OhOh! Company Won't Support iPhone. Only BlackBerry. WHY?

[meagain]

My husband just emailed me (we both have 2g, now 3g iPhones), saying the new management of his company will not support the iPhone and are giving him a BlackBerry which will force him to carry 2 phones or ditch his iPhone.

Why on earth would that be necessary? I admit to not following the new business side of 2.0, but I thought this BS with business ended and was a done deal now. What am I missing? I need to get more details on their reasoning but I need to know if this company is misinformed on this issue so we can change their minds.

Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[Sonicjay]

The iPhone still doesn't support full device encryption, which makes it less secure. Also, if the company officially support BES (Blackberry Enterprise Server) as their method of email access for mobiles, they're not usually likely to add another method of access for a couple stray iPhones; a general rule with network security is to minimize the paths of entry into the network. Although ActiveSync is a standard, if they already use BES, they may have it disabled.

 

[sibruk]

Because there's more tin-pot dictators in IT than any other sector?! I don't know, it's bloody annoying though.

Are you sure his company don't support ActiveSync? Just ask them to enable ActiveSync/OWA Remote Access on his account (it is literally a single checkbox in Active Directory) and don't tell them what device you intend to use it with.

 

[WorldIRC]

Apple still hasn't proven its business end of things to the IT professionals out there. Although the iPhone can connect to Exchange it is still missing a lot of key features that RIM has had for years in their products.

In time, when Apple updates these features, IT professionals will begin to adopt their changes.

The iPhone still doesn't support full device encryption, which makes it less secure. Also, if the company officially support BES (Blackberry Enterprise Server) as their method of email access for mobiles, they're not usually likely to add another method of access for a couple stray iPhones; a general rule with network security is to minimize the paths of entry into the network. Although ActiveSync is a standard, if they already use BES, they may have it disabled.

They could also be using Lotus Domino....who knows *shrugs*

 

[FSUSem1noles]

My husband just emailed me (we both have 2g, now 3g iPhones), saying the new management of his company will not support the iPhone and are giving him a BlackBerry which will force him to carry 2 phones or ditch his iPhone.

Why on earth would that be necessary? I admit to not following the new business side of 2.0, but I thought this BS with business ended and was a done deal now. What am I missing? I need to get more details on their reasoning but I need to know if this company is misinformed on this issue so we can change their minds.

Anyone else experiencing this?

As great as the iPhone is, it's still missing some bread and butter that the business world needs.

Individuals and many smaller businesses can probably adopt the iPhone despite them, but not larger companies or those for which security is important (such as hospitals, government agencies, and financial services providers) and as such many business organizations will never incorporate the iPhone into their company, the reality of it is, security is still a major concern, they'd have to either employee a completely new tech team just to deal with the problems/concerns employees would have with incorporating the iPhone into their system the list goes on and on..

 

[tobyg]

Because in order to properly deploy and secure an Exchange (assuming they are Exchange) infrastructure to support ActiveSync devices it can take time, money, hardware, education and the effort involved. It's not as simple as flipping a switch. If the company has already invested all of those resources into developing an infrastructure to support blackberries with BES servers, they may not want to or have the resources to now implement the infrastructure to support ActiveSync.

Blackberry and ActiveSync devices don't speak the same language. You can't just use an ActiveSync device where you once used a Blackberry, doesn't work that way.

 

[MadGoat]

I carry a blackberry (work) and an iPhone too

Reasons could be any of these:

• Doesn't meet their standards for security.
• Lack of Policy controls on the iPhone
• They don't want to allow access to activesync (various reasons)
• They hate iphones

A company has a lot of control on how a blackberry works from the server side, they can lock down the blackberry so tight that a blackberry becomes very boring. Like at my work.

Sometimes, as much as I hate to admit it (i'm an apple fanboi) Blackberries are just better for business as it stands. iPhones are awesome for personal use.

I would like to see Apple hire some seriously business minded product developers to get the iPhone much more geared to business, but without sacrificing the fun part of having an iPhone.

 

[chinl]

This sums up a lot of it,

The iPhone still doesn't support full device encryption, which makes it less secure. Also, if the company officially support BES (Blackberry Enterprise Server) as their method of email access for mobiles, they're not usually likely to add another method of access for a couple stray iPhones; a general rule with network security is to minimize the paths of entry into the network. Although ActiveSync is a standard, if they already use BES, they may have it disabled.

