Research in Motion extends Microsoft Exchange Online to Blackberries

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 01 February 2012 06:31

Research In Motion has launched a new service that extends Microsoft Exchange Online cloud services to BlackBerry smartphones, allowing customers to manage their BlackBerry deployments in the cloud.

BlackBerry Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365 is available at no additional charge to current medium-sized or enterprise subscribers of the Office 365 suite or standalone Exchange Online and works with BlackBerry smartphones on business or consumer data plans.

RIM said: "This new cloud-based option allows customers to cost-effectively support mobility across their organisations and easily manage and secure their BlackBerry deployments."

Key features, according to RIM, include:
- wireless synchronisation with Microsoft Exchange Online email, calendar and organizer data from a BlackBerry smartphone;
- BlackBerry Balance technology, which presents a unified view of work and personal content on a BlackBerry smartphone while keeping the content separate and secure;
- An intuitive web-based console for IT administrators to provision, manage and secure BlackBerry smartphones from anywhere;
- Online access to employee self-service smartphone security functions, allowing users to easily reset a device password or remotely lock or wipe a device in the event of loss or theft.

Managed service providers, systems integrators, carriers, resellers and other partners can also use the cloud service to manage BlackBerry deployments on behalf of their customers.