After receiving my new BlackBerry Curve 8310 in the mail and downloading Yahoo Messenger ver. 2, I was disappointed to find out AT&T hadn’t enabled the service on their network. Blackberry’s comment on the situation didn’t surprise me.

AT&T® customers cannot use the Yahoo! Messenger application on their BlackBerry smartphones. This is at the request of AT&T.

AT&T does have a bundled instant messaging application offered through a vendor that includes AOL® Instant Messenger™ service (AIM® service), Yahoo! Messenger and Windows® Live™ Messenger.

Note: AT&T offers support for this application only as a bundled purchase.

That’s just another corporate marketing scheme to dig even deeper into our pockets. Of course, this probably wouldn’t have happened if AT&T hadn’t gobbled up Cingular. However, if there is a way around something someone is bound to find it. The problem is AT&T doesn’t offer the service books Yahoo Messenger needs to operate. Fortunately, they haven’t taken the additional steps necessary to block Yahoo Messenger traffic on their network, so the missing service books can be added.

Before starting you will need to do the following:

1. Register your phone at att.blackberry.com.
2. Install Blackberry Desktop Manager. (Note: I used the latest version I found on BlackBerry’s website.)
3. Backup your device using the Desktop Manager.

Install the Yahoo Messenger ver. 2 Service Book:

1. Download the Yahoo Messenger ver. 2 Service Book.
2. Open BlackBerry Desktop Manager and connect your phone.
3. Click Backup and Restore > Backup your phone.
4. Once the backup is complete, on your phone go to: Settings > Options > Advanced Options > Host Routing Table > Register Now.
5. In Desktop Manager: Click the “Advanced” button under Backup and Restore.
6. Restore the Yahoo Messenger ver. 2 Service Book to your phone.
7. If you haven’t already done so, install Yahoo Messenger for Blackberry.
8. You should be able to login to Yahoo Messenger now.

Now we have to restore your service books to your phone:

1. Login to your BlackBerry account att.blackberry.com.
2. Click Service Books > Resend Service Books.

It can take up to 20 minutes for the Service Books to reload on your phone. Don’t panic if you notice some of you icons missing. For example, your email icons. Once Service Books are reloaded your icons will appear as they were previously.