ARCHIVED: At IU, how do I activate a new or replacement BlackBerry on the BES?

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Note: The BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) service will be retired by January 1, 2015; see ARCHIVED: About the retired BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server). As of January 1, 2013, no new BES accounts are being created. UITS recommends you replace your BlackBerry with a device that is compatible with ActiveSync.

Before following either procedure below, be sure to read the instructions that came with your BlackBerry; for a new device, you may need to follow some registration steps with your provider (e.g., AT&T, Verizon) before proceeding.

Note: These instructions assume you have requested an account on the Indiana University BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES).

Wireless activation from the BlackBerry device

You can activate your BlackBerry wirelessly from the device itself. This is called Wireless Enterprise Activation, and is the simplest way to set up your device.

If you successfully requested a BES account as noted above, a message containing a randomly generated five-character password was sent to your IU Exchange mailbox.

Note: If you already have a BES account and are replacing your device or otherwise don't have the password to use, call your campus Support Center and request that one be sent to you. Also, you will need to wipe your previous device, which deactivates it, before activating your new one. Follow the instructions in ARCHIVED: How do I clear all personal data from my BlackBerry? Then:

Power on your BlackBerry and navigate to Enterprise Activation. Depending on which device you have, this may be in the main menu, or under Options, or in Options and then Advanced Options.
Enter your email address and the password in the appropriate fields of the welcome message. (Passwords are case sensitive.) If your BlackBerry asks for other pieces of information (e.g., Activation Server address, PIN), you can leave those blank.
After entering this password, click the trackwheel and select Activate. Click the trackwheel again to start the Enterprise Activation process, which will take several minutes. Do not turn the device off or use it until you see a message confirming a successful activation.

If activation fails and you need to try again, you can request a new Enterprise Activation password and/or further help by contacting the Support Center.

Alternatively, you can try the procedure below.

Activation using BlackBerry Desktop software

Note: The following instructions assume that you have the desktop software installed and properly configured.

Cradle the device you wish to activate on the BES while the BlackBerry Desktop software is running.

When you cradle the BlackBerry, it will prompt you that the mailbox has been configured with PIN <XXX> and that this device is PIN <ZZZ> (with the letters replaced by the appropriate numbers). You will be prompted to accept the change. Once you do so, the new PIN will be passed to the BES server and messages will start being delivered to the new device. If you had an old BlackBerry, it will no longer have BES or MDS service.