T-Mobile Upgrading to BlackBerry Internet Email 2.5, Outage Alert

Ok, so maybe our ninjas weren’t done for the day! We have good news and we have bad news; which do you want first? The bad news is that BlackBerry users on T-Mobile have a pair of outages coming their way. The first is scheduled to be a nice 8 hour block tonight from 9:00 PM until 5:00 AM PST tonight. The second will be tomorrow for 4 hours between 11:00 PM and 3:00 AM PST. The good news, aside from the fact that the timing is decent if everything goes according to plan, is that the outages will result in a shiny new BIE/BIS 2.5 upgrade. That’s right people, it’s coming! HTML, MSN and Hotmail support, AOL push-email support… It’s always best to end on a high note. Hit the jump for the full T-Mobile slide outlining the plans.

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25 Responses to “T-Mobile Upgrading to BlackBerry Internet Email 2.5, Outage Alert”

  1. 1
    Jdslim says:

    I wonder if the others will be getting 2.5 at the same time as Tmobile or will they get it weeks or even months later down the road.

    I can’t imagine Rim just updating BIS for Tmobile, but once again Tmobile was the first ones to stop using the BWC and go to BIS. Its a shame that service will be down but I am locking to the changes

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  2. 2
    steven says:

    any idea on some 4.5 goodness for t-mob blackberries or will html email be available for the current software as the slide says its for all regardless of software version?

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  3. 3
    WickedRabbit says:

    Ok so the BIS update is rolling out, but there’s no OS 4.5 anywhere in site. Judging by the fact that they don’t even refer to the HTML email in that memo, I’m guessing that they know OS 4.5 might not be showing its face any time soon, otherwise I would have guessed that it would have been part of their message, as it’s a pretty big feature.

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  4. 4
    Chidi says:

    T-Mobile is still the worse service I have ever come across. Its nice I get to view HTML in my emails but if I never have service to receive those emails, what’s the point?

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  5. 5
    Brandon says:

    Doesn’t this affect AT&T users too?

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  6. 6
    john j says:

    is for any software version as is the BIE upgrade not device upgrade

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  7. 7
    john j says:

    no tmobile only and chidi, 7 straight jd power awards for tmobile so you do the math!

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  8. 8
    Jdslim says:

    Yeah good question about ATT. At first I thought that the lack of any leaked internal tech support memo from ATT ment that they wouldn’t be upgrading the same time as tmobile is.

    It was just now that I realized that maybe there isn’t an internal att memo about this outage. Think about it, companies send out internal memo’s to inform their employees letting them know about things that will effect there job or increase service levels. This outage would have no effect on ATT blackberry support they are noy 24/7 so no body will be calling ATT issue would be fixed by the time they open. While on the other hand there will most defintly will be a spike in call volume on the tmobile front. I think it will effect all us bb’s but that’s just me guess.

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  9. 9
    kent says:

    All providers get the new BIS
    June 28th is supposed to be the big day for all providers
    I don’t know if the ones outside the US get it too but I’ve read it on a forum..
    Can’t wait til this happens and when I use the net I won’t be able to log onto anything…graveyard shift

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  10. 10
    dug says:

    this should affect all carriers…but no word from friends close in the att data department. however only devices with OS v4.5 will be affected by the html support.

    im running v4.5 on my 8110 and see no settings to enable html email support (messages, email settings, html email support)…not really sure whats going on, but we’ll see tomorrow.

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  11. 11
    oakie says:

    BIS 2.5 upgrade is for all of North America. everything gets upgraded early tomorrow morning, then the switch gets flipped early sunday morning. there is also another outage scheduled for July 5th, too. Asia-Pacific already upgraded 3 weeks ago, and Europe got it 2 weeks ago. you guys are just now finding this out?

    http://www.dataoutages.com

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  12. 12
    Mike says:

    this is not specific to just T-Mobile. It is the US Roll-out. Official launch date is June 29th. Will be for all carriers according to my BB ninjaz :)

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  13. 13
    Bla1ze says:

    Ya, not sure why this post got limited to just T-Mobile….

