Kevin over at CrackBerry.com posted this weeks edition of Talk Up a Storm, Verizon’s internal mailer that goes out on Wednesdays to employees to give them information about that upcoming BlackBerry Storm.
It looks like the BlackBerry Storm is a World Phone…
Talk Up a Storm – Connected at Home & Abroad
When we say the BlackBerry Storm will take the world by storm, we mean it. Storm is our newest global phone. Combined with our Global Services, the Storm will enable our customers to easily stay connected in the U.S. and around the globe. Here are five need-to-know facts about the Storm’s global features:
1. With the Blackberry Storm customers can enjoy the nation’s most reliable wireless network at home and have access to more than 205 voice and 150 data destinations worldwide.
2. With the inclusion of quad band capability, customers will benefit from expanded global coverage, adding more than 10 destinations across South America and the Caribbean, including voice and data service in Argentina, Chile and Colombia and data service in the Bahamas.
3. With the inclusion of UMTS capability, voice and data service will be available in Japan. High speed data service will also be available in major travel destinations such as the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Italy.
4. The BlackBerry Storm features Network Auto Selection which allows customers to experience seamless use in all supported destinations, regardless of network type. The BlackBerry Storm also offers Assisted Dialing, which will help take the guess work out of calling internationally. Customers simply select a name from their contact list and the Storm will automatically apply the proper exit code and dialing string.
5. All Blackberry Storm devices will come pre-installed with a SIM card and include our Global Literature Kit – it’s never been easier to activate a global customer!
To learn more about our International Services, go to www.verizonwireless.com/vzglobal
[Source]
The Storm is looking more and more like a winner, assuming the touch screen works approximately as well as the iPhone’s and assuming that they allow landscape typing in all apps! Here’s hoping that VZ doesn’t gimp the GPS (which, of course, they will).
How is this any different from the Bold or other phones that are 3G/EDGE/GSM? Aren’t they world phones?
Richard – I think that your comment could have gotten the point across without the hateful words. I’m with you on the frustration, though.
@Wayne,
The Verizon BlackBerry Storm is CDMA. It doesn’t have a SIM card like GSM phones that, if unlocked, you could simply pop in from a carrier in the country that you are visiting.
CDMA still has a massive footprint in North America, however, international roaming charges are very costly, if you can even find a network that supports it.
I thought it was well known that this was a world phone and yes, it does have a SIM card slot.
We’ve known that this was a world phone since the earliest of leaks. It has a sim card slot because it can be used on vzw & vodaphone…as well as others once unlocked im sure
The Verizon and Vodafone models are different devices. The Verizon Blackberry Storm 9530 is a dual mode phone like the BlackBerry 8830. I don’t believe that it has a SIM card.
What hateful words?
@7
The 8830 has a sim card slot.
It says that it has a SIM card slot. Does this mean that if I use T-mobile I could have it unlocked and put my SIM card in it?
hi..i wish o know something….
if the storm has SIM card…would that be possible to unlock it, and use it in other countries ???? for exemple if i’m going on vacation…??? please !!! thanksss
Yes, the Storm has a SIM card slot. It ships with a SIM card but it is not activated until you request that from Verizon’s technical support people. Once activated, the Storm can roam on non-U.S. GSM providers but will not roam on AT&T or T-Mobile in the U.S. (except for “emergency” calls, i.e. 911).
Having had this device for a month, 10 days of which are in Europe I suggest that “World Phone” is exceptionally misleading. I was told specifically that the sim card did not have to be changed to travel overseas – WRONG. VZ navigator would work overseas – WRONG. Verizon texted me their “Global Support” number as soon as I arrived in England – seemed like good service, unfortunately this too was WRONG. After waiting for a long, long Global Support at the number Verizon sent me I finally get someone on the line who, after not being able to answer any of my several questions says “Where are you?”. When I tell him I’m in France he say I have to transfer you to Global Support! Then I get a recording saying “Sorry but Global Support is closed due to the holiday”! In every country on this planet but one, the 3rd of July is not a holiday. If I cannot get support on my “World Phone” on American holidays then it is not a World Phone. And the amount of support needed is amazing. Of the 12 or 13 Verizon customer service (Global Support or otherwise) personnel that I have spoken to, not one of them has ANY real idea of how to use a BBY Storm in Europe. Same trip last year with my ATT BBY Curve was a painless, seamless, trouble-free experience. This year, the overwhelming memory will be how out of touch I was and how many, many hour I spent talking to Verizon “Global Support”. The device sucks also. My girlfriend’s ATT iPhone is working flawlessly.
Regarding the sim card question – there are TWO sim cards, one in the phone, one you have to cary around with you while traveling. Don’t forget your Swiss Army knife to pry the old sim out!
The Storm 9350 has a SIM card and once unlocked by simply calling Verizon customer support, you can go to any country that uses SIM cards and put their SIM card in the Storm and talk away. I have used my Storm after unlocking it in Singapore and Guam. Works like a champ.