BlackBerry mobile email options for small businesses

In response to my post about running your own email server, a reader mentioned the BlackBerry mobile email service. According to his computer consultant, running Exchange (Microsoft's messaging and collaboration software) as an in-house email server is necessary for the BlackBerry. Coincidentally, this subject came up with three other clients over the past year so there's obviously another common misunderstanding here—they were going to install a company server for the same reason.

The consultant was partly correct, but it really depends on your needs. BlackBerry has two types of solutions:

• BlackBerry Enterprise Solution, which is aimed at larger corporations
• BlackBerry Internet Service for personal users and small to medium-sized businesses

The BlackBerry Enterprise Solution is designed to extend a company's in-house email system. Choosing this solution does indeed require Microsoft Exchange. (There is also a version for Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise, two other commercial messaging systems.) Keep in mind that you'll also need to buy and install the Blackberry Enterprise Server. As you can imagine, this route can get complicated and expensive.

Smaller businesses should consider the BlackBerry Internet Service, where your mobile operator takes care of the complicated software. (To use the terminology in my main article, they will host your BlackBerry service.) Here, you simply use a BlackBerry handset together with a regular email account (say from your internet service provider or Gmail). All you need do is configure the settings using the mobile operator's web-based control panel. Emails will then be forwarded to your BlckBerry handset.

After learning of the options, all three clients chose the Internet Service. So far they're happy with it.