*Terms and Conditions apply

I own a Blackberry Storm (9500) and my dad has a Curve (8900). Both phones allow you to turn off data when roaming (Manage Connections -> Mobile Network Options -> Data Services), so that you don’t rack up expensive data charges (useful, I’m told, in places like Switzerland). However, this means you don’t get your e-mail.

The Curve has 802.11 b/g (Wi-Fi), but we were having trouble connecting to AP’s. It turns out that by turning off data for the Cell part of the phone, you turn off data for the whole device, meaning that the phone will never get an IP address, even with DHCP off (and manually assigning a valid static IP).

So, to get your Email (and other data apps that support Wi-Fi) working abroad follow these steps:

1. Turn OFF data, go to another country
2. When you want to check your mail, turn OFF the Mobile network
3. Turn ON Wifi
4. Turn ON Data
5. Scan for a Wi-Fi network and associate with it
6. Get your mail
7. Turn OFF Data
8. Turn OFF Wi-Fi
9. Turn ON Mobile network

The “Data Services” option should only turn off data transmissions over the Mobile network, not disable the IP stack (which I think it may be doing). Hopefully this bug is fixed in OS 5, I’ve not tried it yet.