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Just opened my SPRINT invoice and to my surprise a seperate notice was attached:
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING BUSINESS CONNECTION PERSONAL EDITION"
Effective September 1, 2008 Business Connection Personal Edition will be retired....blah, blah, blah....We apologize...blah, blah, blah....Thank you for your business.
Whoa! I have been subscribing for 5 years and get one months notice! It looks like SPRINT is also not providing a equal alternative.:confused:
Thoughts & Opinions?
I just got the email too. Damn! This was one of the bright spots of using PalmOS + Sprint -- I could get my Lotus Notes e-mail without going to a Blackberry.
Errr...anyone else get this email?
========================
Subject: From Sprint: Important Notice Regarding Business Connection Personal Edition Service
Date: Wed 8/6/08 3:36 PM
From: "BCEE Decommission" <BCEEDecommission@sprint.com>
To: "LaPHtA's real name" <LaPHtA's real email addy>
Cc:
Effective September 1, 2008, Business Connection Personal Edition will be retired.
If you are still using this wireless email service and would like a replacement option, please visit [url]www.sprint.com/mobileemail[/url] for information on Sprint Mobile Email. Or you can visit [url]www.sprint.com/business[/url] to learn about mobile email solutions with BlackBerry Email and Windows Mobile.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or additional information, please dial *2 on your Sprint phone. Thank you for your business.
========================
Yup, got that today. Guess I need to be searching for another email solution now.
Sprint cannot just end of life a product with 24 days notice.
We need to demand an explanation.
Paul
Sprint cannot just end of life a product with 24 days notice.
We need to demand an explanation.
Paul
re:
Effective September 1, 2008, Business Connection Personal Edition will be retired.
If you are still using this wireless email service and would like a replacement option, please visit [url]www.sprint.com/mobileemail[/url] for information on Sprint Mobile Email. Or you can visit [url]www.sprint.com/business[/url] to learn about mobile email solutions with BlackBerry Email and Windows Mobile.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or additional information, please dial *2 on your Sprint phone. Thank you for your business.
Yep.. Got this email today. I put a message in the Seven beta forums. Looks like I might have to get rid of my Centro and get a Blackberry.
Wasn't that announced a couple of months ago? This isn't the first time I read it and its been a long time since I've heard about it.
yep.. Although Seven said that it wasn't entirely true. They said there was a newer client that used OWA.
Anyway..There is a link on the email for Sprint Mobile Email Work (which sounds exactly the same as BC), but there is not a version for the Centro. Only Instinct and a few other regular phones.
I downloaded Sprint Mobile Email, but it only has access to Imap and POP accounts.
The lame part for me is that this means I'll be leaving the Centro and pretty much anything Palm based since we have YET to up udate our Exchange for office email. Ugh!
I've been Palmin' it since my first Visor and every version of Palm based Treos and love all my applications...being able to use my communicator for both personal and business use has been fantastic for me throughout the years.
Alas...the end of an era may be upon me. :(
Yep.. I've been using BC email since 2002-2003. Our company doesn't have our email that I can get to any other way that Seven/BC. So I'll have to ditch the palm platform. Ditch Sprint and go to our corporate platform and use a Blackberry.
Way to go Sprint!!! Get rid of more customers!!
Dont waste time going to the links below as there is no suitable substitute for Outlook desktop push email with sync to documents and contacts.
Anybody got a solution? Anybody?
Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
__________________________________________
Email From Sprint:
Effective September 1, 2008, Business Connection Personal Edition will be retired.
If you are still using this wireless email service and would like a replacement option, please visit [url]www.sprint.com/mobileemail[/url] for information on Sprint Mobile Email. Or you can visit [url]www.sprint.com/business[/url] to learn about mobile email solutions with BlackBerry Email and Windows Mobile.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For questions or additional information, please dial *2 on your Sprint phone. Thank you for your business.
[QUOTE=pauleknight;1478643]Sprint cannot just end of life a product with 24 days notice. We need to demand an explanation.
