is now offering BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) with the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and BlackBerry Curve 8520 to customers in the Philippines.
The BlackBerry Internet Service plans, together with the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphones, will be initially available at selected Sun Shops — Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Metro East, Robinsons Manila, TriNoma, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Park Square, SM Marilao, SM Megamall, Festival Mall, SM North EDSA, SM Cebu and Ayala Cebu. Availability will also soon be expanded to all Sun Shops.
I checked the website and the newsroom doesn’t have the details nor the listed postpaid plans, including BlackBerry handset. I am told they have not released how much the BIS postpaid service will be but it should come out anytime soon. Likewise, if you inquire on the listed shops above, you may not get any specific details as well.
More on this as we get details on pricing plans for postpaid and prepaid. Hopefully, it will be cheaper.
Update: Here are the initial details of BlackBerry Plans from Sun Cellular:
- BB Plan 2500
- BB Add-on 700 (10MB quota)
- BB Add-on 999 (Unlimited BIS)
- BB Add-on 1399 (Unlimited BIS + Internet)
BB Add-on Plans are available for the following:
- Plan 350
- Plan 600
- Plan 1000
- Plan 2000
- Plan 3500
- Elite Series Subscribers
*6-month lock-in period for Add-On plans.
BlackBerry Curve 8520 is free at Plan 2500 while BlackBerry Bold 9700 is Php15,000 at Plan 2500.
@red thanks!
Been using Sun BIS add-on 999 for a month now and i’m pretty much satisfied, the only question is unlimited service is up to where? can anyone confirm if i use apps like google maps, foresquare or other apps is it included in the unli bis plan or will i be charged per kb?
Twitter: 1amchoi
says:
@Jag Everything is unlimited – BBM, Applications which use data services, browsing. The only exception is when you are abroad and on roaming.
Twitter: willyyu
says:
I think its unlimited if you set everything to tunnel via BIS & not TCP/IP.
I want to try SUN but waiting if they will came up with prepaid BIS, but looks like they don’t have plan doing it,
I still prefer Globe BIS if difference is just 200 pesos for Globe & Sun,
just my 2-cents
When you say Unlimitied Blackberry service, everything that goes through BB APN is free. If you browse using the browser, it will use the SUN APN. It will only be free when they say “Unlimited Blacberry Service” and “Unlimited Mobile Surfing”
Twitter: 1amchoi
says:
@dongv Yup I don’t think that Sun is coming upwith a prepaid BIS anytime soon.
Hi red, yup i am on the add on plan for Sun too, the problem is my bill ran to 5000+ last month, when i asked them sabi nung rep kasi nagamit daw yung GPRS which they cant turn off kasi if you turn it off i wont be able to use the BIS too. the question is do you have any idea what apps use gprs? i cant log in to twitter and foursquare because im scared of running my bill high again
Hi there!
Have you guys heard of their pay per use BIS? I tried it just now, pero 1 day lang coz I’m scared of extra gprs fees. As of now I’m using lang ubersocial ‘coz I’ve read in crackberry that they charge extra is you use foursquare, etc.
So I’m thinking its not really unlimited.
I wanted to switch na kasi from Globe. Wala naman ako problem since I use bb max (1500 a month) since its REALLY unlimited.
But then super magastos. Sa panahon ngayon na mahal ang gas, kailangan mag tipid.
Twitter: 1amchoi
says:
@Bryan I had the same problem with another Telco 2 years ago, they told me that my unit was not properly configured and that it was using GPRS instead of BIS for data connection. Anyone can correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m guessing, any application which will require connection to the internet will use GPRS unless it is not configured for BIS. In my case before, it was Worldmate and the net surfing.
Could you check your APN settings? Your APN should be: minternet
Hope that helps.
