[edokid]

Hi everyone,

I'm going to get a BlackBerry for work later today and I use Google Apps right now for business, just the standard free version. Used to have the paid one but it's not necessary anymore for us. The only thing I disliked about using Google Apps before on a BlackBerry with IMAP was how reading a message on my computer wouldn't read it or archive it on the BlackBerry like normal IMAP or like iPhone etc.

I had signed up for a hosted BES service which was $9.99 a month that worked, but with my new provider it's also $5 from them to get BES so that's $14.99 a month, and that service is saying requires Google Apps Premier so not sure if it works with the free one anyway.

I was looking at Office365 since I guess it's Exchange, and was wondering if with BIS it's any better, or would it work the same as Google Apps? I realize it's $6 a user a month but I don't mind that if it actually works. I'm just trying to find the best solution to keep the mail in sync. Calendar and contacts always synce'd find with the Google tools.

The reason I love Google Apps though is because I sell for about 4 different companies, so I have 4 email aliases in my one Google Apps account that I can send and receive email to, and in my inbox it highlights mail by colour based on which address it is sent to. I don't think Office365 does that, or at least didn't the last time I checked.

[SugarMouth]

I have the same problem with Google apps and BlackBerry with the email. For me I think its not worth changing your entire business software to work with a substandard device. See if you can get your company to buy a WP7, iPhone or Android, they all work better and won't require you to spend more money or change services.

On a side note I started a thread regarding this issue and to my surprise all the BlackBerry loyalists who defend their platform have not come up with a reasonable solution.

Before anyone says it, yes I am getting rid of BlackBerry ....again. I thought OS7 fixed these problems. If I am wrong please someone correct me.

[iN8ter]

You will need Google Apps Premier. I think you'll also need it for synching to Desktop Outlook if you want to do that. Otherwise you're stuck with IMAP and GMail IMAP is not pretty, IMO, no matter how you slice it.

The cost of BES for consumers who want full PIM synching has always been an issue since you can get 2-8GB Exchange Mailboxes from providers for less than the cost of the BES license. I think Microsoft supports BES on Office365 but not sure if you can get it on a single mailbox.

Exchange supports Aliases, so that wouldn't be an issue.

Personally if you have a different phone I'd switch and just use ActiveSync instead of switching your entire email provider (however if you have your own domain name you can switch providers and still get all your email after they port your domain name over - just use the same email addresses), or at least to a better IMAP client.

The advantage of Office365 is that it uses ActiveSync for synching everything, which works equally well on most platforms (except Blackberries, but I think the Playbook supports ActiveSync Natively and if you're on T-Mobile with free Tethering you can go that route :P ).

[koroshiyax]

Office 365 provides free hosted BES for BlackBerry users.

Basically sign up for their account, and you will be provided with a log-in to RIM's hosted BES infrastructure to active your BB.

The only additional cost would be to have a BES plan from your carrier.

[Superfly_FR]

I have 3 mailboxes linked to my office365 account. Just new to this, so not much input to share yet. I use it mostly to get my PB in sync. (so yes you can have multiple mails linked to your account and use them to respond, but I've not noticed "color" thing).

P.S : On my computer I address the 2 professional accounts directly via IMAP.

[robsteve]

I sell for about 4 different companies, so I have 4 email aliases in my one Google Apps account that I can send and receive email to, and in my inbox it highlights mail by colour based on which address it is sent to. I don't think Office365 does that, or at least didn't the last time I checked.

Can't you just setup the company emails directly on the BlackBerry, fetching the mail from the company servers? ie: have each company provide you with an email if they are not already.

I just setup my wife on a 9810 and her work email uses a Microsoft exchange server. This seems to work fine with the BIS account. Her calendar does not sync with the BIS account, so we are using a trial version of AstraSync, which seems to sync the calendar without any problem. It will also sync contacts, but I haven't tried that, as I am worried about her personal contacts on the phone getting synced to her work server. The PlayBook on the other hand syncs fine with her Exchange server, no extra software needed.

[edokid]

Great thanks for the help everyone. I was checking Office365 but I don't see where it supports aliases and I have the trial for the Enterprise version which has that BES thing as you mentioned. It lets you add multiple domains but the only thing I could find was using distribution mailboxes to send from those other domain email addresses.

How would that work on the BlackBerry if I wanted to send an email from one of the other addresses on the phone? All the domain addresses are mine, even though I sell for other companies. Like they aren't the domain's of those companies they are my own domains for them.

[Superfly_FR]

I was checking Office365 but I don't see where it supports aliases [...]

On my PB, I set the 365 account ([email protected]).
This account is a "container", in witch I have connected accounts (ex : [email protected] and [email protected]).
When they arrive on my PB they are addressed to the appropriate email addresses and these are used to reply.
This is a default parameter in 365 outlook web app connected accounts (but you can also manage it accordingly to your needs).

Yet, I've not tried this over a BB Phone.

[edokid]

Where are the connected accounts shown in OWA? That's what I tried doing and it worked well, and I can now send email from those (not from the BB though) but at least in Office365 so it's the same as Google Apps.

But I don't see anywhere where the email is actually shown? In the status it says it was last checked a few minutes ago, but all the folders inbox etc on the left are all my onmicrosoft.com email's. I don't see anywhere the connected email. Even if I email something to a connected email it doesn't ever pop up that there's a new email or anything like that?

[kill_9]

Office 365 provides free hosted BES for BlackBerry users.