    @oakie said it best.

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  14. 14
    Salvador says:

    Notice the last line…”This applies to all BlackBerry devices with any software version.”

    Well, don’t we need OS 4.5 to get HTML e-mail support? Are we one step closer to getting an OS upgrade from T-Mobile?

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  15. 15
    backbeat says:

    @oakie: That’s what BG gets for not streamlining Blackberry news solely to Jibi or BG himself. All other reports are old, rehashed regurgitations slow to make it here.

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  16. 16
    Zach says:

    This is simply the last step before the OS 4.5 rollout folks. Once this is completed, it’s just a matter of each carrier getting their own proprietary versions of 4.5 and rolling it out to their customers. One step closer is always good! And this has to happen before the Bold is launched anyways right? lol

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  17. 17
    Torben says:

    This is how I read this, TMO is upgrading their BIS service, they were the first carrier to upgrade the last time a major release came out.
    So this only impacts TMO users. Granted other may upgrade too but this memo does not say either way.
    The AOL/MSN feature applies to all versions since it doesn’t require a new OS.
    thanks to BGR, we know html support comes with this BIS upgrade but since TMO has not released a 4.5 OS, there is no reason to mention it on an internal memo.
    I think there are enough of us out there that already run the 4.5 beta releases on TMO devices that we will know by today or tomorrow if the HTML feature will be enabled by default.
    At this point I am still getting txt email on 4.5.

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  18. 18
    oakie says:

    @backbeat

    that’s too bad. it seems bg’s ego is holding this site back… with as many views linked stories get on here, you’d think it wouldnt take DAYS to get 1000 people to jump in on a contest. sometimes, a nugget of newness pops out on here so i check back once in a week; or if i feel like laughing at bg’s ego tripping here.

    but if you guys want fresh BB related news, blackberrynews.com spits it out 12 hours ahead of anything here.

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  19. 19
    oakie says:

    @Salvador

    yes and yes. t-mo is the only one who has confirmed that they will be flipping the switch as soon as RIM is done upgrading the servers.

    and has been said already, t-mo is always on the ball when it comes to implementing updates. the only problem is t-mo users will all get a really shaky build of the 4.5OS that tmobile will declare as “final”, and we will all have to wait for the AT&T release in August when THEY finally flip the switch only because they’ll release the Bold at the same time.

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  20. 20
    Articles says:

    A treasure both in quantity as well as quality of articles. I adore the detail that any information is said is always true and not hoaxes.

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  21. 21
    backbeat says:

    @oakie: I don’t take anything away from BG, himself. He’s obviously got very useful resources and sources, especially where Blackberry is concerned. I was only referencing the online reporting of stories, whether they be ’scoops’ or otherwise. Only BG and Jibi have the inside track regarding BB. I don’t know if a ‘writer’ is assigned a story or simply develops it themselves, but either way, those other than BG or Jibi are doing a very piss-poor job. So poor, in fact, they they simply rip stories from other blogs, which is less than underwhelming. That, basically, defines what is wrong with the umbrella term ‘journalism’ today. Journalists (the ‘Press’) create news by using original sources and developing their own unique story. Those who rip from others are simply cannibalistic hack-media types which cable news channel 501 wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot boom mike. In which direction are you going, BG?

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  22. 22
    b.N says:

    4.5 OS beta has leaked for some time now. You can wait like a sucker for an official release, or just go “find” a copy and enjoy it like the rest of us.

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  23. 23
    Levi's 511 says:

    I did a hard reboot and re-pushed my BIS service books to my 8120 this morning. I now have an HTML option in my e-mail settings, but I have yet receive an HTML-formatted e-mail to test.

    My provider is T-Mobile, and I am running OS 4.5.0.37 (officially released by Telefónica ES).

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  24. 24
    dellbert says:

    Okay, so it’s the 30th of June and I still am not receiving emails in HTML. Was the upgrade unsuccessful???

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  25. 25
    JCKRY says:

    Ummm, I am also not receiving HTML email yet…I did a battery pull, and nothing….Is there a setting I need to change? Thanks for the help!

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