[E92Vancouver]

This pretty much confirms that BB10 will support ActiveSync and you can kiss BIS and BES goodbye. YAHHHOOOOOOOOO!!! RIM has seen the light for those of us that prefer ActiveSync to BIS or BES!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...821059744.html

RIM's BB10 May Shoot Hole in Services
December 21, 2012, 12:12 p.m. ET

By ROLFE WINKLER

RIM investors should be praying that its new devices fly off the shelves. Or maybe they shouldn't be.

The touch-based smartphone revolution passed by Research in Motion, RIM.T +4.41% hitting sales of BlackBerry handsets. To claw its way back, the company is (finally) releasing handsets running a new operating system, BB10, in January.

Trouble is, sales of the new handsets may rob RIM of a key revenue source: service fees. Historically, mobile operators have paid the company a few dollars per month for each BlackBerry user in return for access to RIM's proprietary network. That provides users with extra security, for instance.

These high-margin fees represented 36% of sales in the most recent quarter, compared with 60% for hardware. But because they represent a steady revenue stream from all BlackBerry users, not just a one-time benefit from sales of new devices, these fees are a key support for RIM stock.

But BB10 devices are built differently. And only those customers that choose to pay for additional services will do so. RIM executives warned on Thursday night's earnings conference call that service fees would be "under pressure" as a result. Shares fell sharply after executives pointedly sidestepped analyst requests for details.

BB10 needs to be successful if RIM is to survive over the long term. After all, if it can't sell handsets, the number of subscribers paying service fees will decline anyway. Indeed, the company's subscriber count, which had continued to climb thanks to strength with low-margin devices in emerging markets, started to fall for the first time this past quarter, dropping to 79 million from 80 million in the quarter that ended in August.

Just fighting for third place among mobile operating systems behind the Apple AAPL -2.78% /Google GOOG +1.98% duopoly is going to be tough enough. Microsoft MSFT -1.87% looks to be in better position thanks to its vast financial resources and the many partners, Nokia NOK1V.HE +0.75% and HTC among them, selling devices running Windows Phone.

It doesn't help RIM that, in the short term at least, success with its new devices may substantially weaken its business.

Write to Rolfe Winkler at [email protected]

I hope I can get a BB10 phone on launch day! Such great news!!!

[missing_K-W]

Well I personally prefer BIS. It's instant and reliable. Activesync I have found to be slow and unreliable. it's as dependable as most Microsoft software which IMHO isn't very much.

If I have an option to have BIS I will sign on for that. As for Activesync, I'm happy for those who are anticipating it

[jasonvan9]

Cant read the article unless you subscribe to the website

[E92Vancouver]

Well I personally prefer BIS. It's instant and reliable. Activesync I have found to be slow and unreliable. it's as dependable as most Microsoft software which IMHO isn't very much.

If I have an option to have BIS I will sign on for that. As for Activesync, I'm happy for those who are anticipating it

If you run a live, yahoo, or gmail, email address, BIS is slow.

Anyway, if you want to pay extra for BIS, you have that option.

[Thunderbuck]

1) Not news, even if it IS a piece from the WSJ. The Playbook has supported EAS since OS 2, and it's been known for ages that BB10 would continue that support.

2) No, this does not kill BES/BIS, though I can understand why many would think it does. For one thing, BBM still runs under BIS and my impression is that RIM intends to expand BBM, not contract it.

Enterprise will not abandon BES, either. AS is okay for smaller networks (say, <100), but once you get past that threshold it gets harder to manage. It's also not as secure as BES; EAS does allow an admin to remote-wipe all Exchange data, but BES will melt down the whole freakin phone if needed. It also allows for some very granular security policy (like, for instance, not allowing corporate data to be saved to removable media). The big difference is that BES Express is going away, and RIM wasn't charging for that anyway.

This is actually RIM's way forward, believe it or not. Yes, there will be a decline in service revenue, but corporations need MORE mobile security, not less. A current BES shop now has a couple of way easier choices to make: 1) stay exclusively with BB handsets or 2) adopt BES10 later this year and allow BYOD through Fusion (which has clients for iOS and Android already, and that awesome "Balance" feature for BB10). And, yes, it's an individual annual license. What's even better: it's an easier upgrade than adopting someone else's MDM platform, so they get a foothold.

[E92Vancouver]

Cant read the article unless you subscribe to the website

Just posted it for you!

[E92Vancouver]

1) Not news, even if it IS a piece from the WSJ. The Playbook has supported EAS since OS 2, and it's been known for ages that BB10 would continue that support.

2) No, this does not kill BES/BIS, though I can understand why many would think it does. For one thing, BBM still runs under BIS and my impression is that RIM intends to expand BBM, not contract it.

Enterprise will not abandon BES, either. AS is okay for smaller networks (say, <100), but once you get past that threshold it gets harder to manage. It's also not as secure as BES; EAS does allow an admin to remote-wipe all Exchange data, but BES will melt down the whole freakin phone if needed. It also allows for some very granular security policy (like, for instance, not allowing corporate data to be saved to removable media). The big difference is that BES Express is going away, and RIM wasn't charging for that anyway.

