Browser on 8310 SmartPhone Edge comes up with Critical Error and cannot be used, help please?

Question

Hi, my name is Sater and I'm the lone I.T. guy for a small medical device company (about 40 ppl) based in Fremont, CA.  So...
All of a sudden my vp of marketing comes in and says that he can't use the Browser function on his BB (8310 SmartPhone Edge) anymore.  Naturally I'm intrigued, but this is a very strange error that pops up.  It doesn't matter how many settings I go in and change, there's no budging it.  Here is what it's telling me...
"Unable to connect to the selected Mobile Data Service, please try again later.  If the problem persists please contact your administrator."
So I decide after about an hour of messing with settings and getting nowhere to call AT&T support.  They said when that error comes up with "please contact your administrator", it's because it can't connect to the BES server anymore and that we would have to consult that with whomever runs that server.  To give you a little background, we went through an outsourced Exchange provider called TheMessageCenter.com. They were alright, but my VP of R&D was pretty bent by some of the lack of customer service skills they presented to him when he was in an email crisis.  Needless to say one of the very first missions I ever had at this place was to find a new email solution and integrate the migration.
So basically AT&T said they couldn't do anything and that I would have to contact our outsourced providor (TheMessageCenter.com, since we ran both Exchange and BES through them before we switched) back to get the settings cleared off the BES server hosting his phone Pin and info.  I called them up, (mind you we had been away from TheMessageCenter.com for a good couple weeks now) and they claimed they had no other active processes running for our company anywhere on their BES servers or frankly, ANYWHERE lol.  So naturally he's looking at me to fix this, and I am seriously stumped!  Should I do some kind of Factory reset?  If so, how can I load all his contacts/settings back the way he had it?  Any help on this matter, (especially if treated as urgent... I know you hate to hear that, but I said it for all you I.T. guys haha) would be GREATLY appreciated!!  Thanks
Respectfully,
Sater K.
Systems Administrator
SpineView Inc.
Fremont, CA 94539

Answer 1

Hi,
The browser icon uses the BES service, unless you have signed up for the BIS ONLY servcie, wherein you get access to the internet through RIM's servers.
Since your servcie is a BES servcie the access to the internet is through the BES.
The MDS is a service running on the BES to authenticate you. (and thus the error)
So, No BES = No  Internet access using the Browser icon!
So, I need a little clarificatuioin. 
Did you move from one BES to another? Or did the user simply switch carriers?
It sounds as if you moved from one third company BES to another third company BES... Is that right?
If so then contact your New BES and ensure that they allow ppl to use the MDS servcie for internet access (Most companies charge extra for that feature! - Because they can!).
If your hosting the BES (Now), and it was Themessagingcentre.com before, then you need to Reactivate the Handset for the  new BES. I have a feeling that he is now getting the emails through the BIS service and the handset wasnt wiped and so it is stil trying to access the old BES....
So can you please give details such as:
BES - where was it hosted:
BES - where is it now hosted:
NEW BES: Is the MDS service enabled and can people currently use it to browse?
Have you tested with other BB handsets to ensure you/user  are clicking the same icons on both handsets (most ppl do different things to access in their own way, so simply asking them if it works doesnt help!)
The alternative is to use the expensive WAP browser. It will work but will rack up huge charges.
Let us know how it goes...
Checked out my Blackberry FAQ's and Links to Needed Articles here
http://darkeen.homelinux.com/index.php/Blackberryfaq