And this is another important factor,

Apple still hasn't proven its business end of things to the IT professionals out there.

The iPhone 3G has been available ~3 weeks. That isn't nearly enough time to actually test and evaluate a new platform for an enterprise deployment. Unless it is a really small shop I would make the update this quickly if I were in charge. I would do some testing and see what is and isn't lacking and decide then. I lot might depend on what happens when the next round of software updates come out.

 

[WorldIRC]

Everyone has to also realize that BES doesn't necessarily use Exchange. ActiveSync is a Microsoft thing...if the company is using Lotus Domino with their BES, then there is no Active Sync support

 

[pyrodex]

This sums up a lot of it,



And this is another important factor,



The iPhone 3G has been available ~3 weeks. That isn't nearly enough time to actually test and evaluate a new platform for an enterprise deployment. Unless it is a really small shop I would make the update this quickly if I were in charge. I would do some testing and see what is and isn't lacking and decide then. I lot might depend on what happens when the next round of software updates come out.

Coming from someone who has used a Blackberry for personal phone and also to this day still carries one for business reasons I can say the iPhone lacks the following features.

1) Filters, BB does this on the device hands down.
2) Alerts for different filters AKA Level 1 messages in BB
3) Alert tones for different objects, Apple plainly sucks here not allowing users to configure the alarm type/vibrations/tone levels. Hands down the BB wins in the department of sounds based profiles.

 

[meagain]

I'll try to find out more. I'm gleaning the company didn't have anything in place and just went to this Blackberry for everyone concept.

As of right now, this is a tragedy. Bonus points for now surely they won't reimburse the iPhone's monthly AT&T fee. We just upgraded to the 3g plan on launch! I need to do everything in my power to change this situation, but as of now, we need to find out if the company can do Active Sync?

 

[FSUSem1noles]

I'll try to find out more. I'm gleaning the company didn't have anything in place and just went to this Blackberry for everyone concept.

As of right now, this is a tragedy. Bonus points for now surely they won't reimburse the iPhone's monthly AT&T fee. We just upgraded to the 3g plan on launch! I need to do everything in my power to change this situation, but as of now, we need to find out if the company can do Active Sync?

Bravo to you if you can single handley change the way a company incorporates mobile devices into it's network..

 

[Lightbrazer]

Ultimately you also have to realize the company is PAYING you to do what THEY want the way THEY want it done. There doesn't need to be ANY technical reasons that you can't use an iphone, they can simply not want you to and since they own the data, then that's that. Really there doesn't need to be any reason at all.

 

[extraextra]

Coming from someone who has used a Blackberry for personal phone and also to this day still carries one for business reasons I can say the iPhone lacks the following features.

1) Filters, BB does this on the device hands down.
2) Alerts for different filters AKA Level 1 messages in BB
3) Alert tones for different objects, Apple plainly sucks here not allowing users to configure the alarm type/vibrations/tone levels. Hands down the BB wins in the department of sounds based profiles.

Also, I believe the Blackberry allows you to search your emails? Also lets yo do other things like copy/paste etc. I know some people moan about this "WHY DO YOU NEED IT I NEVER USE IT" but these features are VERY useful in business environments. I wish Apple would implement these, I don't want to have to write every thing down or manually scroll though a bazillion emails.

 

[SHIFTLife]

Can I ask why you'd even purchase a phone that you'd want to use on a company network in the first place, if you weren't sure whether or not the company would support it? That seems kind of silly to me. Sounds more like "I want a new toy" syndrome than someone wanting it for business purposes.

 

[cdd543]

some of the international data plans are an issue as well. No unlimted for international data. What were they thinking?

 

[Flhusky]

My husband just emailed me (we both have 2g, now 3g iPhones), saying the new management of his company will not support the iPhone and are giving him a BlackBerry which will force him to carry 2 phones or ditch his iPhone.

Why on earth would that be necessary? I admit to not following the new business side of 2.0, but I thought this BS with business ended and was a done deal now. What am I missing? I need to get more details on their reasoning but I need to know if this company is misinformed on this issue so we can change their minds.

Anyone else experiencing this?

Its not necessary for your hubby to carry 2 phones, he can leave his personal phone @ home and/or forward all calls to his BB.

The company is paying for and supplied him with a tool to do his job, that is their policy. You guys thought you could get around that policy, and failed.

They don't have to supply you or your husband with more reason then 'its company policy' push the issue and they will find reason to end his employment.

