Blackberry Enterprise Server - Peer Pressure Challenge

[m25man]

OK, here's the dilemma.

 

I have about 60 BB's that I have been managing with BES Express for about 3 years without issue.

 

Company policy and contractual obligations have meant the business had to take BB's for a 5 yr deal this has just 1 more year to run.

 

Almost everyone who has a BB also has their own iPhone or Android as well. Yes I know Stupid!

 

We have begun allowing users to connect their own devices to the Exchange Server via Active Sync on the condition we can add them to our Meraki MDM they are fine with this.

 

So where do we go from here?

 

Blackberry appear to have got themselves stuck between a rock and a hardplace,

 

To support all of the legacy BB's I need to keep a BES running, BES 5 Express is no more (no more free stuff from BB) BES 10 is £13pa per device but only supports newer handsets so you end up having to have 2 servers just to run 60 BB's all will need a client license so it seems.

 

To me it seems like a no brainer, dump all the BB's (which I hate anyway) and switch to Windows Phones with Active Sync on 2013 or allow BYOD using Meraki MDM.

 

Can anyone here give me a good reason to stick it out with Blackberry?

£780pa isn't a lot to pay for a BES 10 License for 60 devices but its the backend servers Windows Server/Cals and running costs that make it expensive.

 

Is BB really dead? There must be hundreds if not thousands of SME's using BES Express that now have to make this decision.

Is anyone running BES10? Is it really worth the effort?

 

All I know is the share price is still dropping, how low can it go? As usual all comments appreciated, should I just banish the good old BES to Room 101 and get everyone smart phones?

[twin--turbo]

I ahve about 3 or 4 active on BES now... Wish they would give up!!!

 

Do your staff with personal devs on MDM know that you can remote wipe, block, etc...

 

Can the MDM control the camera and such liek BBE does?

 

Has the use of personal devices been sanctioend by the Board/SLT?

 

Rob

[FishCustard]

If you want a managed option (i.e. you buy, provide & admin the phones) then I'd go for Windows Phone devices and connect them directly to Exchange.

 

EDIT: Haha, BES in Room 101 - yep, that's where I'd put it!

[m25man]

I ahve about 3 or 4 active on BES now... Wish they would give up!!!

 

Do your staff with personal devs on MDM know that you can remote wipe, block, etc...

 

Can the MDM control the camera and such liek BBE does?

 

Has the use of personal devices been sanctioend by the Board/SLT?

 

Rob

1. Yes, this has been made a condition.

2. Not sure, but the ability to pull a screen shot from a laptop has been interesting

3. The CEO and board were the first to enrol their iPads.