Basically sign up for their account, and you will be provided with a log-in to RIM's hosted BES infrastructure to active your BB.

The only additional cost would be to have a BES plan from your carrier.

Microsoft Office 365 business plans provide a free BES account for each MSO365 subscriber and you can use either a BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) account or BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) account with your wireless carrier. If you are going to provide information at least try to be accurate without misleading anyone. The Microsoft Office 365 with free BlackBerry Business Cloud Service requires a paid subscription to Microsoft Office 365 Cloud Service.

Resources:
BlackBerry Business Cloud Service (BBCS) Administration Guide
KB28383 - How to activate a BlackBerry smartphone using BlackBerry Business Cloud Services

[Superfly_FR]

Where are the connected accounts shown in OWA? That's what I tried doing and it worked well, and I can now send email from those (not from the BB though) but at least in Office365 so it's the same as Google Apps.

But I don't see anywhere where the email is actually shown? In the status it says it was last checked a few minutes ago, but all the folders inbox etc on the left are all my onmicrosoft.com email's. I don't see anywhere the connected email. Even if I email something to a connected email it doesn't ever pop up that there's a new email or anything like that?

I noticed the first time I set them, it took some time to synchronize. I think also you don't hit the refresh button, it goes sync something like every hour (on OWA, not within messaging app). Just added another account and it went fine ...
BTW if no rule, all mails show in "inbox" default

[edokid]

It's very weird, I added a second connected account and it downloaded the mail instantly. That was a non Gmail account, but the Gmail account I added still won't download mail. Unfortunately it's still not possible to send emails from those addresses though on the BlackBerry, but I think I can just add them as Internet mail accounts on the BB and then send from there. I think it will then keep the sent message on those services though and not Office365 but I really only have 1 account that I need that 100% in sync service. The other 2 I get maybe 2-3 emails a day from if that. One that gets more busy, I could just buy another Office365 licence strictly for those domains.

Just not sure why it's not downloading that other connected account mail yet though very strange. I'm using the $9.50 E1 or whatever it is Office365 plan so I get BES with it. I'm supposed to pay $5 a month with my provider for BES but I did enterprise activation and it's working fine without it.

One last question you might know then, can I have multiple signatures in Office365? Since right now it only wants to use the one regardless of who I send from?

Thanks!

[Superfly_FR]

It's very weird, I added a second connected account and it downloaded the mail instantly. That was a non Gmail account, but the Gmail account I added still won't download mail. Unfortunately it's still not possible to send emails from those addresses though on the BlackBerry, but I think I can just add them as Internet mail accounts on the BB and then send from there. I think it will then keep the sent message on those services though and not Office365 but I really only have 1 account that I need that 100% in sync service. The other 2 I get maybe 2-3 emails a day from if that. One that gets more busy, I could just buy another Office365 licence strictly for those domains.

Just not sure why it's not downloading that other connected account mail yet though very strange. I'm using the $9.50 E1 or whatever it is Office365 plan so I get BES with it. I'm supposed to pay $5 a month with my provider for BES but I did enterprise activation and it's working fine without it.

One last question you might know then, can I have multiple signatures in Office365? Since right now it only wants to use the one regardless of who I send from?

Thanks!

You've just reached my skills level on 365 ... so I can't help more ... but if I find interesting things, I'll update here

[fanatical]

Great thanks for the help everyone. I was checking Office365 but I don't see where it supports aliases and I have the trial for the Enterprise version which has that BES thing as you mentioned. It lets you add multiple domains but the only thing I could find was using distribution mailboxes to send from those other domain email addresses.

How would that work on the BlackBerry if I wanted to send an email from one of the other addresses on the phone? All the domain addresses are mine, even though I sell for other companies. Like they aren't the domain's of those companies they are my own domains for them.

avadakedava, Don't make the mistake one of my clients did..... Test the enterprise (E plan), then sign up for a "P plan". The BlackBerry Business Cloud Services Do not work with the "P plans" . As far as I can tell, they only work with the "E plans" . I've contacted RIM to see if they would be added service for P Plans, and I just keep getting replies that they will investigate and get back to me.

Other then that, I was very impressed with the Office 365. Aliases are no problem, but as you mentioned, I did have problems replying from them on the phone. However I'm not certain if this is resolved using the BlackBerry Business Cloud Services...... Like I said we only have the P Plan. My work around was to send all mail from the [email protected] account on the phone.

I'm assuming this will be a non issue with BB10 as it will fully support active sync, as someone mentioned, the playbook work great.... but for now on your phone, you will have to rely on BlackBerry Business Cloud Services if you want full syncing.
BlackBerry - Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365

[edokid]

Yeah it says only the E plans support BlackBerry the P ones do not, which is fine. I'm trying to look more into doing Google Apps with BES though just because Office365 is a bit limited, like apparently you can only have 1 signature for replies which is frustrating. Also you def can't change the reply from on your phone, so you really are forced to either pay for 3 separate users, or what I'll prob do, pay for 1 since 99% of my mail comes to and from that one, and then for the other 2 set them up as IMAP. Just annoying since that then limits me being able to have a unified inbox while working on my computer.

[mas90guru]

I used Google Apps BES for a short time. -- Hosted BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Google Apps. I cannot say the email delivery was faster (probably 15 seconds slower) however the sync worked between web and BB.

Did NOT need any plan other than BIS to add the Google Apps BES