[JasW]

Or, if not forced to leave, at least forced to hang onto legacy BB devices for the quite indefinite and unpredictable future.

My firm is not getting a BES 10 server, although it will continue to run the BES 5.x server. We use Lotus Notes, so there is no Exchange server on which a possible ActiveSync connection would be available. Android and iOS devices are connected via a Good Technology server.

This all leaves me SOL with BB after 12 long years, at least if I want to ditch my rapidly aging 9810 and get a Z10 or Q10. I can't imagine there aren't other BES users here in the same situation. If you are, what are you going to do?

[webmeister]

I think the biggest mistake BlackBerry has made on this is by not offering an express version of BES10. I'm a hobbyist and have set up my own BES10 and have even paid for 3 BDS CALs so I have associated my son's Z10, my Z10 and my PlayBook to my BES. Still $100/seat is a bit pricey and small businesses will have no real incentive to move from the express version of BES (latest version 5.04) to BES10. This mainly because, unlike BES->BES10 there is no trade-in program fro CALs for BESx. Part of BlackBerry's philosophy should be to get the new handsets in as many hands (no duh!) as possible and giving away BES10x to businesses with less than 75 users would be good marketing and help keep BlackBerry's leadership position in the MDM area.

At least I have the option of using ActiveSync with my Exchange 2010 server. Must suck to be locked in to Domino given the current state of things.

[nomloj]

Had the Z10 not shown up, I would have had to move. Our BES5 got turned off a few months back, and I've been stuck on 15 minute interval emails on a company phone. Eventually, I would have had to go to another platform for ActiveSync when I've missed one too many last minute emails (the building I'm in has no signal, so I have to rely on WiFi... no calls).

[LoganSix]

Or, if not forced to leave, at least forced to hang onto legacy BB devices for the quite indefinite and unpredictable future.

My firm is not getting a BES 10 server, although it will continue to run the BES 5.x server. We use Lotus Notes, so there is no Exchange server on which a possible ActiveSync connection would be available. Android and iOS devices are connected via a Good Technology server.

There is a new BES 10 server coming out in a few months that will probably solve your firm's issues.
Also, despite bad marketing, old BB devices will work on this new BES 10, without the need for a second BES 5 server.

[JasW]

At least I have the option of using ActiveSync with my Exchange 2010 server. Must suck to be locked in to Domino given the current state of things.

Yes, I cannot tell you how much I depise Lotus. How such a clunky email client manages to survive, I have no idea. Even if we did bail on Domino and got an Exchange server, there would still have to be some implementation on the server with ActiveSync for the Z10 to run. At least that's my understanding. But even that's not going to happen, so it's a moot point. The only options are iOS and Android devices (and WP8 devices, although I don't know that for sure) on the Good Technology server, or legacy BBs on the BES 5 server.

There is a new BES 10 server coming out in a few months that will probably solve your firm's issues.
Also, despite bad marketing, old BB devices will work on this new BES 10, without the need for a second BES 5 server.

My firm's only issue is that it is not willing to get a BES 10 server at this time. The IT department has doubts, whether well founded or not, about BBRY's long-term viability. Plus since they are in the middle of rolling out Windows 7 -- yes, that's how slow-moving things can be in a large organization -- they are not willing to invest the time and training in adding the BES 10 server right now. I'd say they would add one later if there is demand, but no one is going to buy a BB10 device to create demand if it can't connect to their work email.

[LoganSix]

My firm's only issue is that it is not willing to get a BES 10 server at this time. The IT department has doubts, whether well founded or not, about BBRY's long-term viability. Plus since they are in the middle of rolling out Windows 7 -- yes, that's how slow-moving things can be in a large organization -- they are not willing to invest the time and training in adding the BES 10 server right now. I'd say they would add one later if there is demand, but no one is going to buy a BB10 device to create demand if it can't connect to their work email.

You should let the know that from now 'til Christmas, devices moved from BES 5 to BES 10 are done at no charge.

[JasW]

It appears we're not alone -- a friend just forwarded this mail from his firm's IT director (note that they also use Lotus):

All,

You are receiving this e-mail because you are a current Blackberry user.

The Blackberry 10 is very different from your current Blackberry. Research in Motion (RIM), the company behind the Blackberry smart-phones and the Blackberry Enterprise Servers, has decided that existing Blackberry servers will NOT support the Blackberry 10 device.

We will not be upgrading our Blackberry Server at the current time. It will take some time to make a determination on how and if we incorporate this update into our system. Our Blackberry numbers have been dropping regularly, and right now this would require supporting two distinct systems. We're certainly going to continue investigating Blackberry 10, but if you have a contract coming up very soon, you may want to consider an android or iphone as an alternative. We definitely won't have Blackberry 10 service in the near term.

