Microsoft: No iPhone reimbursements for workers
Microsoft has found a powerful incentive to get people to use Windows Mobile--at least those within its own ranks.
The software maker has stopped paying for cellular data plans for those using BlackBerries, iPhones and all manner of non-Microsoft devices.
Plenty of Microsoft workers still have an iPhone, but as of earlier this year, they can no longer be reimbursed for their data plan unless they switch to a Windows Mobile-based phone.
(Credit: Apple)Although the move took place earlier this year, it is only making headlines now, thanks to an article on Silicon Alley Insider.
It's hardly a shocking move. Lots of companies standardize on a particular mobile operating system or two and limit reimbursements to those devices.
A Microsoft representative confirmed on Monday that "the data plan reimbursement for Microsoft employees is limited to Windows Mobile devices."
"This policy took effect as part of the broader cost saving measures announced earlier this year," the representative said in an e-mail. The software maker has trimmed its product line, cut staff, and also pulled back on spending on travel, vendors and contractors.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
And dog food is a pretty good description for Windows Mobile.
Iphone does not work!!!!
At least not well with active sync... which is the reason someone would ask for the reimbursement/
So no duh, to something that doesnt work !!
BINGO!
The real question here is, why on earth Steve Ballmer allowed Microsoft to subsisize iPhones for Microsoft employees in the first place. That's the real story. If some Microsoft employees are stupid enough to want to use iPhones, let then do it on their own dime. They are overpaid enough as it is.
Like it or not, the iPhone is here to stay and it's moving into business rather quickly. Since Microsoft is more of a software company, they should be writing software for platforms that sell well. There is nothing wrong with having apps ported to other phone OS's if people are willing to buy both. But yes, this is an incentive to put up or shut up... innovate or get out of the way.
It's the data plan that they're not paying for, that's from the carrier not the handset manufacturer.
The question I have is how would they know? The billing information that I submit for my plan does not detail which handset or OS I'm using.
Microsoft has since cut that back, only supporting those that are using Microsoft products. Those people who had BlackBerries, iPhones, etc, would have a hard time suggesting they were using their non-Microsoft OS products on Microsoft OS business. So no paid cell phones/data plans for them.
If they wanted to go use a Windows Mobile device, then it's fine, but they can't expect Microsoft to pay for their personally owned BB or iPhone anymore.
Personally, I'd have no problem with MS's policy on this if I did work for them, I don't like the idea of my boss having my personal number (my off time is my _off_ time) and if I get a work specific phone at no cost I don't much care what runs on it. Use it for work, switch it off when I get home.
Nah... Microsoft's still a OS monopoly centric company and as such, thinks that if their people just use their products, they will become better technical salesman. Wrong!!!
I.B.M. found out this the hard way, when they designed the P.C. If they had had the "not invented here" paradigm that almost killed Apple and now could kill Microsoft, they would have let go one of the most profitable businesses available. Even Microsoft wouldn't have existed.
Well, guess companies don't trip on the same stone twice, but do trip on someone else's second stone.
They all get a discount on their normal cell phone plans through sponsored providers, but that's common with most corporations. Even my own company offers discounts for Sprint, AT&T and Verizon.
The story makes it sound much more significant than it actually is.
This is such a non-story.
I used to work at AT&T Wireles who was then bought out by Sprint at the time. We were told we could no longer have any cell phones on the property, personal or otherwise, unless they were Sprint phones. That's fine- that's the company's right to enforce if they so desire.
The only exception was our group- the technicians who had to have Verizon phones because... Sprint didn't have coverage at the company's HQ where we were stationed. Ironic! We did have to keep the phones in black cases with no brand names visible, but still, it was a silly and funny thing.
"Sounds like Microsoft is being silly here too. They don't wan their own people to see how much easier to use the iPhone OS and RIM's UI is to use than their own. LOL! "
Or it could be that the very limited Exchange support that is on the iPhone doesn't meet the same minimum features that Exchange offers on Windows Mobile devices. Or that since all applications run as root on the iPhone that the security risks of allowing such a device on the internal corporate network becomes a huge data liability Or it could be any number of things like- not wanting to have to add more support for a product they don't sell? Remember that those employees have to call their own help desk and that help desk isn't Apple.
It's funny how you are so focused on pointing out the flaws of Apple products that you overlooked the fact that Blackberry doesn't have a problem with Exchange servers. What about RIM? What about BlackBerry?
employees would be using Windows CE based phones..
on another note, Microsoft licenses the Exchange technology imbedded in the iPhone, and makes money on each sale (I'm sure it's VERY small, but they still make something).
hehe. thats funny
Ooops... you don't know COBOL...but guess what... it puts C# and VB.NET to shame...
They can buy whatever they want...so far as they use their own money, and don't mooch off shareholders money to buy it.
If you work at Microsfot and use a Windows mobile phone, they will pay for the data plan- assuming you have a job justification- not every Microsoft employee qualifies. You have to be actively involved in the product.
If you work at Microsoft and want to use a non-MSFT product cell phone, then you're on your own for both phone and data plan costs.
"Is that the area that you work in Dan? You're a Microsoft employee, isn't that right? "
I don't work in Windows Mobile; I don't work for Microsoft; and I don't have an iPhone, but I hope to buy one in the coming months.
