On a Blackberry 8830, is there any way to explicitly select the outgoing mail format on the device itself, or is this controlled by BES and/or Exchange only? This is related to the fact that we're sending out winmail.dat attachments with all e-mails from the device, and our hosting provider claims that it may be a setting on the device itself.

(BTW, this problem hasn't only happened with the 8830; it's happened with all devices that we've used with our hosted BES.)

Thanks,
-b.

The messaging server controls the format that messages are sent out as; you need to get the hosting provider to make this change.

The reference to SP3 in your other thread of "fixing the rtf thing" was most likely that with BES 4.1 SP3 RTF attachments are supported.

So I'm correct in my assessment that their tech support is totally and utterly incompetent, I guess. Sad.

I really don't like bashing MSP's (considering I work for one too), and we certainly make our fair share of mistakes. I'd recommend to ask to speak with a manager or an engineer that can provide some feedback on this ... and if you get the same stonewalled approach, then it just isn't in their business model to adjust for your request and you'll unfortunately have to go somewhere else to get what you need.

They are stonewalling, and their support staff is often rude on e-mail and seems unwilling to answer questions. This has been going on for *half a year* -- far too long, especially when I initially thought it was a server-side problem with Exchange, and they kept coming up with other ideas, none of which works! Hopefully, I can convince them to change the RTF setting for the domain, and this should fix the problem.

-b.

Regardless, I'd say its time to look somewhere else.

How many mailboxes do you have?
Do you use public folder?
How many HHs?
How much mailbox space do you need?

No, I'm not looking to sell you anything; just a recommendation maybe.

Less than 10 for everything. As far as space, 5-10GB should be plenty thus far. We use public folders but _not_ SharePoint.

The one other feature that would be nice (but not obligatory) would be DKIM/signed mail support.

-b.

I would check out these:

http://www.exchangemymail.com/plans_...asp?plan=multi
Corporate Email Hosting
Microsoft Dedicated or Shared Exchange Server 2003 Hosting at 123Together - 123Together
ASP-One - Shared Exchange Hosting

I had a lenghty chat with EMM support last evening, as I have the same winmail.dat problem (which is preventing eOffice attachment retrieval, btw). RIM knowledgebase says that messages sent from the BB go directly through the Exchange server and therefore they're converted to RTF even if Outlook says the opposite.
The solution pointed out by RIM is to set the Exchange server to never use RTF format. Of course EMM is not willing to do that as it would affect all BB users. They gave me a solution though.
I should insert my contacts in the PAB on the server through EM control panel, and then the server admin would configure them not to be sent winmail.dat.
Cumbersome, but I'll tell you if it works.