1.  What is the BES?

The Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES) enables someone using a Blackberry Smartphone to receive Exchange email, calendar appointments, contacts and tasks the same as when using Outlook on an office computer.

2.  Who is eligible to use the BES?

Any University faculty or staff member with both an Active Directory and Exchange account is eligible for BES access. 

3.  What do I need?

a. You will need to purchase a Blackberry device and a data plan that is compatible with a BES.  The purchase may either be made through your department or personally with a service provider.  The Blackberry device needs to be fully functional before it can be added to the BES.   

Many mobile phone companies (AT&T, Verizon and Sprint) sell Blackberry devices and data plans. 

o The Verizon representative for University at Albany is:  Jill Reynolds-Cadieux (Jill.Reynolds-Cadieux@VerizonWireless.com).

o AT&T and Sprint are other popular service providers.  One caveat with AT&T is that you must request the BES data plan when you sign-up for service; Sprint and Verizon do not differentiate among their data plans in this manner.

o We are not familiar with devices sold by other service providers and therefore cannot guarantee if they will function properly under our BES environment

Activating your Blackberry with your service provider can be done either in-store or by following the instructions included with your device and contract.  ITS is not able to assist with the device activation.  You can obtain instructions on how to use your device from the vendor or consult the owner’s manual which comes with your device and contract. 

b. The UAlbany BES is a premium service which functions on a cost-recovery basis.  In order to initiate (and continue) service a departmental account must be provided.  Individuals are not able to pay the fees out of pocket. Your department will be charged a one-time $70 client access license fee and a $10 per month BES access charge.  Charges are billed after service has been provided.  Customers are billed at the beginning of the fiscal year for services provided in the previous twelve months.  For new service the access charge is pro-rated from the month service starts until June (end of fiscal year).

• If you obtain a replacement device due to equipment failure or through the vendor's replacement cycle, you will need to request a BES activation code for the new device.  When you have an existing BES account and your department has already paid your $70 client access fee, only the $10 monthly charge applies to the replacement device being activated to the BES.

c. A security policy is applied to a BES account that requires the device to be password protected.  The password must be six characters in length with at least one letter and one number.  The default setting on the time-out period is two minutes of inactivity.

PLEASE NOTE: The Blackberry will lockout and erase all the data on the device after seven failed login attempts.  The BES security policy helps to protect your information should the device be lost or stolen.

d. The code issued used to activate the device for the BES can only be used once.  Therefore if you obtain a replacement device due to equipment failure or through the vendor's replacement cycle, you will need to request a BES activation code for the new device.

4.  How do I obtain a BES account?

After you obtain and activate your Blackberry device with the vendor providing your phone and data service, you may submit a request for a BES Account.  ITS will then send the BES activation code to your Exchange account within one business day of receiving your completed request form. 

5.  Once I receive the code, how do I activate my Blackberry against the BES?

When you receive the BES activation code, ensure that you are in a location where your Smartphone receives good cellular service before completing the activation steps:

1.  Locate the Enterprise Activation applet. 

a. Generally the enterprise activation applet is the topmost left icon on your screen.  If you cannot locate it, you would then scroll through your icons until you reach the icon labeled "Options" (it may look like a wrench or a set of sliders).

b. Click on the “Options” icon and scroll to select "Advanced Options".  Then click the wheel to select. (Some Blackberry devices have ‘the pearl’ instead of a wheel.)

c. In Advanced Options, scroll and click the wheel to select "Enterprise Activation"

2.  On the Enterprise Activation screen, type in your Exchange email address on the first line (ex.: tsmith@uamail.albany.edu). Do not hit enter or click the wheel after entering address.

3.  Simply scroll to the next line down called "password" and type in the activation code.

4. Once you have entered the activation code, press in your wheel and select "Activate".

5. Activation will take about 5-20 minutes depending on the size of your Exchange account.  If you receive an activation failure notice, you may not be typing in the code correctly and may need to use the <ALT> key (found on left side of full-keyboard devices) in order to access numbers or special characters.

6. When activation is successful, you will receive a confirmation message.

6.  What if my activation fails?

Given the nature of cellular service, activations can fail.  If your activation fails, please open the activation code email you received from ITS and use ‘reply to’ to inform us that you have a failed activation.  We will reply within one business day to provide you with a new activation code.  You will then repeat the above steps using the new code.

7.  What if I need help with completing the BES activation on my Blackberry device?

ITS offers a BES activation service by appointment.  If you are requesting a BES account for the first time or you have a replacement Blackberry that now needs BES activation, you can indicate on the form that you want to arrange an appointment to have ITS activate the Blackberry for the BES.  The ITS activation service requires customers to drop-off and then pick-up the device at a later time; an on-site or delivery service is not available.

ITS will respond to your request to use the BES activation service within two business days.  We will send you an email with the date/time you can deliver your Blackberry device to LC27 (ITS HelpDesk), the device drop-off/pick-up location.  You will then return to pick up your activated device during the next business day.  

PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to keep the appointment, please contact the ITS HelpDesk (442-3700) and reference your ticket number to re-schedule the appointment.  At this time, the HelpDesk cannot accommodate walk-in requests for BES activation.

8.  If I have problems with my Blackberry device, who do I contact?

If the problem involves a lack of phone or data service, then you will need to contact your service provider (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint) or consult the owner’s manual.  While ITS provides the Blackberry Enterprise Server and BES activation, we are unable to provide specific device support.

PLEASE NOTE:  We recommend that you consult with your Technology Coordinator before purchasing a device.  You can then ascertain if your Technology Coordinator will provide support for your hand-held device.  

9.  What if I have trouble with the login to my Blackberry?

Please ensure that you are using the correct password and typing it correctly.  The Blackberry device will lockout and erase all data from the device after seven failed attempts to login.  You will then need to go through the entire activation process again.  The original activation code you received will no longer be valid and a new code will need to be generated to activate the device against the BES.

10.   I’ve read FAQs 1-9 and I am ready to request a BES activation code for my Blackberry.

Please submit your Request for a BES Account.

Blackberry Troubleshooting FAQs