Paul
[/quote]
unfortunately, they can, and they wont .. its been going around awhile now they were going to discontinue the business connection and go to sprint mobile email
good luck with that! pixielee ~
<merged and moved>
@pauleknight, one post would suffice. :D
[QUOTE=mogulman;1478696]yep.. Although Seven said that it wasn't entirely true. They said there was a newer client that used OWA.
[/QUOTE]
Could you not use the Palm 6.x version from Seven? So far, all the OWA works for all my accounts.
[QUOTE=ronbo2000;1478841]<merged and moved>
@pauleknight, one post would suffice. :D
Could you not use the Palm 6.x version from Seven? So far, all the OWA works for all my accounts.[/QUOTE]
I would be very interested in a Palm OWA Seven client - where might one get that?
I have been using the mashed up bizconn/Sprint Email software on my 755p and using bizconn since my Treo 600/650 days, I will be sad to see it go. I understand that Sprint needs to make $$, I just wish they decided to support older/palm based phones as well. That decision does not make any sense to me.
This is the only thing that has tied me to Sprint. Plus, they charge me $15 a month for it. Sprint is bleeding money and they discharge revenue streams? Reminds me of 1999.
Ditto here -- Sprint PCS BCPE user on Treo 300, 600, 650, 700p, and now Centro. Lotus Notes gets no love from PalmOS!
A busines owner that was actually looking to replace BCE since if my computer hangs up due to any windows gotcha than no email so very frustrating when traveling. We do have Active Sync on our Exchange server so I guess need to get with our hosted IT guy to see how I get Versamail working so emails are sent directly to my Palm 650 and cc to desktop.
BCE was a really good product and had good uptime. Anyone have success with Versalmail?
[QUOTE=ronbo2000;1478841]<merged and moved>
@pauleknight, one post would suffice. :D
Could you not use the Palm 6.x version from Seven? So far, all the OWA works for all my accounts.[/QUOTE]
You are talking about the beta version right? Yeah.. I have that temporarily using the desktop redirector, but it doesn't work with OWA for my company.
There is a bug in the 6.7 version for Forms based OWA login. I've had it logged for about a year with Seven. No resolution. So it doesn't work with my companies OWA.
Seven still says they are planning a Sprint Mobile Email Work edition for the Palm devices. I'll let you know if I hear anything about when.
yes, I am currently attempting to get the 6.7 prc to see if I can use it OWA or via the desktop redirector, which is of course what I use currently with BCEE.
Is the Seven beta closed or can I still get into it? Are they using Seven's own servers, avoiding the shutdown of Sprint's servers?
you can go to [url]http://community.seven.com[/url] and get a login/password to the forums. Then go to the Palm forum. There is a thread where you can request beta access. Not sure if they are still allowing users.
okay...
what's the difference between SME and bizcon?
Sprint Mobile Email connects to Yahoo, gmail, POP, IMAP etc..
Bizcon connects to Exchange and Lotus email.
Sprint Mobile Email Work seems to be the same thing as Bizconn but doesn't seem to be available except for a few phones (non-palm) right now.
Seven makes all of these products for Sprint.
Two days and three calls later, I've pulled the trigger on a Treo 800w.
Sprint is giving me the web price with no need to mail-in, for my existing line affected. So, $249 for the 800w. Teh company I work for will get that bill too. I had the option of a BB Curve for $149, but I'm too much a Treo fan for that.
However, I did have to extend my contract...no worries, I've been with Sprint for many MANY moons anyway.
The final CSR I spoke with was told that they are aware BC is going away, but they will have no real game plan in place until a few days before Sept. 1.
This means, it's possible a person may stand a chance to completely walk away from a contract given the particular circumstances. OR...use it to leverage a better deal. I might have been able to push that point today for myself, but I have x4 lines and enjoy the bandwidth on Sprint much too much to bail completely. Plus, after a year with the Centro I think it was time I return to a more funtional form factor for my hands.
So...that's just a heads-up for those of us Palm freaks having to either jump ship or select a new device on Sprint because of Business Connect going away.
Here is a word-for-word Nonresponse from Sprint!
Thank you for contacting Sprint. I apologize for the inconvenience you
have experienced due to shutdown of Business Connection Personal
Edition.