Twitter: 1amchoi
says:
@Maye I am not sure if WAP is included as a freebie in their pay per use service, but in the case of postpaid subscription, it is, so we don’t really have problems like that of @Bryan. Maybe you could clarify with them if it covers both BIS and WAP.
hi choi, yup i talked to them numerous times and the rep from Customer care and their center just told me that the APN should be blackberry.net so it uses the blackberry APN, i never had this problem with globe no APN needed no nothing, kaasar lang kasi parang di alam ng sun kung ano ang problema, now im monitoring my usage because i cant pay 5000++ of a phone bill per month
I agree Sir. had the same problems before. Turned off my Sun Network connection and used wifi only. Tapos when the bill came it, around 2k+. nagulat din ako. When i talked to the reps, sabi daw ng tech support, kahit turned off ang mobile network, magcoconnect pa rin sa GPRS. Tapos parang lost ung answers. Nakakadisappoint because they don’t know what they are talking about. Ang dami tuloy nasayang na pera and time. In the end, wala rin naman resolution.
Twitter: 1amchoi
says:
@Bryan that’s weird. I’m using a different APN. That’s the setting they gave you and yet you have 5K worth of data charges? You should complain.
i did and the funny thing is they told me that yes some apps really use gprs, the last resort i had was to ask a list of apps that uses gprs and they said that they dont have it.. BOOO talaga sun cellular parang tanga
BOOOO talaga…. nakakainis kausap ung mga reps… and yung tech support nila, parang walang mga alam… nakakalungkot bec they have so many subscribers… lost talaga sila nung kausap ko… nakakabad trip..
Twitter: 1amchoi
says:
@Bryan perhaps they are not aware yet of how stupid that sounds. I suggest you file a formal complaint. Make sure to mention that it was they who gave you those settings, hence you should not be billed of apps using GPRS when you should be using BIS. And the funny this is, why is your phone using GPRS when your APN is set to Blackberry.net? Isn’t that weird. Do you have an unlimited add on plan?
yeah i do have an add on for Php 999 on top of my monthly pan fee, they didnt give me the settings on the onset, siguro that was my mistake not letting them set it up, i assumed its the same as globe’s unlimited plan, because i was never charged for globe no matter what apps i use.next bill if it happens again i will definitely file a formal complaint
Twitter: 1amchoi
says:
@Bryan I’ve noticed that the 999 plan does not cover unlimited internet. if you do a lot of surfing, then, that probably is the culprit.
@red yeah i notice that too, because before switching over, i have globe di ba? and i was using opera mini for that and no charges showed up on my bill, but as sun didnt provide me any settings i was wary, so i just left my twitter,foursquare and facebook open. i was in bohol at that time and voila 5000++ phone bill, kaya di muna ako nagbubukas ngayon to see what apps really are using it. thanks for the advice though
@Bryan No problem. Lemme know how it goes. Good luck!
red, guess what im charged again for GPRS!hahahaha 3500 is my running bill,and i saw some of the apps i was being charged for(ones that require connection to the WAP browser) its CrunchSMS, Foursquare and XIMAD made apps, i went to their office today to settle it becuase really turning off the gprs will turn off the BIS altogether.so i ask for an alternative, now im signing up with the unlimited internet plus BIS for 1300, Sun murdered me.ahhahahaha 8000++ in 2 months
Twitter: 1amchoi
says:
@Bryan that’s really bad news….I hope the unlimited service does you good. crossing fingers
Hehehehe
Hi, question. When you changed your APN to blackberry.net did SUN still charge you? Alin ba talaga dapat? blackberry.net o minternet?
Thanks! 
@eu yup i was, the unlimited BIS from sun is strictly for apps that are using the BIS for Blackberry,unfortunately twitter and foursquare are not included kaya i opted for unlimited internet and BIS kaya ayun
bakit ganun? when I called last night sa Sun, the operator told me na pwede daw gamitin lahat ng Apps, i just need to make sure daw na blackberry.net yung APN ko
ang labo naman nila 
oo sobra pero that’s based from 2 months bill lang,2 months na yun putol din linya ko kasi its going over my credit limit so i opted to have the unlimited internet and BIS and take note im still waiting for their approval for 3 weeks!kaya wifi lang muna ako haay sun cellular
Twitter: 1amchoi
says:
@EU I am using minternet as my APN since day 1 of my BIS which is why I am wondering why @Bryan was asked to use a different APN
i know its just crazy, well i hope this unlimited internet and bis would work, i would ask them too if there is any cap for the internet usage. because when you say unlimited sometimes its not really unlimited(lesson learned)
hi guys!sorry cant update you anymore but ive switched phones so im cancelling the unlimited bis and internet all together. happy BB’sing!