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Old 02-27-2006, 04:13 PM   #1
kmehling
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Default One (single) user, two (different carriers) Blackberry's?

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I just couldn't figure out what to use as search terms as I came up empty after perusing for about 30 minutes. Can anybody tell me if this is (A) possible (B) impossible or (C) maybe possible. Hell, if you know how to do it, all the better! heh.

Can one user have two BlackBerry's which both synch to one exchange mailbox???

We have a BES, we're basically all on Verizon. Verizon does seem to offer terrific coverage in the USA, but obviously, when we go to Europe, we're SOL.

So my half-assed solution was to do the following-
User has Verizon 7250 with phone + email, works great, only in the USA.

[email address] in Exchange.

I then added a second user and hide them from the Global Address List called [email address]

I set up an Outlook server-sdie rule to automatically forward a copy of all incoming mail from [email address] to [email address]

I then purchased a TMobile BlackBerry and chewed up another BES license and assigned the TMobile BB to [email address]

This setup BASICALLY works but it's so nasty, I was wondering if there was a cleaner way to just redirect one user email to two blackberry's for just this type of problem. If it chews up another license so be it (I am right now anyway...)

So the way it works, most of the time the user is in the USA and the VZW BB is fine, the TMobile BlackBerry sits in his desk. And when he travels, he takes the TMobile BB (forwards his VZW phone number to the TMobile number) and then he gets his email and phone calls. Obviously, when he replies to messages, it comes from [email address] which creates some confusion, but for the most part, people don't even notice. Sometimes I have to go in and do some exchange work to get some of his sent items back over, but obviously stuff like his calendar and contacts just don't synch to his main account, and he just deals with it.

Any tips/suggestions/death threats gladly appreciated!
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Old 02-27-2006, 09:25 PM   #2
burijon
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These are only suggestions as it sounds like you got it under control.

1. Switch the guy to T-Mobile completely. He can take his phone number with him. Then he could use one phone everywhere. That's what my company did. T-Mobile even installed in-building antennas in our building as we are in a dead phone for about every carrier(even VZW). I'll give you the name of our rep(super-guy) if you are interested in such a scenario.

2. Use the T-Mobile web client and forward everything while still showing his original email address. I assume you can still get a web client version since that's the cheapy version that the BB comes with. http://www.t-mobile.com/bis/default.asp
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Old 02-27-2006, 09:54 PM   #3
kmehling
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^Good thoughts about #1, though the main complaint from people (and being a former T-Mobile user, I'm inclined to agree) is USA coverage leaves a lot to be desired. I used to be in places with X coverage and my g/f on her Verizon phone would have 2 bars or more. Otherwise, obviously the best of both worlds, but he originally had T-Mobile and switched to VZW for just that reason.

2. Another good suggestion, though still just as "broken" as my ugly work around IMO.

I was just wishing there was some hidden way to associate a single user to multiple BlackBerry's. I know it's a pretty strange request, but if either T-Mobile had better coverage in the USA or Verizon had ANY coverage anywhere we travel outside the US, it would be solved.
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Old 02-27-2006, 10:35 PM   #4
kmehling
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Well, I had awaited a response from RIM tech support (posted this message at the same time) and sadly, they only had the following to offer:

Unfortunately at this time the BlackBerry Enterprise Server is designed to handheld one BlackBerry handheld per mailbox.
You can try suggesting it as a future feature by e-mailing your suggestion at [email address]


looks like we're SOL
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Old 02-28-2006, 12:16 AM   #5
BlackBerryLinks
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He can switch from BlackBerry. If he use the Desktop Manager and connect the other BlackBerry his account switch to that BlackBerry (he get the question if that BlackBerry must connect to his mailbox).

Regards,
Bob
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Old 02-28-2006, 12:23 AM   #6
Berry One
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I don't get it: what is the problem?

When user is ready to travel overseas, he should connect his T-Mobile blackberry to desktop through USB cable, and start BlackBerry Desktop software. It should recognize new device and offer to use new PIN for user's profile.

After few minutes of syncronization T-Mobile blackberry will become primary device for that user, with all emails coming to and from it using primary user's email address, with calendar syncronized.

When user comes back, he should repeat this with his VZW blackberry and he will switch to that device as his primary.
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Old 02-28-2006, 08:29 AM   #7
BlackBerryLinks
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Berry One
I don't get it: what is the problem?