We have a new way to connect your smart-phone (android/iphone) to our e-mail system. It's called Lotus Traveler. We have been piloting Traveler for the past three weeks, and its integration with iOS devices and Android-smart-phones is extremely well done. We are looking forward to implementing Traveler throughout the firm.

If you have any questions about the Blackberry 10, please feel free to call or e-mail.

Our IT department has said almost the exact same thing. BTW, my friend inserted "RIP BLACKBERRY" into the subject line of the forwarded message.

[Bluenoser63]

My firm's only issue is that it is not willing to get a BES 10 server at this time. The IT department has doubts, whether well founded or not, about BBRY's long-term viability.

Tell them that they are the IT department and not accountants as Blackberry will be around for a long time to come.

[Bluenoser63]

Or, if not forced to leave, at least forced to hang onto legacy BB devices for the quite indefinite and unpredictable future.

My firm is not getting a BES 10 server, although it will continue to run the BES 5.x server. We use Lotus Notes, so there is no Exchange server on which a possible ActiveSync connection would be available. Android and iOS devices are connected via a Good Technology server.

This all leaves me SOL with BB after 12 long years, at least if I want to ditch my rapidly aging 9810 and get a Z10 or Q10. I can't imagine there aren't other BES users here in the same situation. If you are, what are you going to do?

We installed BES10 to supplement our BESX w/ Google Mail implementation. It wasn't that big a deal.

[Bluenoser63]

Or, if not forced to leave, at least forced to hang onto legacy BB devices for the quite indefinite and unpredictable future.

My firm is not getting a BES 10 server, although it will continue to run the BES 5.x server. We use Lotus Notes, so there is no Exchange server on which a possible ActiveSync connection would be available. Android and iOS devices are connected via a Good Technology server.

This all leaves me SOL with BB after 12 long years, at least if I want to ditch my rapidly aging 9810 and get a Z10 or Q10. I can't imagine there aren't other BES users here in the same situation. If you are, what are you going to do?

A simple google search brought me to this. You don't need BES 10 to get Z10 to work with Lotus Notes.

Musings: Getting a Blackberry Z10 working with IBM Notes

http://www.stdi.com/stdi/home.nsf/ws/bb10mail

Might need a new IT department.

[JasW]

We installed BES10 to supplement our BESX w/ Google Mail implementation. It wasn't that big a deal.

Tell them that they are the IT department and not accountants as Blackberry will be around for a long time to come.

Unfortunately, I am just one voice out of many. Also, if you know IT departments, they don't like being told how to do their job. Of course, it's not a big deal, financially or otherwise to install BES 10. They think it is, though, and combined with the doubts about BBRY's viability, that's enough to lead to the current situation.

A simple google search brought me to this. You don't need BES 10 to get Z10 to work with Lotus Notes.

Musings: Getting a Blackberry Z10 working with IBM Notes

BlackBerry Z10 connection to IBM Lotus Domino

Might need a new IT department.

Very interesting, thanks. The calendar invitation bug would be a major problem, though. I'll forward it on anyway. The fact that it doesn't appear to be completely seamless -- i.e., that is, that it would require some work and attention to implement -- might still militate against it.

[Bluenoser63]

Unfortunately, I am just one voice out of many. Also, if you know IT departments, they don't like being told how to do their job. Of course, it's not a big deal, financially or otherwise to install BES 10. They think it is, though, and combined with the doubts about BBRY's viability, that's enough to lead to the current situation.




Very interesting, thanks. The calendar invitation bug would be a major problem, though. I'll forward it on anyway. The fact that it doesn't appear to be completely seamless -- i.e., that is, that it would require some work and attention to implement -- might still militate against it.

Can I get a job on your IT? Sound like they don't want to do any work.

[Buju Banton]

I'm in the opposite situation

our BB10 infrastructure has been ready for a while...now I need to convince my boss to buy me a Z10

[JasW]

Can I get a job on your IT? Sound like they don't want to do any work.

LOL, they are having a hard time rolling out Windows 7 to all of the different offices. That's supposedly what's keeping them busy.

[Tiassa]

As a long time Notes/Domino guy, I'll point out that RIM did a pi$$-poor job of supporting Domino to the detriment of both platforms. Note that the Domino version of BES required it's own server while with Exchanged you could install it on top of an existing server. Note that the Domino version was routinely delivered months after the Exchanged version. Note that a lot of Domino shops run their servers on Linux, but BES required Windows server.

[dpeters11]

We installed BES10 to supplement our BESX w/ Google Mail implementation. It wasn't that big a deal.

I was thinking along the same lines. I wanted a Z10...threw up a VM got the licensing and I now have a BES 10 as well as my BES 5 servers. Only bad part, I don't have a Playbook so can't do much testing on the box until I get my z10 other than knowing the SRP connection works.