This is actually RIM's way forward, believe it or not. Yes, there will be a decline in service revenue, but corporations need MORE mobile security, not less. A current BES shop now has a couple of way easier choices to make: 1) stay exclusively with BB handsets or 2) adopt BES10 later this year and allow BYOD through Fusion (which has clients for iOS and Android already, and that awesome "Balance" feature for BB10). And, yes, it's an individual annual license. What's even better: it's an easier upgrade than adopting someone else's MDM platform, so they get a foothold.

Now you have choices!

[joeldf]

As noted already, ActiveSync on BB10 has been known. RIM also already clarified a month or so back the BIS will be required too. Only now, it looks like they will offer several levels of service like some carriers outside NA already offer.

Personally, I like that EAS will be in BB10. I'm at a small firm running only an MS Exchange server. I get my mail now on my 9800 through BIS, but I don't get contact and calendar syncing over the air. But I also have a home pop3 email account, so I'll need BIS for that.

I wonder how the new BIS services will be parsed out in NA where the major carriers typically do not charge extra for it.

[missing_K-W]

If you run a live, yahoo, or gmail, email address, BIS is slow.

Anyway, if you want to pay extra for BIS, you have that option.

IMHO the reason it may be slow is because the mail clients are slow. I haven't used Gmail. So I can't comment on that. My hotmail comes through fast and very reliable on BIS.

I want BIS with Activesync to clear my other mobile devices. As far as depending on Activesync to deliver my mail. I'll pay for BIS for reliable delivery. However with this said I'll try without BIS first. Like I said earlier. I'm very happy for those who are looking forward to having activesync on their BB10 devices knowing it will be there at launch

[Thunderbuck]

As noted already, ActiveSync on BB10 has been known. RIM also already clarified a month or so back the BIS will be required too. Only now, it looks like they will offer several levels of service like some carriers outside NA already offer.

Personally, I like that EAS will be in BB10. I'm at a small firm running only an MS Exchange server. I get my mail now on my 9800 through BIS, but I don't get contact and calendar syncing over the air. But I also have a home pop3 email account, so I'll need BIS for that.

I wonder how the new BIS services will be parsed out in NA where the major carriers typically do not charge extra for it.

Don't know about you, but the carriers available in my neighborhood all offer BB-specific plans, presumably to build in the BIS subscription.

If you're in a small firm with an Exchange server, you'd be dependent on BES Express right now. Unfortunately, while BESx is powerful, and free, it's no easier to maintain than full-blown BES, and it's a bit of a fussy install. For someone in your position, you'd be just peachy being able to ditch BESx and connect with AS, and as long as your firm doesn't have any specific security requirement that AS doesn't handle, you'd be nuts to stay with a platform with more admin overhead.

It's when you get into larger companies, or those small companies with specific security requirements, that you start to need some kind of MDM. There are several platforms to choose from, with varying complexity and expense. Where RIM has an advantage is that BES is already in use in something like 90% of Fortune 500 companies. If they can retain that market, it won't matter whether employees bring their own iPhones and Galaxys or whether the company issues old BBs, they'll be covered, and RIM will still get an annual license fee for each user.

[dynot]

This is a God-send for me. Set up AS email on my PlayBook just so that I can test it out. Now I can get my email without having to bridge to my Torch. I figured if I can set it up successfully on my PB then I should have no trouble on my Z10. That's because I don't think my employer will upgrade to BES10 for a while and I don't want to wait till they do before I get my device. This will be a good option for the time being.

Anyone who thinks that companies will upgrade to BES10 right away is being naive. Sure, there'll be exceptions but most will wait and see if BB remains relevant in the industry before investing the time, effort, and money.

[berklon]

Our firm just announced that BB10 will be supported in our BYOD environment, but only through ActiveSync.

We'll keep our old BES up while our employees transition to other devices, but we will not be going to BES10.
In our discussions with RIM, we've found that most firms won't be going to BES10.

Our firm (which has 130,000+ users worldwide) used to be heavily BB (as we have major business ties with RIM), but the BYOD initiative has made other devices adopted by the majority.
We'll have to wait and see if BB10 gains some traction with our users, or if they continue to move away from the Blackberry brand.

[TRlPPlN]

Anyone who thinks that companies will pgrade to BES10 right away is being naive. Sure, there'll be exceptions but most will wait and see if BB remains relevant in the industry before investing the time, effort, and money.

BES10 is already out in the form of MF Suite. BES10 will just have a better integration of the current suite and as the year 2013 passes by, RIM will have better use of their current NOC with other devices than BB's. I'm not just talking devices either....

No other MDM's will match what RIM has on their pipeline for the enterprise. I for one, like what i see in UDS/BDS as it gets better per each service pack.