When user is ready to travel overseas, he should connect his T-Mobile blackberry to desktop through USB cable, and start BlackBerry Desktop software. It should recognize new device and offer to use new PIN for user's profile.

After few minutes of syncronization T-Mobile blackberry will become primary device for that user, with all emails coming to and from it using primary user's email address, with calendar syncronized.

When user comes back, he should repeat this with his VZW blackberry and he will switch to that device as his primary.

LOL,
That is what I say, in my words.

Regards,
Bob
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Old 02-28-2006, 03:15 PM   #8
Drork
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Try unlocking the BlackBerry from its sim lock

then when you travel simply put the other sim card in the device and that it

as BES is pushing mail useing the PIN of the device all will work well.
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Old 02-28-2006, 05:16 PM   #9
kmehling
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I see what you guys are saying and I think I may try to give it a shot, but this user is not savy enough to be able to do that so I'd have to do it for him. Not a big deal, but he's rarely in the office and to plan on him stopping in before a trip overseas is slim to none, so he'd literally have to do it a day or so before he left. Again, not a BlackBerry problem, a human problem.

We could use the wireless synchronization but that takes quite a while to go back and forth. The PITA of constantly switching back and forth between the active and inactive one probably makes our ugly solution more appealing in the sense that we don't have to do anything to make it work.



Drork - can't - Verizon doesn't have sim cards, otherwise, that would be the way to go for sure. :(
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Old 02-28-2006, 11:46 PM   #10
Berry One
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Swapping SIMs won't work. BES knows blackberry by its PIN. PIN belongs to device, it is not on SIM.

Swapping SIMs will not tell BES to switch PINs.
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Old 03-01-2006, 01:51 PM   #11
Drork
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exactly
Swaping sim will prevent him from the need to change pin.

the problem is coverage an roaming agreements, as I understod.

in this case swaping sim is the best way as you get what ever coverage the oporator sim is in the bb have without having to do a thing in the BES.
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Old 03-01-2006, 07:59 PM   #12
charliemurphy
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Might not help but my company has purchased a couple of 7290's to loan when a user goes out of town. Once the return the loaner is backed up and wipe and activate the original
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Old 03-02-2006, 12:06 AM   #13
Snyder81
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Berry One
Swapping SIMs won't work. BES knows blackberry by its PIN. PIN belongs to device, it is not on SIM.

Swapping SIMs will not tell BES to switch PINs.
Agreed. Swapping SIM's would switch the phone number, but the e-mail is delivered based on BlackBerry PIN, not the SIM.
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Old 03-02-2006, 07:44 AM   #14
BlackBerryLinks
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@Berry One
@Dork
@charliemurphy
@Snyder81

I don't know why you keep talking about swapping SIM cards. Kmehling had a question about his case and if you like to help him read his answer.....

Quote:
Originally Posted by kmehling
Drork - can't - Verizon doesn't have sim cards, otherwise, that would be the way to go for sure. :(
Regards,
Bob
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Old 03-08-2006, 03:30 PM   #15
aristobrat
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kmehling
^Good thoughts about #1, though the main complaint from people (and being a former T-Mobile user, I'm inclined to agree) is USA coverage leaves a lot to be desired. I used to be in places with X coverage and my g/f on her Verizon phone would have 2 bars or more. Otherwise, obviously the best of both worlds, but he originally had T-Mobile and switched to VZW for just that reason.
I don't know when he last took his T-Mobile BB on a US trip with him, but T-Mobile significantly increased their coverage last year by adding roaming deals with various companies.

Check out their new coverage map:
http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/

If not, then would he consider Cingular? Its US coverage is slightly larger than T-Mobile's and it's available internationally as well.

As long as he's going to maintain two devices, it's going to be a PITA for you. We have two C-level execs here that insist on doing the same thing, but they're at least cool about making sure that they give us advanced notice on when they're leaving, and they understand that they have to be here to pick up their "overseas loaner" before they leave.
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Old 03-14-2006, 05:14 PM   #16
rschmidtjr
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One idea: if you set up the T-Mobile unit to work on the Web client, then all you have to do is forward a copy of his Exchange e-mail to the Web client email address. Set up the Web client to respond with his exchange e-mail address.
The only problem is that wireless reconciliation will not affect his exchange mailbox and he won't have his sent items in the exchange sent items folder.
The benefit is that nothing has to be done when switching from one unit to the other.
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