BLACKBERRY – DO YOU GET IT?
Before purchasing a BlackBerry you need to decide on just how you’d like the device to work. With two very different options (and costs) it is important to understand both.
BLACKBERRY INTERNET SERVICE – DESIGNED FOR HOME USERS WANTING TO RETRIEVE EMAIL
If you buy a BlackBerry in a mobile phone shop it will be configured this way. Aimed at personal customers with a mail account such as Yahoo, Hotmail etc. Set-up is simple and can be configured in a few seconds.
BIS FEATURES
• Integrate up to 10 existing Internet mail accounts (Pop3, Imap4 & Webmail) onto a single device
• Wireless polling of the integrated email accounts
• View attachments, email, text and instant message
BLACKBERRY ENTERPRISE SOLUTION - DESIGNED FOR THE MOBILE PROFESSIONAL
BlackBerry Enterprise Solution (BES) offers a complete wireless email solution for the mobile professional. The BES server sits next to a business’s email server and acts as the go-between – making sure the BlackBerry is synchronised to the user’s Outlook data. Not only email but contacts, calendar and tasks meaning only a Blackberry is required to stay connected, not a cumbersome laptop.
USER BENEFITS
• Total, automatic synchronisation of the corporate email account
• Total wireless management of calendar, contacts, notes and tasks
• Secure access to corporate databases and other business data
• Internet and corporate Intranet compatible
BUSINESS BENEFITS
• Cost effective deployment and running
• Increased productivity and responsiveness
• Reliability of the information served to the device
• Always up-to-date corporate contact directories
• Automatic transmission of calendar entries, tasks and email messages
COSTS
The table below outlines the costs for using both the BIS and BES connectivity methods for a BlackBerry. The costs for BES are illustrated with the pricing for a hosted solution, not on-site.
| Item Required |
BIS |
BES |
| Data tariff with mobile network |
£6-8 pcm | £28.00pcm |
Hosted Email Server | N/A | £15.00pcm |
Hosted BES Server | N/A | £5.00pcm |
Total Monthly Cost | £6.00-8.00 | £48.00pcm |
Justifying the costs for using BES can be difficult, especially when there are other devices such as www.htc.com that would cost half (nearer £25.00pcm) and provide exactly the same functionality.