[COLOR="Red"]I am sorry that we cannot do anything about this decision. However, we
do provide other email options like Windows Mobile or BlackBerry.[/COLOR]
Further, if your current handsets are not compatible with these
services, then you can upgrade your phones. All lines except line #8635
are eligible rebate. [COLOR="Red"]You can purchase new handsets at online price with
a new two-year agreement on each line.[/COLOR]
Please visit Sprint Store and our representative will demonstrate you
the new handsets.
Thank you again for contacting Sprint. We appreciate your business.
Sincerely,
Valentin V.
Sprint
Yeah I had to bite on that because I can't risk an outage of my business email. They did also honor the additional $100 mail-in...so got an 800w for $249 flat with the contract renewal and no trade in needed. Guess I'll be posting my less than a year old Centro on eBay soon.
I had 3 calls with CSR's and the third finally told me they have no gameplan in place yet. And likely won't until a few days before the 1st.
so.. how does the 800w help you with email?
It's just a different phone on a different platform. Or is there some app that works with email better then a Centro?
My company uses Exchange 2003. We have Outlook Web Access, but they don't have Exchange activesync turned on.
I'm told we have success using Blackberry Connect on a few Win devices around here.
Worse case scenario, I'll see if the SEVEN solution for Win products can slingshot my stuff from Exchange like BC used to.
I'll know more tomorrow when I receive the 800w.
I'm still miffed about leaving a Palm product. Going to have to replace all my applications with comperable stuff...not fun.
Guess I'll hold out until the 1st ... which is Labor Day anyway, so I guess I won't concern myself until the 2nd! :-)
[QUOTE=krock;1479058]yes, I am currently attempting to get the 6.7 prc to see if I can use it OWA or via the desktop redirector, which is of course what I use currently with BCEE.[/QUOTE]
I would be highly interested in this.
Has anyone found an alternative to Sprint Business Connection?
I've looked at the links provided by Sprint and they don't replace the function of BC - not using anything that I can control within my company's technology landscape.
Years ago I heard there was going to be a Blackberry client app for the Treo. does it exist and can I install and enable it w/o involving my corp IT team (we are already a Blackberry shop, I just don't want one)?
BlackBerry Connect was only for the Cingular/AT&T Treo 650 and Treo 680. No one's ever been able to get it to work on any other PalmOS Treo.
I'm miffed like many of you. BC Personal Edition is the single application that kept me tied to Sprint. Sounds like most of you are using an Exchange server, but I just have Outlook running on my PC which keeps my email, calendar, contacts and even documents synced and available to me from my Treo.
What is the Seven OWA 6.7 Beta that I've heard mentioned several times in this thread? Is this only for Exchange or will it work with Outlook like BC Personal did?
Does anyone know of an alternative with Sprint or any other carrier?
My requirements are a touchscreen, physical keyboard and ability to live sync my cellphone to my desktop PC (without Exchange). If there are any third party apps that I can use with my 755p I'm open to giving them a try.
[B]Thanks in advance for any help!!! [/B]I'm feeling rather screwed by Sprint at the moment and with only a couple of weeks before the kill date I don't have a ton of free time to figure out a backup plan. :mad:
Where does your Outlook client get the email from. It has to talk to a server somewhere (IMAP/POP,....)?
[QUOTE=uscpsycho;1483992]I'm miffed like many of you. BC Personal Edition is the single application that kept me tied to Sprint. Sounds like most of you are using an Exchange server, but I just have Outlook running on my PC which keeps my email, calendar, contacts and even documents synced and available to me from my Treo.
What is the Seven OWA 6.7 Beta that I've heard mentioned several times in this thread? Is this only for Exchange or will it work with Outlook like BC Personal did?
Does anyone know of an alternative with Sprint or any other carrier?
My requirements are a touchscreen, physical keyboard and ability to live sync my cellphone to my desktop PC (without Exchange). If there are any third party apps that I can use with my 755p I'm open to giving them a try.