The company he works for likely has invested $10's of thousands if not $100's of thousands in the messaging and BES infrastructure. This infrastructure meets business needs based on many factors as mentioned already. They probably will not be changing this around for 1 person unless that 1 person is the CEO/President of said company. Even then they will need to get buy in to spend another couple $100k.

Then there is the liability of using a personal device for business use.

Then you totally over looked support costs. Someone in the messaging dept. is going to need to know how and what M$ Active Sync is/does/works and its flaws/quirks/etc. Training for the help desk, they will get calls despite someone 'knowing how to do it' and hosing up their iPhone. Then those calls goto 2nd level who will have no clue what do either and finally third level will get involved and maybe fix it but that will be 2-3 days later.

So yeah, perhaps you and your husband should have talked to the IT dept. about using iPhones in the corp. environment BEFORE using that as a justification to buy them.

 

[DiamondMac]

Just the way some businesses do their thing which I understand as they want their employees capable of doing things and certain phones will satisfy such

My brother-in-law was just told that their company WILL be issuing 3G iPhones for anyone who wants one (if not, they can keep their Blackberry) and he is JUMPING on it as fast as he can

 

[rioja]

Can someone explain to me the general difference between Exchange server and BB server

I work for a small company, everyone has a BB. Mine is an old 8700. I know we have an Exchange server on-site. But our BB's go through Rogers in Canada, we don't have our own BB server. Our IT guy added my iPhone to Exchange in about 15 minutes.

It's actually working better than my BB because he set it up so it syncs my Calendar + Contacts WITHOUT iTunes or plugging it in to my Mac.

Shouldn't BB server be able to do this??? Why do I have to use PocketMac and plug-in the BB to sync calendar and contacts?

 

[sdsvtdriver]

Can someone explain to me the general difference between Exchange server and BB server

I work for a small company, everyone has a BB. Mine is an old 8700. I know we have an Exchange server on-site. But our BB's go through Rogers in Canada, we don't have our own BB server. Our IT guy added my iPhone to Exchange in about 15 minutes.

MS Exchange is an email server.

A BB server is an application server that links your email system and to RIM's network.

It's actually working better than my BB because he set it up so it syncs my Calendar + Contacts WITHOUT iTunes or plugging it in to my Mac.

That's what Microsoft Exchange Activesync does.

Shouldn't BB server be able to do this??? Why do I have to use PocketMac and plug-in the BB to sync calendar and contacts?[/QUOTE]

Yes, it should. It sounds like the implementation of BB devices in your company is poor.

 

[steveapp]

A big thing for IT Departments in companies ( I work in one ) and it is far more economical, efficient and for the end users better to support a limited number of devices. If you support the iPhone, then what ....

Its not that we don't want to support them, its just difficult to support them. If you just post instructions online for your users and state no more support that doesnt work, people have problems - things get messy and the bills rise.

And as someone said (sort of) you work for the company not the other way round, if they ask you to do something a certain way thats the companies right. If you want to change things you need to write something practical - a business case of some sort.

 

[Michael CM1]

Business IT people fear change like a vampire fears sunlight. Really, it's not a shock right now since the 2.0 update is 1) buggy, and 2) still very new. Almost NOBODY in IT will support 1.0 products, and they take awhile to support even new operating systems. We're using PANTHER at work (not to mention 10-year-old applications on Classic, which is beyond unstable at times).

If the iPhone enterprise isn't supported much a year from now, then you should start wondering what's up. But right now, it's just dinosaurs at work.

 

[tritonj]

Business IT people fear change like a vampire fears sunlight. Really, it's not a shock right now since the 2.0 update is 1) buggy, and 2) still very new. Almost NOBODY in IT will support 1.0 products, and they take awhile to support even new operating systems. We're using PANTHER at work (not to mention 10-year-old applications on Classic, which is beyond unstable at times).

