OS 4.5.0.66 BETA

Virgin Mobile 4.5.0.56

Sprint 4.3.0.127

Verizon 4.3.097

1. Back up data on DM under Back up/restore option and then disconnect from Desktop Manager incase install goes bad.
2. Download desired OS to your PC
3. Install/run OS to PC
4. Delete vendor.xml file. It's located in c:\program files\common files\research in motion\apploader
5. Connect BB to Desktop Manager and it should prompt the upgrade. If not click app loader and that should initialize it.
6. Do not unplug BB during the process. It will take around 30-60 minutes to complete upgrade.

The first step after choosing our phones was to choose a plan. So many Service Providers with so many Plans to choose from, it was a pretty daunting task. We determined that we needed a shared plan, with a reasonable amount of minutes, and unlimited data and messaging.

We settled on the Sprint Talk/Message/Data plan that offered 1500 shared minutes, and unlimited everything else, including Sprint TV, and Sprint Streaming Radio, for $129.95/month.

Talk/Message/Data Share Features
GPS: Unlimited maps, turn-by-turn directions and more with Sprint Navigation for Sprint and PowerSource phones, or TeleNav for Nextel phones. GPS reliability varies by environment.
Sprint Mobile Email Works: Now access work email on popular phones. Receive email from Microsoft Exchange 2000, 2003, 2007 and Lotus Notes Domino versions 6.0, 6.5 and 7.0 with our latest software update.
Sprint Music Premier: 99¢ music downloads and unlimited access to more than 150 channels lets you listen to millions of melodies.
Sprint TV Premier: Your favorite shows on the go with more than 20 channels to choose from including Ellen DeGeneres On-the-Go, Comedy Central, MTV, Discovery, Nickelodeon and more.
BlackBerry Internet Server (BIS): Manage up to 10 different accounts with a simple three-click email setup, and IM on the go with Yahoo! Messenger, AIM, Google Talk and BlackBerry Messenger. Please note: BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES), which provides secure corporate email access and access to corporate IT administration, is not included and available for an additional cost.
Messages: Unlimited nationwide, text, picture and video messages to anyone on any network.

Standard Features
All Sprint voice plans automatically come with these great features:
Voicemail: Your phone's answering service. Voicemail answers your calls and takes messages when you are not available.
Call Waiting: Like a second line for your phone, Call Waiting lets you decide whether to switch to the new call-or send it to Voicemail.
Caller ID: View the phone number of an incoming call, so you know who is calling before your answer. All unanswered calls automatically roll over to your Voicemail.
Caller ID Block: Block your phone number from appearing on the phone of the person you're calling.
Three-Way Calling: Talk to two people at the same time. You can initiate Three-Way Calling even if you didn't start the phone call (airtime and long-distance charges apply for both of the calls in your Three-Way Calling party).
Call Forwarding: Forward incoming calls to the phone number you specify. ($0.20/minute).
Numeric Paging: Set your Voicemail to allow callers to send a numeric page to your phone.
Sprint 411: Access Directory Assistance. Just dial 411 from your Sprint or Nextel phone to get dinner reservations, movie listings, driving directions and more ($1.79/call, airtime charges also apply).
Emergency Calls: Call 911 from anywhere in our network with no airtime charges.
Non-Emergency Calls: Report traffic accidents, motorist problems, careless drivers or other non-emergency incidents using special dialing numbers (such as #77, 311).

As our plan was through Sprint, our color options were limited to Red or Sapphire. We both chose the Red, finding it the more appealing color. I really would have preferred the Black or the Titanium, but they are not offered by Sprint.