Are BlackBerry services down (again)?

It's hard for us to be sure about this stuff for sure in the early stages, but since last night we've gotten a flood of reports from readers that BlackBerry services are down on T-Mobile and possibly also Bell Mobility (if not other providers). What's the story, are you having any trouble? Shout it out in comments -- if you are, do us all a solid and leave your location and provider. Even if it's just an isolated outage, you know you desperately need to get your act together when Palm, of all companies, is taking potshots.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: We've heard that there was indeed a planned outage scheduled for last night, but it was due to end 6 hours ago. And curiously we continue to get feedback that services are still down.

So it looks like it was just pockets after all -- hours later most people seem to be reporting things are solid with service.

[Matt @ May 3rd 2008 11:56AM]

My Blackberry is down. Verizon Wireless - Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

[jeremy @ May 3rd 2008 11:56AM]

crackberry.com reported this a few days ago as a planned outage.

http://crackberry.com/planned-rim-outage-americas-may-3rd-2am-6am-est

Planned RIM Outage - Americas - May 3rd, 2am - 6am EST
Posted In: News & Rumors | By: Kevin Michaluk | Date: 01 May 2008 | 8 comments



Looks like RIM is holding another planned service outage, this time for "system upgrades". If you're located in "The Americas", your BlackBerry service could be affected. The upgrade is planned during the "regular maintenance window" of 2am - 6am EST for this Saturday morning, May 3rd. Unless you're pulling an all-nighter, you should be ok on this one.

Don't believe me? Call RIM's Customer Support line at 1-877-255-2377 and you can hear a lovely pre-recorded message saying the same thing! :-)

While we're on the subject of phone numbers, if you have any questions for this week's CrackBerry.com Podcast be sure to call them into our hotline at 1-866-904-5772 ext.222

[cap @ May 3rd 2008 12:02PM]

It was scheduled, and things came back up at 03:49PST for me. (at least that's when the mail poured in) Bell Mobility user.

[Lolfail @ May 3rd 2008 12:05PM]

I'm posting this from my iPhone. You can't possibly fathom how superior I feel.

[cap @ May 3rd 2008 12:07PM]

Yah, isn't popmail (ok, or imap) grand? Enjoy.

[rawhead @ May 3rd 2008 1:08PM]

Even webmail is better than downed push e-mail ;-p

[Jon Doe. @ May 3rd 2008 2:22PM]

Your a fucking fanboi....what's new? Its also why the world hates smug ass people like you. People would be much more open to using Apple if it wasn't for people like you, the "culture' behind Apple, and the general superiority complex associated with the Apple logo.

[Jon Doe. @ May 3rd 2008 2:25PM]

PS- I don't own a crackberry and never will. I hate their interface to computers. Their desktop software sucks harder then a black hole orbiting a neutron star. But that doesn't make me think _many_, but not all since I own an iPod and a MBP, apple users aren't smug bastards who deserve to have their precious hardware run over.

[t3_slider @ May 4th 2008 12:31AM]

I'm guessing you like the smell of your own farts too, right? Do you have a hybrid? Live in San Francisco? (Watch South Park?)

[Lolfail @ May 4th 2008 1:34AM]

hilariously enough, I hate nearly all Apple products, the iPhone is the first thing I think they've ever done right. I appreciate the responses to my obvious flaming, however.

[Blinded Bywhom @ May 3rd 2008 12:22PM]

This morning the domain youtube.com did not resolve using multiple DNS servers worldwide just like that block put on by the Pakistan ISP back in February.

Others have noted the blockage as well - see, for example, the forums on dslreports.com and loom for May 3rd posts about youtube.

It resolves now.

[Aaron @ May 3rd 2008 12:34PM]

Mine is working fine. Verizon NYC

[MadMike @ May 3rd 2008 12:50PM]

My 3am backup job notices didn't arrive until 7:30am this morning...

AT&T, Philadelphia

[rock99rock @ May 3rd 2008 1:07PM]

Yeaup. I posted once, from a shitty nokia 4 years ago. But to do it from an iphone, in this day and age. WOW. I am truly jealous.

[Michael Knutson @ May 3rd 2008 1:16PM]

About 10:15 am and no BB service (Verizon 8830) in San Jose, CA. No email time-stamped May 3 ... at least for me.

[initialxy @ May 3rd 2008 1:33PM]

mine uses rogers and its been up. it's the provider's maintenance procedure i think.

[Preacher @ May 3rd 2008 1:33PM]

AT&T is up and running.

[Preacher @ May 3rd 2008 1:33PM]

Ooops... Charlotte, NC

[George @ May 3rd 2008 2:27PM]

Mine's fine - Boulder, CO AT&T

[attathomeguy @ May 3rd 2008 2:32PM]

sprint bis in Boston is working

[o_ssie @ May 3rd 2008 2:35PM]

Mine is A-OK in Toronto on the Rogers Network

[Dougal @ May 3rd 2008 2:52PM]

All OK in the UK!

[Ed @ May 3rd 2008 2:55PM]

No problems here. BB Pearl on Sprint network in NYC

[Wayne Schulz @ May 3rd 2008 3:27PM]

Blackberry 8320 in CT - up and down -- was down from 5:00am until about 10:00am EST then sporadic

[dukemang @ May 3rd 2008 4:49PM]

My wife's went down last night on ATT. Why the hell cant they send a message saying BTW, UR PHON WONT WRK TIL 8AM. SUKS 2 B U.

[Pulp @ May 3rd 2008 5:13PM]

Engadget, Please quit posting that Blackberry is having an outage and acting like this is a shocking story. These are always planned outages for upgrading their system. The almost always do it on a weekend as to not interfere with the work week. This is normal activity people! I get an email every time Blackberry does this. They keep their customers well informed. This is not news...it's part of the process to keep their technology up to date. One reason Blackberry has such a great product.

[mikenikolis @ May 3rd 2008 11:51PM]

VZW blackberry service was out last night. Northern NJ

[Matt @ May 4th 2008 12:57AM]

No problems here - Sprint, Northeastern Wisconsin.

[Mordaki @ May 4th 2008 1:57AM]

I'm not receiving any pic messages. Text messages are fine though - Verizonwireless Annapolis Maryland

[Boni @ May 4th 2008 10:06AM]

Down in Staten Island all day yesterday (5-3-08) and no picture messaging yet today, May 4th. Funny, AT&T didn't know a thing about the outage and I spent countless hours on the phone with them, at their store, and again back on the phones last night having them reset my account. Why was this so secretive?

[Andrew @ May 4th 2008 7:55PM]

Since this entire thread is useless, anyways.. You're from Annapolis? Anywhere near bestgate/ or 450; or are you downtown? I was born and raised in the great city of Annapolis. Just curious.

[kokei @ May 4th 2008 1:45PM]

mine was working fine when i got up at 6am for work.

[magnet4chicks15 @ May 4th 2008 7:57PM]

BTW, I was talking to "Mordaki"..

[Thomas @ May 5th 2008 1:18PM]

Why on earth would anyone use Blackberry?! In addition to constant outages they charge for something I get free. Get a Windows Mobile phone that uses activesync (or pop or imap or webmail) and then you don't ever have this problem. Blackberry is just one extra (expensive) step in the process which means one more thing that can break.