BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 is the ideal method of deploying, managing and securing BlackBerry 10 smartphones. It delivers rich enterprise mobility management features, BlackBerry Balance, BlackBerry World for Work, and other capabilities that businesses need to realize their full mobility potential. But, we recognize that some customers or groups of users may have their mobility management and connectivity needs met by using a basic ActiveSync connection on a supported mail server without the use of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. We are pleased to be able to support this connectivity model with BlackBerry 10 smartphones.

We’ve talked quite a bit about ActiveSync in the past here on the Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog, so make sure that you’ve also taken a look at our past blog posts:

• How to Connect Your BlackBerry PlayBook to Enterprise Email with ActiveSync
• Hey BlackBerry, what about BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express?
• Does BlackBerry Compromise on Security by Using ActiveSync? The answer is No, and here’s why…

Using ActiveSync to Connect and Manage BlackBerry 10 Smartphones

It’s quite likely that you’re using a Microsoft Exchange server, an IBM Lotus Domino server, or a Novell GroupWise mail server. BlackBerry 10 smartphones (and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets) can connect to any of these mail servers as long as ActiveSync is enabled. If you’re using Microsoft Office 365, we’ve got a great Knowledge Base article (KB33522) that walks you through the process. You’ll need to make sure that your mail server is enabled for ActiveSync, grab your BlackBerry 10 smartphone, and add a new account.

To review what versions of ActiveSync are support on BlackBerry 10 smartphones and the specific policies supported, see our BlackBerry Knowledge Base article. You can also learn more about BlackBerry 10 and ActiveSync support for IBM Domino and Traveler environments. Lastly, we’ve got all of the details on BlackBerry 10 ActiveSync support for Novell GroupWise environments.

Adding an ActiveSync Enabled Account on Your BlackBerry 10 Smartphone

Adding an ActiveSync enabled email account to your BlackBerry 10 smartphone is simple and straightforward.

1. While viewing the home screen, swipe down from the top of the screen
2. Select Settings > Accounts
   • If this is your first account, select the Advanced icon that appears along the bottom toolbar.
   • If you have other accounts already, select Add Account followed by selecting Advanced
3. Select Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync from the Advanced Setup options (for all ActiveSync based accounts regardless of mail platform)
4. Enter in the required information, which includes:
   • Username
   • Email Address
   • Password
   • Server Address
   • Port (443 by default)

Note: optional fields include Description, Domain, toggles for SSL, VPN, and Push, as well as the Sync Timeframe.

1. Tap Next to finish configuring the account, and then tap Done.

That’s it! You should now have a BlackBerry 10 smartphone configured with work email via Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. To remove an account, check out the instructions at the bottom of our Inside BlackBerry Help Blog post on email, contacts, calendar, and social networking accounts.

Many businesses and IT departments are looking forward to deploying Microsoft® Exchange 2013. Flexible options, hybrid deployments, cloud offerings, and efficiencies are all compelling features that encourage the shift. But, it’s important to take stock of your infrastructure and make plans for a smooth upgrade.

We remain dedicated to the support of our enterprise customers as they move to Microsoft Exchange 2013 and we’re working closely with Microsoft to ensure that we are aligned to certify BlackBerry Enterprise Server v5.0 Service Pack 4 for compatibility with Exchange 2013. RIM will continue to update our compatibility matrix with the latest compatibility certifications. We also intend to announce support for Exchange 2013 in 2 phases, the first for native Exchange 2013 environments and the second for mixed-mode Exchange environments aligned with Microsoft support plans.

For Exchange 2013 customers, BlackBerry 7 OS and prior devices will be supported via BES v5.0 Service Pack 4 and continue to utilize the MAPI interfaces exposed by Microsoft (Exchange 2013 customers will need to install Microsoft’s updated MAPI/CDO Download for Exchange 2013 for compatibility upon release by Microsoft).

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, will also be compatible with Microsoft Exchange 2013, as they utilize Microsoft ActiveSync protocols. We’re all about helping tackle future challenges and opportunities when it comes to enterprise mobility management, and Microsoft Exchange 2013 support is just one of those opportunities that we know many of you are looking to take advantage of.

Have questions about Microsoft Exchange 2013 support? Share in the comments below.