[khushalim]

Hi Guys-

I wonder if someone can help me with this:

My company doesn't allow BES for anyone under Senior Executive (which means that I can't get it). We used to be able to do BIS, but as of October, BIS access will be terminated. The "solution" we were given to this is to "buy a Windows Mobile phone."

Is there any way around this?

1) I don't want to give up my BB.
2) I don't want to buy a new phone when I just paid for a brand new Curve (and when the tech people told me a month ago that BIS was ok).

Thanks.

[smaug]

What do you mean "BIS access will be terminated"? Do they pay for your phone? If not, you are paying for BIS.

Does your company have Outlook Web Access? That's how I get my e-mail from work, it's a little slow sometimes but you still get them.

[gruss]

Yeah I'm lost. If you pay for the phone how can they cut anything?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[MJThib]

They can't effect your BIS but can stop allowing you to connect to their network. Not much you can do about that.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Username5300]

Yes if you bought the BB they can not cut your service unless they pay your bill. Yes they can not allow you to access their network to gain email. My thought is I would approach the company and ask them why they would perfer to have devices carring sensitive email with the possibility of being hacked. The BES server is much more controlled and harder to hack into. Plus our company it tis only like $3 to be put on the bes. I guess they don't want to pay the license fees. Good luck with your situation.

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[cctraderx]

If your company has decided not to allow access and you can't access via BIS - assuming you can't access via Outlook Web Access, what good will a windows mobile phone do? I don't quite understand. If you can access via Win Mobile, then you should be able to access via BIS.

[khushalim]

Here is the email we got. But at the same time, I talked to CIO when I got the BB and they said BIS was fine and not against the policy. From what I see, there is a lot of resistance to the BIS access being cut off. Is there something else I can do? This is not a BB that the company is paying for. I bought it on my own and I am paying a data plan (along with 3000 other people on BIS at my company). Suggestions?


BlackBerry users, take note: if you are using the BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS), you are not complying with Company
security policies and access to Company e-mail will be going away soon. Starting in October 2008, CIO Technology Services will be upgrading Company’s e-mail services from Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2007. As part of this upgrade, CIO Technology Services will be turning off access to BIS. If you signed up for BIS, which forwards e-mail from your Company account to a BlackBerry service, you have violated Company Policy 57: Security of Information and Acceptable Use of Systems. It is recommended that you switch to a device that will work with ActiveSync, such as a Windows Mobile service. Note: If you are currently using the Company BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) to sync your Blackberry device, you will not be impacted by this change. For questions and discussion regarding this change, visit the BlackBerry discussion board on the Mobility Forum.

[sniffs]

Here's the reason I can see.. BIS does not allow the BES admin to remotely wipe the device. I'm a BES admin and totally understand the reasoning behind not allowing BIS.

I recently went through this with my company and we blocked all connections from BIS accounts.

My company policy is that if you have a personal device, it NEEDS to be ActiveSync... BIS is no longer allowed.

From a gigantic corporate standpoint, BIS is a major security and legal hole. If the user leaves the company, and the company cant wipe the device, that's a security and legal issue as they are now taking company owned emails with attachments..

That is most likely the reason.

[jeffh]

That's a good explanation and reason why a company might block BIS accounts, but if a user is ActiveSynching his device to a company computer, isn't he still getting company-owned files on an uncontrolled device?

[sniffs]

If the addon to OWA, called "MobileAdmin" is installed on the OWA box, activesync has 6 policies that can be locked down and remotely wiped. =)

[jeffh]

Thanks for the info. It's been years since I used a Windows Mobile device.