If the iPhone enterprise isn't supported much a year from now, then you should start wondering what's up. But right now, it's just dinosaurs at work.

that is a myth that IT doesn't support change and new technology, everyone i know in IT loves to play with the newest toys out there, whether it be the SAN technology, 10gb ethernet, or whatever, most of us will build just about anything out of scrap parts just to try out something new. the problem is that when you are running a business especially large enterprises you can't do business efficiently if everyone wants to do things their own way, and wants their own stuff, that is why they create standards that meet the needs of the business.

for the smaller companies it is easier to introduce new things to standards because there is less to change, if you only have 10 computers it isn't a big deal to wake up one day and decide Windows is horrible and you want everyone on a Mac, but imagine a company with 100s of 1000s of computers, for those guys it requires a lot more planning and thought and backup plans etc before they can make big changes, if they don't plan and take their time, they risk stopping operations which results in lost revenue which means people start getting fired

the funniest thing about this whole ActiveSync thing is that the Mac community usually talks a lot of trash about MS stuff being horrible and inferior, and never works right, requires tweaks, requires countless hours of troubleshooting, and Mac anything is superior to it. yet every Mac advocate is championing ActiveSync saying it is just 2 clicks to turn on and is a "set it and forget it" kind of a thing, seems they have all conveniently forgotten that it is a MS product and not only that but an MS product that deals directly with probably one of the most tempermental pieces of MS software, an Exchange Server.

 

[Michael CM1]

that is a myth that IT doesn't support change and new technology, everyone i know in IT loves to play with the newest toys out there, whether it be the SAN technology, 10gb ethernet, or whatever, most of us will build just about anything out of scrap parts just to try out something new. the problem is that when you are running a business especially large enterprises you can't do business efficiently if everyone wants to do things their own way, and wants their own stuff, that is why they create standards that meet the needs of the business.

for the smaller companies it is easier to introduce new things to standards because there is less to change, if you only have 10 computers it isn't a big deal to wake up one day and decide Windows is horrible and you want everyone on a Mac, but imagine a company with 100s of 1000s of computers, for those guys it requires a lot more planning and thought and backup plans etc before they can make big changes, if they don't plan and take their time, they risk stopping operations which results in lost revenue which means people start getting fired

the funniest thing about this whole ActiveSync thing is that the Mac community usually talks a lot of trash about MS stuff being horrible and inferior, and never works right, requires tweaks, requires countless hours of troubleshooting, and Mac anything is superior to it. yet every Mac advocate is championing ActiveSync saying it is just 2 clicks to turn on and is a "set it and forget it" kind of a thing, seems they have all conveniently forgotten that it is a MS product and not only that but an MS product that deals directly with probably one of the most tempermental pieces of MS software, an Exchange Server.

You're right about the geeks at the heart of IT liking new stuff (at least in my age bracket). But as you said, the money behind it keeps any good stuff from coming it. As I mentioned, we're runny $#@%tty software that is beyond outdated.

I know what you mean about the big companies not switching quickly. That's why I don't really blame the OP's people for not totally jumping on the bandwagon. But I think most tech-savvy employees would at least like to see hints of new tech being adopted. You know, maybe a little WiFi in the office or seeing one Power Mac G3 sent to the graveyard for a new Mac Mini. These are my complaints for where I work. I just can't get over how many problems we have running the OS 9 apps and how, you know, it would be nice to see a new copy of Photoshop on just one of our computers. Mine crashed last night three times when I tried to do the complicated thing of cropping an image.

Yes, the irony of the "simple" MS Exchange is not lost on me. I think that's Apple conceding that it's pretty much an industry standard and they might as well grin and bear it. I have never used Exchange before, but I know I have NEVER seen anything made by Microsoft that literally just works. Vista isn't as bad as I thought, but I sure as hell can't easily figure out how to access my shared HDDs on the network.

 

[tritonj]

i should probably qualify my statement about IT by saying there are essentially 2 types of IT departments out there, there is the type that loves the new tech, loves to try it out, loves to find creative ways to implement it to bring value to the company and use it to make things better in the company and they are embraced by the decision makers of the company because they have been able to show that IT isn't just an expense but is as critical as sales/marketing and other more traditional revenue generating departments

then there is the IT group that loves new tech but has never been able to get their executives to buy in and they are seen as a "necessary evil" another cost to the company and don't bring value, and these guys end up indifferent and just show up to work for a paycheck and don't care, surf the internet all day and don't do anything unless something breaks.

but everyone does need to keep in mind that the blame isn't all on IT, IT is still thought of as a "necessary evil" in a lot of companies, something that just bleeds the company of money but never gives anything back in return, and it is a lot of times an uphill battle for those groups. i've been in companies like that and it is not fun to work in IT when you are there, no one wants to do anything and they all just sit around, i'm just glad i'm at a place now where we embrace technology and we are encouraged to find new ways to improve current processes rather than just be status quo