At TechSolvers we are always looking for the best way for our customers to access technology solutions. We look for systems that are cost effective, simple to maintain and secure. When we first started suggesting MS Online Exchange to appropriate clients one of the questions that always came up was, can my Blackberry connect, and how much does that cost?

Originally Hosted BES (the server that allows Blackberries to integrate with an Exchange account) was only available from Microsoft if you were purchasing around 20 accounts. This was not relevant for our clients as they tend to have a lower requirement for the number of BES accounts. So we needed an alternative, something that was cost effective while still remaining as secure as BES. At the time the best option was a 3rd party software application for Blackberry that allowed the devices to connect to Exchange. The integration was not as tight as when using a BES server but it certainly allowed mail, calendar, contacts and tasks to synch automatically.

Technology never stands still though and when Microsoft changed the minimum number of seats for Hosted BES to 1 it was an obvious decision to switch to recommending this service for our Blackberry using clients. Its secure and supportable, but the ordering process was certainly not simple with multiple forms to be faxed and emailed to various people. Apart from the ordering process it was a perfect solution. Plus our clients didn't have the head ache of ordering as we did that for them.

Then just this month Microsoft have improved the process again. The forms (in triplicate) are now gone and we can simply add BES accounts through the Online Services portal. In fact it's as simple as adding a new mailbox.

So that's where we are today. If a Online Exchange customer wants a Blackberry on Hosted BES we can provision the request quickly and simply no matter how many devices the customer has.

Then again an Iphone has a built in Exchange client and works with Online Exchange out of the box. Meaning it's cheaper to connect and arguably just as secure (well as much as it needs to be). So why do I still use my Blackberry? Guess I just like it, and a contract half the size of an iPhone is persuasive too.