[golflax]

So I have a non work blackberry and have finally managed to set up my work email on it by using the OWA settings and figuring it out for myself because the IT department was not allowed to help me. They are only allowed to set up work email on work phones. My question is does anyone know if the IT department or anyone else will be able to tell that I am receiving emails on my phone? I want to make sure I do not get in trouble for having it

[akosnitzky]

Wirelessly posted (Its All About the U!)

Most places allow you to pull from their server to get e-mail. You just cant use their server. You have to use your ISP provider and IT as you said cant help you.

Do you know you would get in trouble if doing this? I never heard of this. Heck, my employers encourage it

[golflax]

well i know that they said they couldnt do it and i think i remember in the manual it saying that you shouldnt, but i was just wondering if anyone knew if there was a way for them to tell that the emails were going to my blackberry

[jmwking]

If they really want to, they'll know: the IP address accessing the OWA will be from RIM, not a generic ISP.

A couple problems I'd have with you doing this, were I they: They can't control security on the device, and they can't be sure of a sent message saved in your work mailbox for a message you send from a BIS connection, which might cause a legal problem down the road.

Were you to use the BB browser to access OWA directly, well, you're just using OWA as allowed (unless they have restrictions on how you can use OWA outside work as well). I have no idea how usable it would be, though.

-jk

[akosnitzky]

Wirelessly posted (Its All About the U!)

Find out the policy. I wont speak for other users, but I am not going to advise you on something that may jeopardize your job. There are options for you depending on the policy. Good luck

[golflax]

i was always able to access the owa through the browser on my blackberry. i can access the owa from any computer without being connected to the vpn.

will having the email come straight to my phone appear as if i am accessing the owa from the browser on my blackberry?

[TXLady]

Originally Posted by golflax

well i know that they said they couldnt do it and i think i remember in the manual it saying that you shouldnt, but i was just wondering if anyone knew if there was a way for them to tell that the emails were going to my blackberry

If the manual says you shouldn't, don't do it. Most companies don't take willful disregard of security policies lightly.

[michaelalanjones]

The company I work for has ~13,000 people using BlackBerries and they are on the BES, but mine (a BB Bold) is my personal phone. I am not on the BES. It is to restrictive for me. I have the Redirector running, to send work emails to my phone, and that works great for me. I get emails in Outlook on my PC at work, and I also get those same emails sent to my BBB, blended with my home email.

I am not going to use the OWA - it is too small and cumbersome to use on my phone. The only thing I miss, not being connected to the BES is meeting updates automatically updating on my BBB. If a meeting invitation comes to my phone, I have to sync my BBB with Desktop Manager. That's fine; I connect it in the morning, and sometimes in the afternoon to sync that stuff in, for a minute or two.

Nobody here in the IT department has ever complained or mentioned that I have Redirector running - I don't know if they can tell it is running from there. I guess if they cared, they would say something.

So to be clear, it is like this:
Appointments, Tasks, Notes, contacts ->sync with BlackBerry Desktop Manager
Emails -> sent via BlackBerry Redirector

I get basically the same information as if I was on a BES, but without the restrictions of being on one. My BIS gets emails to me quick, like within 5-10 seconds of it being sent.

[2 Samuel 22]

If it is spelled out in your HR manual then you shouldn't do it.

I recall sitting in a meeting where we were reviewing our IT policy and how company e-mail should only be on company-issued devices for various compliance reasons. A member of senior management, who had his laptop with him, e-mailed out the policy to everyone attending the meeting and two iPhones in the room beeped. They are no longer employed here and OWA was disabled.

[daphne]

I have a work OWA email set up on BIS. I read though the policies and didn't find anything prohibiting it. The company has BES but they charge you to be on it unless you're at a certain management level. My immediate managers know I'm getting OWA email on my BB and they don't see a problem with it. The company does not even enforce a password on the BES devices, which stuns me considering the type of email we get.