Information About Mobile Devices

Table of Contents

Cell Phone Acquisition

UC Merced employees can order mobile devices, service plans, and accessories via the portal (my.ucmerced.edu). Information on the available mobile devices and how to order them is located in the Individual IT Acquisitions Channel under the Tech tab (you can jump there directly via software.ucmerced.edu). The campus has a corporate agreement with AT&T; the portal displays devices available from AT&T that we have verified interoperate well with the campus technical environment and meet user needs.

Please note that the acquisition of any mobile device, accessory, and/or service plan is subject to supervisor approval, and is coordinated via your unit's MSO. Also, in accordance with an agreement reached between the University and the IRS, the acquisition and/or use of mobile devices will, in most cases, affect your income as received and reported to the IRS. Please consult with your MSO as to the exact details. Also, please note that costs related to the ongoing use of mobile devices not purchased by the University are not eligible for reimbursement.

Campus Cell Phone Coverage

Construction of an up-to-date AT&T cell tower on campus is underway and should be completed in November 2008, replacing the temporary tower adjacent to Little Lake. Given the concrete and steel construction of many of our buildings, there will undoubtedly still be "dead" spots on campus. When the permanent facility is in place, we will be able to work with AT&T to deploy pico-cell or similar technology where needed to ensure complete coverage on campus.

As of summer 2008, AT&T is providing 3G coverage in the Merced area, including campus. Signal strength from other carriers is variable at the campus locations. Several carriers have expressed interest in creating a cell presence on campus; but it will likely be several years before any project comes to fruition.

Calendar and Email Synchronization

Most of our PDA/SmartPhone users are configured to link directly to the campus email server, and directly access their email without using Microsoft's ActiveSync or similar applications. This employs tried and true technology, and is recommended by IT. Click here to see Configuring Your Mobile Device for Email for device-specific instructions (Samsung Blackjack, HTC Fuze, etc).

Similarly, many PDAs also support direct access to the campus calendar server. However, third party applications must be purchased to provide this functionality. Currently, IT supports the Synthesis AG SyncML client for devices based on Microsoft's Windows Mobile (including HTC, LG, Samsung and others) and Synthesis AG's ToDo+Cal application for the Apple iPhone. The SyncML client may be purchased similarly to other software via the Software Acquisition channel in the portal (software.ucmerced.edu), but the iPhone application can only be purchased using personal credit cards from the iTunes Store at this time.

See below for configuration information.

SyncML Support for Windows Mobile 6.0 (or later)

SyncML is a tool for data synchronization available for mobile devices including PalmOS, Windows Mobile, PocketPC, MS-Smartphone and iPhone (although IT supports only Windows Mobile and the iPhone). SyncML allows mobile device users to synchronize their device with Oracle Calendar.

ToDo+Cal Support for Apple iPhones

Connecting to WiFi at UC Merced

Although many PDAs allow connecting to WiFi wireless networks, most of them do not currently support the enterprise level security protocols used to authenticate to UC Merced's wireless network. Some devices may allow connecting to the UC Merced wireless network as a guest, using the browser to provide credentials. Click here to see Configuring Your Mobile Device for WiFi for device-specific instructions.

Activating your iPhone

You got your iPhone, but now what? Click here to find out how to activate and configure your iPhone. This guide will also explain how to configure your phone's sync options using Microsoft Outlook.


Looking for help?

We offer a number of tutorials and FAQs available in the Guides & FAQs section.

If you have any questions, problems, or comments, please contact the IT Help Desk via email at helpdesk@ucmerced.edu, via phone at 209.228.HELP (4357), or visit them in the Classroom and Office Building room 132A.