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Enterprise E-Mail Security Dogs Droid

Following my post on the impact Android is having on usage of mobile web sites, I was contacted by Denis Stypulkoski, executive vice president and chief information officer at Tygris Commercial Finance, who noted the critical need for Google and Verizon to quickly add support for ActiveSync Provisioning Protocol – which is a prerequisite for e-mail security in Exchange shops -- in the Android OS.

Stypulkoski succinctly captured the sentiment of the 450+ comments on Google’s Android support forums on this particular issue:

"We have been evaluating the DROID since its release. Highly favorable marks, but with this one BIG issue for enterprise email security… Without this fix being delivered, DROID cannot be the next big thing for business. But, once it is, I agree that it will be. I, for one, have banned Android phones from our network until ASPP is supported."

I agree with comment 202 in this long list that recommends also reporting the issue to Verizon Wireless (here) to step up the pressure.

The bad news for Verizon Wireless and Google is the number of commenters who say they have no choice but to return their phones unless a fix comes quickly, and who say Droid can never have a place in the enterprise without this feature.

The first report came about on Nov. 2 and, by my count, Google employees have entered two blank posts in the discussion since that time. Google classifies the issue as a "medium" priority "enhancement" request. Clearly, Google and or Verizon will address this, but some communication at this point is vital.

Quoting Stypulkoski again, this time from the support forums:

"Dear Google,

Can you kindly provide an update on the status of this issue?
Do you hear us? Have you worked this into your development plans?
If so, what is the ETA?

Open source collaboration should not = one-way black hole communication...

Thanks."

Google, are you listening?

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