LGfL 2.0 - Access to External Email Systems i.e. Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo etc.

[Searle]

Since we have moved over to LGfL 2.0 services (Synetrix to Atomwide) we no longer have access to external email systems including: Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo from our mobile devices e.g. iPod Touches, iPads, iPhones etc. Hotmail is the only system which works, no doubt due to its similarity to the LGfL LondonMail.

The policy to remove this access was decided by LGfL without any prior consultation with staff working in schools. It was possibly decided prior to the proliferation of mobile technology in the classroom.

I intend to have this policy reviewed and hopefully reversed. If this policy affects your school or you anticipate that it will do so in the future then please email your contact at LGfL.

If you simply agree that this should be re-enabled then please cast your vote in the poll.

Thanks

Julian Griffiths-Searle
ICT Systems Manager
Battersea Park School

[andyl]

I voted neutral.

My view is that due to data protection, staff should only ever use their work email for work purposes.

Whether or not they can access personal email at work (for personal reasons) should be decided by individual schools, and backed up with a policy to cover misuse. However if somebody higher wants to make the decision not to allow it then so be it (as long as it can be specifically over ridden by the head).

However, the really annoying thing is that they have allowed Hotmail, but not others. Mixed messages I feel.

I dont see full restriction to work email only as a major problem, for work purposes, but yes it is annoying from a personal point of view.

I think LGFL's problem is that they are trying to keep things secure (from a DPA PoV) in an environment where few policies exist and any that do are frequently ignored.

[Nodrog]

I think LGFL's problem is that they are trying to keep things secure (from a DPA PoV) in an environment where few policies exist and any that do are frequently ignored.

Spot on with that .....

I had the same thing with Google Mail in an Apple based school - the trick here was to specify the ranges to talk to and I believe LGfL now have a range of address and ports that they open up to support Gmail via an ipad and all the other stuff. If you ask for your school to be allowed access to the Google range of ip address then I think you will find that will work. With regard to the rest your going to need to be specific about what you want your network to actually talk to and then I think you will get that to work as well.

[Searle]

I am please to confirm that the desired outcome has been achieved. The policy has been reviewed and reversed (20/06/2012). The staff at our shool can now both send and receive emails using the 4 main email services of: Gmail, Hotmail, iCloud and Yahoo from our supported Apple mobile devices.

Thanks to all those who contributed to the poll. I understand that Atomwide did not base their decision on the poll but there were aware of it. It is good to know that they are at least listening.