[CurveBBLover]

I have had my BB Curve 8310 with AT&T for less than a month, so forgive me for these questions.....

1. Whats the difference between BIS and BES? I know one is personal and another is meant for business. What I would like to do is connect to my school's Microsoft Exchange service and be able to sync my Outlook email, as well as calendar. Do I have to have BES to do this? Can anyone connect to there companies BES server, or do you have to contact your IT department to get permission.... If you don't have a relationship with a company with a BES server, is there a way to use this just for personal use?

2. I also have a Hotmail account. With the BIS plan, is there a way to view subfolders (such as when you have email filters setup to have certain messages go to special folders) So far with my BIS plan I haven't been able to view the subfolders. Would getting the BES plan fix this? Is there any program or way to have true control of viewing different email folders besides your inbox on my BB? ( I read with BIS the reconcile function does nothing???)

[jeffh]

I'm a BES user, so I can give you some info. A BES is typically run by a corp IT dept. But that can be just one person. Rim sells a single-user BES very cheaply. BlackBerry - BlackBerry Professional Software Express. Actually, it appears to be free for a single user.

BES allows you to over-the-air sync your email, calendar, contacts, tasks, and memos. BIS only lets you sync your email. Everything else requires USB or Bluetooth Sync.

You set up your own BES system, you wouldn't use another company's, and nobody but people you let in could use yours. Of course, with the free single user package, that's just you anyway.

BES allows you to sync folders off the inbox in Outlook to folders off the inbox on your blackberry. Another user asked this question the other day and we did some tests to check it. It works. I don't believe any BIS solution will allow that, but I don't know.

Finally, there are 3rd party apps by Google that provide some of the same synching capabilities as BES. I haven't used any of those, but you might want to consider them.

Hope this helps. I'm sure you'll get other responses.

[PennStBoy8]

JeffH do you know when you are connected to the BES can the tech guy read emails and text messages you send?

[jeffh]

JeffH do you know when you are connected to the BES can the tech guy read emails and text messages you send?

Yes, he can under certain circumstances:
Can a BES administrator read my PIN and/or SMS messages and see my phone call logs?
Yes, if the BES is version 4.1 or newer and the device is o/s code 4.1 or later.

• Starting with BES 4.1, the BES admin can log all PIN and SMS messages to the BES server, including the content of those messages.
• BlackBerry Messenger messages and conversations can also be audited by the BES administrator.
• In addition, the administrator can view all phone calls made/received to the device including date/time, number dialed, and the name of the person you are calling or who called you if that name is listed in your contact list.

Source: BES Users FAQ - BlackBerryFAQ

[PennStBoy8]

Wow!!! Thanks for the quick response! I am the only one using the BB right now and I guess I am glad we do not have a BES!

[mobiman]

I have BES and BIS activated to my account and for obvious reasons I carry 2 Berrys around, oh and I confess I'm an addict..... Lol

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[PennStBoy8]

Yea I am thinking I either need to PG rate my text messages with my girlfriend or get another phone of my company goes with a BES!

[jeffh]

Wow!!! Thanks for the quick response! I am the only one using the BB right now and I guess I am glad we do not have a BES!

The main point to remember is when you connect your blackberry to an enterprise, you surrender all control of the device to the enterprise. BES will push an IT policy to your device that controls whether you are allowed to use the Media Card, to use the Camera, to use Bluetooth, or to install software. Most are not that draconian. Mine is very benign. It only enforces password use, content protection, and enables the firewall. But the tool is there for IT to use. It's not your phone, anymore.

[CurveBBLover]

I tried a couple things since I posted last:

Blackberry Unite is supposed to do the same thing with a BIS plan that a BES plan would: Ugghh very very ugly.. I don't recommend even trying this.....not to mention I had to Google for 20 minutes to find where to download this. (I guess it's a secret were not supposed to have yet)

I have decided to switch primarily to a GMAIL account. They have a mobile blackberry app where you can have access to your entire email interface (sent, deleted..etc..) And plus you get still get the regular BB alerts.

Thanks for your help BTW Jeff

[jeffh]

I tried a couple things since I posted last:

Blackberry Unite is supposed to do the same thing with a BIS plan that a BES plan would: Ugghh very very ugly.. I don't recommend even trying this.....not to mention I had to Google for 20 minutes to find where to download this. (I guess it's a secret were not supposed to have yet)

I have decided to switch primarily to a GMAIL account. They have a mobile blackberry app where you can have access to your entire email interface (sent, deleted..etc..) And plus you get still get the regular BB alerts.

Thanks for your help BTW Jeff

Wow. There must be a hundred posts in the forums about people's problems with unite! It's certainly no secret that it's a nightmare to uninstall. You definitely don't want it. I hope the Gmail solution works for you. There are quite a few people using it.