Microsoft, RIM to unveil free hosted BlackBerry service, report suggests

By on Mar 16, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Software March 16, 2011

According to a report filed by ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft and RIM could announce a new, free, hosted BlackBerry service as early as today. Citing anonymous sources close to the plans, the site reports that the two companies will collaborate to provide the cost-effective BlackBerry Enterprise Service to customers utilizing Microsoft’s hosted Exchange 2010 Online service. “RIM is only mobile OS that doesn’t use (Microsoft) ActiveSync-aware devices and has a separate device management platform – the BES environment,” said the site’s source. “Most large enterprise customers run a on premise [sic] BES server to get the advanced device management.” A Microsoft data sheet updated yesterday seems to confirm the free offering, but Microsoft has yet to publicly announce the program.

Read [ZDNet] Read [Data Sheet]

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15 Comments

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  • http://twitter.com/Havalo Havalo Lolawo

    This should be good!

  • Bigbudha

    I guess no one is buying that overprice junk called bes servers.

    • Hi

      There are over 250,000 BES deployements world wide according to RIM CEO.

    • 9th ‘berry and counting

      yup, because “cost effective” = “overprice junk”

      …..dumbass

    • Anonymous

      Actually, MS will most likely bundle with BES – I doubt RIM is truly giving it away for free.

      • RealDeal

        I am guessing they will be providing BES Express services for no charge and full BES will be a premium.

  • sirpaul

    “RIM is only mobile OS that…” -> RIM isn’t an OS, but okay…

    PS: BGR, thank you for fixing the “like” display – we can actually see all the text now!

  • Raffy Serrano Yejo

    Guess who’s buying RIMM … prelude

  • Max

    RIMjob is a fail company. The Beanie Baby of the smartphone world. Every kid wanted a beanie baby. They were selling them on Ebay for $1000′s. Now? Just like RIMjob..only a few morons still want one. Living in the 90′s, just like Beanie Baby morons. I saw a 2 year old with a Blackberry and a 90 year old with one. I think I saw the 2 year old playing Brickbreaker too. Got a nice score from what I recall.

    • http://twitter.com/diegonei Diego Nei, MBA

      What an insightful comment!… ¬¬

      I really hope this is not the average BGR reader…

    • RudyH

      Your comment is incredibly stupid. If Apple ruled the automotive world, everyone would be forced to drive a black or white BMW M5. It’s fast, powerful among other things.

      You would not be allowed to look at a Ferrari or Porsche, nor a Corvette, Mustang or GT-R possibly LF-A. Forget an AMG or RS, and a CTS-V would be out of the cards. What about a fuel sipper? Possibly a Prius or possibly a ‘sporty’ CR-Z?

      The car market is no different then the cell market, it’s not a one phone fits all. Everyone needs a smart phone to do what they need it to do, not make a purchase based on media hype that a site like BGR does so well at.

      A very smart man once told Reuters (today) :

      “Just because the rest of the world wants to go one way doesn’t mean it’s the right way and we will continue to chart our own course,” he said. “Don’t let the hype cloud the truth.”

    • Moo_y

      only some as smart as you would fail to realize that while rim makes blackberry, they also own a crapload of other money making companies. the blackberry is worldwide. the iphone is geared towards the north American market

  • Matthew12981

    Isn’t this Bes Express? If so, this has been available for at least a year

    • Craig at EPA

      BES Express is available for on premise exchange, but up to now it has not been available for hosted exchange. The key question that still hasn’t been answered is will you require a BES service from your mobile phone provider or will you be able to use the standard BIS tariff.

      We are seeing a lot of companies move from BlackBerry to ActiveSync devices and RIM need to be able to offer BES functionality on a BIS tariff, otherwise the can say goodbye to their SME customers.

  • Anonymous

    Wow. Microsoft + BlackBerry. UNBEATABLE.

    Bring it on.

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