SOHO Section FAQs

What is Microsoft Exchange?

Microsoft Exchange is the software that powers all the collaborative features inside Microsoft Outlook. More than 65% of all businesses users use Exchange and Outlook to send and receive email, share calendars contacts, tasks and documents, and use a scheduling assistant to coordinate meetings and events.

Intermedia’s hosted Exchange service provides you with these powerful collaboration capabilities, without the pain of having to install, configure and manage your own “in-house” Exchange server, a costly and time-consuming endeavor. You simply pay a flat monthly fee, and we manage everything for you. We even provide you with a free copy of MS Outlook 2007 (or Entourage 2008) to use on your desktop. You can also use Outlook Web Access from any web browser for the same productivity tools when you are away from your desk.

How is using my BlackBerry, iPhone or other smartphones with MS Exchange different than using it with Gmail or other free email platforms?

Microsoft Exchange provides you with true “push” email to your BlackBerry, iPhone or other smartphone. This means that as soon as you receive a new message in your Inbox, the Exchange server immediately pushes it out to your phone, so it’s instantly available for you to read and respond to. Gmail and other platforms only offer “pull” email, which is much slower and offers less integration with your Inbox. The table below highlights the key differences in mobile synchronization between Exchange and other email platforms

Do I need a special plan with my wireless carrier?

Yes, you need to make sure you have a proper data plan activated on your wireless plan. The type of plan you need depends on your phone. Check with your wireless carrier, and tell them that you need to sync your Exchange server with your BlackBerry, iPhone or Windows Mobile phone.

Can I use my own domain name and email address?

Yes, you can use your own email address with Intermedia’s hosted Exchange service. This can be an email address you create for yourself such as john@doe.com, or your business’ email address such as john.doe@company.com. If you already have your own domain and email address, you can hook them up with your hosted Exchange service through your HostPilot control panel. If you do not already have your own domain, you can register one at GoDaddy.com or Register.com. If you would like to use your existing business email address, please call us to learn how you can set up a “split domain.”