I'm thinking about getting a blackberry pearl. will I need a data plan to view maps?

March 23, 2009 4:29 AM

I'm thinking about getting a blackberry pearl. will I need a data plan to view maps?

I'm currently using a pay-as-you-go plan (vodafone, germany) and my old phone is on its last breath. I don't want to get a contract, so an iphone is pretty much out of the question.

I'm looking at the grps version of the blackberry pearl. it can be cheaply had on ebay and it displays maps, which is the feature I crave most. will this work without a data plan or will be get charged through the nose for using it?

(yes, I'd love to use gmail on the go as well but I am already resigned to that not working without shelling out moolah for a plan.)

I'm conflicted between shelling out more for a phone that can record decent video as well as display maps but I haven't seen one that doesn't cost way too much for someone who spends less than €15/month on his cell phone bill.

posted by krautland to technology (10 comments total)

IDK what it is like in Germany, but I have verizon (US) and blackberry's are required to have a data plan.
posted by nuke3ae at 4:37 AM on March 23

I'm not asking about the contractual implication. this is about the technical aspects of the phone.
posted by krautland at 4:56 AM on March 23

The maps aren't stored on the device, they are loaded over the web. You will need a data plan.
posted by devnull at 5:04 AM on March 23

Sorry, I misread you. If you are using Google Maps you will need a data plan. The other map app? No idea, not used it.
posted by devnull at 5:04 AM on March 23

To some degree it will depend on your provider. What is certain is that it requires data transfer to view the blackberry map. This will either mean you pay through the nose for e data, or you won't be able to do it at all. Using Rogers in Canada I've paid through the nose; and in between billing cycles when switching to a corporate plan I've been unable to do it. So it could vary.

But both options are bad. If you want to use Maps, you want a data plan.
posted by Lemurrhea at 5:32 AM on March 23

Here's a forum thread about using the native Blackberry maps without a data plan. The last message in the thread might give you some hope. I don't have a direct link for it, but Vodafone offers NaviFlat in Germany, which looks like a maps-only flat rate plan. I'd suggest you give them a call to see if that would work with a prepaid voice plan.

If that fails, it looks as though Vodaphone offers a prepaid data plan in Germany. Internet access is €4.95/day for every 24 hour period you use it, which isn't bad for a few days a month, but you might want a standard plan for anything more. You might be able to do an initial connection, download maps, and use the map application offline.
posted by SteveInMaine at 6:36 AM on March 23

Here's a link to an article about NaviFlat. Looks like it's €5 per month, if Google translated the German correctly. Navigation für Handy-Nutzer, indeed.
posted by SteveInMaine at 6:42 AM on March 23

I had a pearl before my iphone - without a data plan - but on AT&T in the US. I was able to use the map function without a data plan - but after I saw the obscene charges for using it once for like 30 seconds I never used it again.
posted by jourman2 at 7:20 AM on March 23

There are Blackberrys with wi-fi. If you'll be using it in places where you can get free/cheap wi-fi, you can access google maps.
posted by theora55 at 11:19 AM on March 23

100% you need to download the maps for your pearl. U would not use the GPS without a data plan as it is very expensive. To the best of my knowledge NO pearls have wi-fi yet though other BlackBerry models do (curve and bold for example). I have a pearl and the big advantage to it is the data. I don't think I would bother with this phone if I couldn't read mefi, get my email, find directions and surf the web.
posted by saradarlin at 8:46 PM on March 23