My job depends on Microsoft products failing to make money. When Windows breaks, I am there to fix it. When OS X breaks, I'm there too. When Linux products break, that's my forte as well. Whenever something goes wrong, they call their 911 tech service.
if you work for RIM for example they give you a blackberry (model depends on which department ) and pay for your dataplan but no voice but you have to return it when you leave the company
my brother works for RIM he owns a blackberry and have a company one
In a way, it's rather similar to healtcare coverage; if you don't want what the company provides, you are free to get your own, but at your expense of course.
I'm not exactly a 'fan' of Microsoft, but from a business perspective, I can see the logic in such a policy. Whether you happen to have a low opinion of Windows Mobile or not is irrelvant.
Next thing we'll hear is that McDonald's has stopped giving employees discounts/free meals food from Taco Bell. Oh wait, they never did that in the first place...
That's the biggest waste of money I ever heard of. Is this how Microsoft looks after shareholders money, buy wasting money on subsidising competitive, inferior Apple products for their over pampered employees?
Microsoft had been paying for the data plan on employee purchased and owned iPhones, but that has changed now. Now nobody gets their data plan paid for unless you are directly associated with the Windows mobile product itself.
No real surprise.
@ LaTene_Man: " Mico$oft has outlawed all reimbursement on all competitor's phones."
GOOD!
Microsoft should NOT be paying to subsidize competitors products for their employees, same as GM, Ford, Toyota, Honda etc , never subsidize their execs to use cars from their competitors
@ LaTene_Man:" So if you have a Blackberry, you're screwed."
If you work for Micrsoft, and Microsoft is using company money to pay for your Blackberry, you SHOULD be screwed. That shold never have been allowed to happen in the first place.
How the heck can Microsoft hope to effectively sell Windows Mobile to phone makers and phone companies, when they are busy subsidizing rivals phones for their own employees? It's ridiculous.
It's not the phones they are paying for, reread the article. They are only reimbursing employees for their data plans if they have a Windows Mobile device. It's not explained how the phones operating system makes any difference at all. Data is data as far as the cell provider and the network are concerned. You moved 1 megabyte on the network on a Windows Mobile device, I move 1 megabyte on a RIM device. Same difference, same cost. Microsoft is just strong-arming their employees into choosing choices with their name brand. They're using vinegar instead of honey to do it.
u r not gonna browse while drivin
You can like competition and your competition but that doesn't mean you have to subsidize it/them. I'm sure Toyota isn't applying employee discounts to Hondas.
Try telling that to Ford, Toyota , GM, Honda etc, none of whom EVER allow their comnpany to subsidize cars from their rivals for their executives to use.
Employees can use what they like..just don't expect the company to use shareholders money to pay to subsidize a competitor's product, which is WORSE with corporate networks than Microsoft's own Windows Mobile phones.
If you wanna use iPhone, go use your own money. Period!
Now why don't you come up with a sensible retort to the car analogy instead, before you even begin demanding another analogy? [CNET editors' note: Personal attack deleted.]
So far, I am yet to hear anything from you guys that effectively counters that argument.
When you have come up with an effective reply to the car analogy, I have plenty of other analogies to bring up if you want.
If Microsoft's management were a bit more clever, they'd want their staff to use iPhones and Blackberries, particularly those involved in Windows Mobile. Knowing your enemy is the only way to beat him.
I know there are people at T-Mobile's headquarters who use jail-broke iPhones on their own GSM system. They're looking for what they can learn from a competitor and for ways to better support all those who're avoiding AT&T's pricey data plan by going with them. And that support makes it more likely I'll stay with them when I find a 1st-generation iPhone that fits my tight writer's budget.
Pleasing customers by not getting hung up on the corporate image is another good business practice. Banning iPhones and Blackberries sends the message that, "Even our own employees prefer them."
The only Microsoft employees who should be subsidized to use iPhones are the few Microsoft employees who are actively engaged in designing the next versions of Windows Mobile OS's etc. From the article above, it appears Microsoft employees willy nilly, and randomly expect the company to subsidize their precious iPhones, irrespective of whether they are involved with the Win Mo business or not. That is simply not acceptable.
My point is, I'm sure Microsoft knows all it needs to know about their competition by now without having to pay over and over again. If you really believe that subsidising employees' phone plans with competitors is "clever", I doubt you'd find a board (not to mention a group of savvy shareholders) who'd agree with that management philospohy.
- by kelmon June 15, 2009 12:35 PM PDT
- Silly question but why is this an iPhone article rather than a Blackberry article? RIM has twice the market share that Apple does so surely this decision impacts them more than Apple, unless Microsoft employees have been selecting iPhones rather than Blackberrys (sounds odd but I expect stranger things have happened).
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- by LaTene_Man June 15, 2009 2:46 PM PDT
- It's not, but the Microserfs here have made it one. The article says that Microsoft won't reimburse you for your data plan if you aren't using a device with Microsoft mobile on it. That includes iPhone and Blackberry and anything else that isn't using Microsoft mobile. The trolls like to make everything about Apple. I swear, they write more about Apple, griping about them....It's free advertising for Apple I guess.
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- by Kyanar June 17, 2009 9:35 PM PDT
- Modern Blackberries run Windows Mobile anyway, so... well, you fill in the rest.
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (79 Comments)Personally, I'm guessing this is a cynical headline to drum-up page hits (not that CNet is the only site guilty of this, of course) but that's just me.