Hi folks. I'm hoping you experienced Blackberry users can give me some guidance.

I'm a consultant that has been using the Windows Mobile 5 (now 6) smartphone platform. My clients are using the Blackberry and expect me to stay in touch so I may take the plunge to an 8310 on AT&T

I have a few questions before I sign a contract.

- I keep my calendar in Outlook at my main client site on their Exchange server. This client has Blackberry support using BES available. Currently I sync (wired) my Smartphone to the Outlook server for calendar and contacts only. No e-Mail sync at all.

- I sync (wired) my Smartphone to Outlook on my home desktop using Activesync. Basically that PST file functions as a backup. Again, only calendar and contacts are sync'd.

- For my personal work domain I use IMAP. My Smartphone does this well. My inbox stays in sync instantly when I use the IMAP4 client built into my Smartphone. Deletes happen instantly. My inbox on the Smartphone, web client, and Thunderbird client on my home PC are sync'd. The Smartphone has no support for sub-folders in IMAP4, but that is not a big deal for me.

Here is what I want to do. First, I want IMAP4 for my personal e-mail to work at least as well as it does now.

Second, I want to connect to my main client's BES and wirelessly sync my e-Mail, calendar, and contacts.

Third, I want to sync the 8310 calendar and contacts ONLY to my home PC's Outlook.

Fourth, when I am done with this client I want to keep all of my calendar and contacts on the 8310 and disconnect from the client BES. It is imperative that I don't lose these. Possible?

What is the best way to do all this? I've done some searches and am now more confused than ever. I'm planning on using the Blackberry Enterprise plan from AT&T so that I get BES support.

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks!

Reading through additional FAQs I just noticed what may be a dealbreaker. The BES admin has the ability to read my messages, call log, SMS, etc?!? That is unacceptable for a contractor.

How about if I use BIS? How would that work with IMAP4? I suppose I could set a rule within the client's Outlook to forward my mail, but that does not give me calendar sync.

Grrrr....

Actually, the Exchange admin can read your email (with or without a BES). If that is the same person as the BES admin...then the BES admin can read it.

Wirelessly posted (SAMSUNG-SGH-I607/UCHA1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 6.12) UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

I should have been more clear. I'm not concerned about an admin seeing client email. My concern is that it is my understanding that my personal IMAP4 email gets routed through the BES server and thus the BES admin would be able to that email. Totally non related to the client and private.

Not too thrilled they would have access to call logs either. Or did I misunderstand?

the messages should be encrypted. of course bes admins have access to the bes and their mailboxes. but this is the case with any email box. ;)

if your data is just "routed through" the bes the complete data transfer should be encrypted and not accessible from anyone between your imap account and your email client ...

It doesn't. The BES Admin *could* configure all outbound mail from your device would need to be routed through the BES ... but that is not a setting enabled by default.

This is true, by default with 4.1 Call Logs are enabled by default.

sounds like a separate phone for just that client would be worth it for you? As a contractor you probably don't want to be at the mercy of your client to conduct business. Once you are on their BES they can do all sorts of fun stuff to your phone (wipe it, lock it, etc)

Your client's expectation that you stay in touch should be platform irrelevant. Not a good argument for a new phone.

As it stands now, your client can see your Outlook calendar. (I'm assuming you only use that calendar for that client?)