[B]Thanks in advance for any help!!! [/B]I'm feeling rather screwed by Sprint at the moment and with only a couple of weeks before the kill date I don't have a ton of free time to figure out a backup plan. :mad:[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=mark3397;1483994]Where does your Outlook client get the email from. It has to talk to a server somewhere (IMAP/POP,....)?[/QUOTE]
Outlook gets my email from a POP server.
But I use a client-side email filtering program that knocks out spam and sorts my email into different folders (I use POPFile which I very highly recommend).
BC is great for me because it only syncs with my Outlook Inbox after all the filtering has taken place. I definitely don't want anything that would sync my Treo directly with my email server because I get WAY too much junk mail. Plus that doesn't keep my calendar, contacts or documents synced.
BC was near-perfect for me.
[QUOTE=uscpsycho;1484002]Outlook gets my email from a POP server.
But I use a client-side email filtering program that knocks out spam and sorts my email into different folders (I use POPFile which I very highly recommend).
BC is great for me because it only syncs with my Outlook Inbox after all the filtering has taken place. I definitely don't want anything that would sync my Treo directly with my email server because I get WAY too much junk mail. Plus that doesn't keep my calendar, contacts or documents synced.
BC was near-perfect for me.[/QUOTE]
What about hosted Exchange? I think they run $5/mo and provide spam filtering for you. I gave up on client-side filtering years ago when I realized the pros do it way better. I'm on Lotus Notes which means my only alternative may be a BlackBerry.
[QUOTE=edoan;1484765]What about hosted Exchange? I think they run $5/mo and provide spam filtering for you. I gave up on client-side filtering years ago when I realized the pros do it way better. I'm on Lotus Notes which means my only alternative may be a BlackBerry.[/QUOTE]
Hosted Exchange and then what? Now I'm out another $60/year and still don't have a comparable way (to BC) of syncing my Treo.
What about going with Windows Mobile? Is there something comparable to BC on the Windows Mobile platform that will keep my phone synced in real time with my desktop Outlook? I hate to go the Windows route but there may be no other option. And as much as I hate giving more business to Microsoft, my parting ways with Palm/Handspring/PalmOne is long overdue. I've been loyal to them for many years (largely in part due to my reliance on BC) but they've fallen so far behind that they hardly deserve my continued loyalty. The way RIM has evolved their platform puts Palm to shame with their minimal incremental "upgrades."
I too almost gave up on client-side filtering until I discovered POPFile. It's unreal. And it's so much more powerful than just spam filtering. I have it filter personal email, work email, spam, etc. and it does it with close to 100% accuracy. It's open source and can be a bit of a pain to set up because the documentation is still pitiful after many years. But it's incredibly accurate. (If I've motivated anyone to try it I also recommend a free Outlook plugin called Pocketknife Peek which is a great complement to POPFile.)
I moved to a Treo800w but have found that our Exchange is 5.5 (OUCH!) so I may not even get to use SEVEN. Though...you may. SEVEN created BC, and their product and support is wicked nice...you should look into it.
As an added kick in the melon, I installed the Blackberry Connect .cab from an HTC Diamond (easy enough) and called Sprint to setup a BBC account. Apparently every csr at Sprint feels Blackberry ANYTHING can only work on a Blackberry device. Even ignoring the HTC products that have BBC installed. UGH!
/me just can't win! :)
[QUOTE=laphta;1485048]I moved to a Treo800w but have found that our Exchange is 5.5 (OUCH!) so I may not even get to use SEVEN. Though...you may. SEVEN created BC, and their product and support is wicked nice...you should look into it.
As an added kick in the melon, I installed the Blackberry Connect .cab from an HTC Diamond (easy enough) and called Sprint to setup a BBC account. Apparently every csr at Sprint feels Blackberry ANYTHING can only work on a Blackberry device. Even ignoring the HTC products that have BBC installed. UGH!
/me just can't win! :)[/QUOTE]
Will Seven sync with a desktop installation of Outlook (no Exchange)?
Man BC was so awesome, it created a little mini Exchange server for me and, even better, allowed me to access documents on my computer too.
Does BBC also require Exchange or can it work with an individual Outlook install like BC did?