[joeldf]

If you're in a small firm with an Exchange server, you'd be dependent on BES Express right now. Unfortunately, while BESx is powerful, and free, it's no easier to maintain than full-blown BES, and it's a bit of a fussy install. For someone in your position, you'd be just peachy being able to ditch BESx and connect with AS, and as long as your firm doesn't have any specific security requirement that AS doesn't handle, you'd be nuts to stay with a platform with more admin overhead.

No. Our office used to run full BES over Exchange, but they dumped BES completely when the iPhones started doing native ActiveSync back in '08. They are never going back to any kind of BES (extra cost) solution.

[Thunderbuck]

Our firm just announced that BB10 will be supported in our BYOD environment, but only through ActiveSync.

We'll keep our old BES up while our employees transition to other devices, but we will not be going to BES10.
In our discussions with RIM, we've found that most firms won't be going to BES10.

Our firm (which has 130,000+ users worldwide) used to be heavily BB (as we have major business ties with RIM), but the BYOD initiative has made other devices adopted by the majority.
We'll have to wait and see if BB10 gains some traction with our users, or if they continue to move away from the Blackberry brand.

So, what are you using for MDM? That's an awful lot of users to just give AS to.

My company only has about 250 company phones, but we're definitely staying with BES. We have security requirements that require more extensive device management than ActiveSync alone provides.

[ssbtech]

I remember using ActiveSync on my old WinMo6 powered Dell Axim PDA. Cutting edge stuff.

[berklon]

So, what are you using for MDM? That's an awful lot of users to just give AS to.

Good - for non BB users.

[RubberChicken76]

The administration discussion is interesting. It's not something I know a lot about and am enjoying the banter here.

[kevinnugent]

What about us personal users who just use BIS. Can we ditch it in favour of the free Activesync option?

[Thunderbuck]

Good - for non BB users.

Okay, so you're running MDM. I'm not sure what the costs are, but imagine you're a business that's currently on BES, needs MDM, and wants to adopt BYOD. If you upgrade to BES10, you already get MDM.

Or, you can go with a different MDM platform, which is going to involve a migration of some sort. THAT'S where RIM is going to have a leg up on the competition, because in most cases there's already an existing BES infrastructure.

[Thunderbuck]

What about us personal users who just use BIS. Can we ditch it in favour of the free Activesync option?

In theory, probably, but you'd also be ditching BBM. It would be up to your carrier.

You have ActiveSync either way, remember.

[DaedalusIcarusHelios]

I think the move to ActiveSync for the free tier (as opposed to BES Express) is a wise one. My company moved away from BB and I'm literally the only one using a BB, using BES Express which I had setup myself because our outdated, unsupported, and overly-locked down BES rotted away due to admins that had no interest or motivation. I had several users move over to the BES Express I setup while they still had BBs, and it was a vastly superior experience, but I'm not in charge of mobiles so new purchases all went to Android or iPhones in our two main offices (Android in US, iPhone in Australia). The old BES has been removed, and it'll be good to remove the BES Express server once I'm on BB10. I played with Mobile Fusion and even tried it with an Android and iPhone, but no one else wanted to manage mobile devices at all. I think for companies that are moving away from BES and not replacing it with anything else, activesync support means that BB10 is still an option, and isn't at a disadvantage.

[kevinnugent]

In theory, probably, but you'd also be ditching BBM. It would be up to your carrier.

You have ActiveSync either way, remember.

haha, no great loss. I have exactly one BBM contact and she's just bought a iPhone.

[tack]

I remember using ActiveSync on my old WinMo6 powered Dell Axim PDA. Cutting edge stuff.

Different Activesync. You are referring to the old sync application used for the PDA's at that time. Exchange Active Sync is the server push solution.

[Thunderbuck]

I think the move to ActiveSync for the free tier (as opposed to BES Express) is a wise one. My company moved away from BB and I'm literally the only one using a BB, using BES Express which I had setup myself because our outdated, unsupported, and overly-locked down BES rotted away due to admins that had no interest or motivation. I had several users move over to the BES Express I setup while they still had BBs, and it was a vastly superior experience, but I'm not in charge of mobiles so new purchases all went to Android or iPhones in our two main offices (Android in US, iPhone in Australia). The old BES has been removed, and it'll be good to remove the BES Express server once I'm on BB10. I played with Mobile Fusion and even tried it with an Android and iPhone, but no one else wanted to manage mobile devices at all. I think for companies that are moving away from BES and not replacing it with anything else, activesync support means that BB10 is still an option, and isn't at a disadvantage.

As you say, AS will become the "free" tier, and even with licensing costs it will likely cost RIM less than supporting BESx likely did.

I also believe that MDM is a massive growth market in B2B, but many businesses don't know it yet. Yes, I can imagine a great many admins looking at ActiveSync and saying "Cool! Let's ditch the BES!", but once auditors and executives look at it, many companies will feel compelled to adopt an MDM platform of some kind. There's a HUGE difference between just being able to wipe a mobile account on a user's BYOD phone and being able to erase any trace that phone had ever been on the company's network at all. I think the default policy on a device running Blackberry Balance doesn't even allow work e-mail attachments to be saved outside the "sandbox". Not all businesses will care, but many will.