How to Use Your BlackBerry 8100 (aka Pearl) as a GPRS Modem

These instructions will make your BB work as a GPRS modem for T-Mobile in Germany.
When I followed instruction I had found on the web, I ended up with this message: "PPP link control protocol was terminated". So I experimented myself and found that it works for me as follows:

1. install BlackBerry Device Manager (usually together with BB Desktop Manager), you'll find it on the disc supplied with your BB, or just grab the latest version from their support pages
2. make sure that your BB Device Manager is running (the easiest way to start it is to start BB Desktop Manager)
3. do not use the modem that was installed by BB software!
4. look in Windows Device Manager (Start - Settings - Control Panel - System - Hardware - Device Manager) under Ports (COM & LPT) for the port that your BB is using (there will be two ports, for me it was COM6 and COM7)
5. go to Start - Settings - Control Panel - Phone and Modem Options
6. create a new modem (choose Add, select Don't detect my modem ... , press Next, select Standard 33600 bps Modem (this is the important part, it is not full speed, but later the modem will nevertheless work at full speed), press Next and connect your modem to your BB port(s). If you connect it to multiple ports, there will be multiple modems in the end - no harm done, but I only connected it to the first port
   
7. create a new network connection: Start - Settings - Network Connections - New Connection Wizard. Press Next, select Connect to the Internet, press Next, choose Set up my connection manually, press Next, choose Connect using a dial-up modem, press Next, select your new modem from the list (choose both if you associated your modem with both BB ports), press Next, name your connection, press Next, enter *99# for the phone number, press Next, choose whichever option you prefer, press Next, leave username and password blank, uncheck Use this account name ... and also uncheck Make this the default internet connection, press Next, press Finish
8. you can now connect to the internet using your new connection. When prompted for username and password, just leave them blank.

I found some advice stating that I should enter an initialization string for my modem such as +cdgcont=1,"IP","internet.t-d1.de and use "td1" as the username and "gprs" as the password. I found this is not needed. The main trick seems to be with not using the standard modem but the lower speed one.

If you find a more simple way to do this, please let me know and I will be happy to update this post. I am sure your fellow BB users will appreciate your help.