What is Orange Billing manager (OBM)and why have I been sent a log in ID?

To improve the billing service for university-provided mobile handset users, you will no longer be sent a paper copy bill. The log in ID allows you to instantly access your billing data and create your own reports.

Each month, you will receive an email from Orange advising you that the month's bill has been loaded. Follow the link provided and log into the service.

If you do not know your log in ID, follow the link and select "forgotten password", enter your user ID which is usually your initial followed by your surname (eg. ssmith). If you are still unable to access this, please contact telecoms via https://nuservice.ncl.ac.uk

How do I synchronise my email/calendar on my Android Handset?

Please note: the IT Service does NOT offer support for Android handsets. Support issues will be your own responsibility to resolve. Whilst we will try to assist you, there is no formal offer of support to these handsets.

HTC provides a program called HTC Sync which can be used to sync your data to your handset. It allows you to sync email, contacts, shared music and pictures, etc. If you sync using the software on your PC whilst connected by the USB cable, your calendar entries and contacts may be duplicated once the initial over-the-air sync is carried out.

Our colleagues in the Infrastructure Group have provided information on Android Active Sync and how to set up your phone. They have provided more detailed information on using exchange with mobile devices.

Where can I find support information for my Android handset?

HTC offers support and instructions for their handsets.

Please visit the HTC website for more information http://www.htc.com/uk/support.aspx

Extend your battery life: Turn off Wifi when not in use (this will affect other services such as Signal Boost), Turn off Bluetooth unless you are using it for peripheral attachment or file transferring.

Using the Power save mode: Powersaver can be set to restrict usage of your handset to conserve battery life, should battery power reach a determined %.. You can set your phone to dim the screen, disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, prevent applications for sending and receiving data whilst in the background (minimised), however, this will prevent your email from being pushed to your handset.

Where can I find support information and help setting up my Windows Phone handset?

Support for HTC Windows Phone handsets can be found here:

http://www.htc.com/uk/support

You can also find how-to's and tutorials on setting up your phone.

I am planning a trip overseas, can I use my phone/data card?

Did you request "Roaming" when you ordered your phone? If you're unsure, please contact telecoms on extension 8000, we will check to see if "Roaming" is active on your account/SIM card. Beyond this, it becomes your personal responsibility to ensure that your device is set up correctly, you know which partner networks you can use and what services these partner networks offer.

Please observe the directions from the Orange web pages for information on using mobile services abroad. Coverage, partner networks, services and costs can be found using this link.

http://explore.ee.co.uk/roaming/before-you-go

Please note, sync whilst roaming is disabled by default. Ensure that you enable this feature before you leave the UK.

For Android users:

At the HOME screen press Menu, select "Settings", select "Wireless and networks", select "Mobile Networks", ensure the "Data Roaming" tick box is ticked, press OK to accept. Use this setting to turn the 'mobile network data' connection on and off when not required. Doing so will ensure your handset is not using the mobile network for a data connection when you do not need it and prevents large mobile data bills.

Then, open your mailbox, select Menu, press "More", select "Settings", select "Send & Receive", ensure "Sync when roaming" is ticked.

Your handset will sync your mailbox whilst roaming outside the UK.

For Windows Phone users:

Goto Settings and select "Mobile Network", under "Data roaming options" select "roam". Use this setting to turn the 'mobile network data' connection on and off when not required. Doing so will ensure your handset is not using the mobile network for a data connection when you do not need it and prevents large mobile data bills.

Why can't I choose my own mobile phone?

In order to comply with the university purchasing procedures, the telecoms team has a contract with Orange/EE via the PSN framework agreements. This contract offers a limited device range and the handset types chosen offer basic calls and texts and/or email and calendar synchronisation to offer mobility, at the best price.

Note: These choices change as handset options offered by Orange are updated and handsets become end of life.

Can I bring my personal mobile number to the university account?

No. We are unable to port your personal number to the university account.

Can I use my University mobile phone for personal use?

No. You should not use your handset to make personal calls. If you need to use your university mobile for a personal call, you should declare these calls each month to your finance dept. Orange Billing Manager is available to each end-user. This allows you to tag personal calls made so you can easily manage any personal call costs. You should contact telecoms@ncl.ac.uk and ask to be registered.

How do I use my Smartphone/PDA?

Because the telecoms team only supports "Windows Mobile" and "Windows Phone" devices, if you have chosen a phone with any other operating system (eg. Apple), we cannot support your handset choice. You should consult the manual which accompanied the device, and/or perform an internet search for support topics.

If you are using a Windows Mobile/Windows Phone device, in the first instance please consult the manual which can be found on the accompanying CD. You will find the "Windows Mobile Device Manual", which will forward you to the following link: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/help/default.mspx

My Handset/Data Card has a fault, what should I do?

Mobile Phone

If your handset is within warranty for handsets <1 year old, or you purchased "with care" when you ordered the phone; return the phone to the telecoms office. You MUST DETAIL the fault conditions you are reporting.

When did the fault start to occur? What fault conditions are you experiencing? Do you get any error messages? Can you turn the handset on? etc........

Orange will use this information to determine how they will troubleshoot the handset. They will determine whether or not the fault can be rectified or if a handset replacement is necessary.

Whether they are able to rectify the fault or they replace the handset, we will advise you when the handset can be collected from our office.

NOTE: If you store contacts on the phone handset, you should copy them to the SIM card or to your PC. If the handset is replaced, you will lose all information on it. (Your handset manual will tell you how to do this)

Data Card

Mobile carriers provide 'mobile broadband' using a USB "dongle" which plugs into your laptop. This "dongle" is a 3G modem. Some newer laptops come with a 3G modem installed. They require the user to insert the SIM card into the laptop, not the whole dongle. Orange may not support you when the SIM card is inserted directly into the laptop.

Initially, call the telecoms office for assistance. We may ask you to call Orange tech support directly. This prevents a situation where we become the "piggy in the middle" passing messages back and forth.

What happens after I submit an internal purchase requisition to telecoms?

To comply with university procedures, your internal purchase requisition is raised as an online P2P requisition which is completed by the telecoms office. We will ensure that you are ordering the correct services to support mobility. The completed requisitions are passed to the IT Service's General Office who will order the device(s) from Orange.

Orange usually* dispatch orders within 72 hours of us receiving confirmation of receipt of order. (*not guaranteed)

When the order arrives, general office staff will register any new connection, or in the case of upgrades, will ask the end user if convenient to register the upgraded handset. When upgrades are registered, the old handset will become dead and calls cannot be made or received.

The registration procedure entails an SMS SIM update message being received by the handset. This can take up to 24 hours to be received.

Who gets the bills? How do I pay them?

On the internal purchase requisition, you are asked to provide the name of the person to whom we should send copy bills. General office staff will arrange for a copy to be sent to this person each month. The costs will be re-charged from the account number you nominate on the internal purchase requisition.

How can I get a copy bill?

You should initially see the person in your school responsible for such matters. They can log into Orange billing Manager and create their own reports.

How can I tell if my phone is out of contract?

All contracts are 24 months in length (unless agreed otherwise at time of ordering). The out-of-contract date is 24 months from the date you started it. Telecoms keep a detailed record of mobile handset users and can provide additional information.

Why do I need to get authorisation from head of service?

This is a requirement from the executive office. You must show that their is a continuing business need for the user to be provided with a university mobile handset, and the head of service is required to provide this authorisation.

How do I cancel a contract?

Please click the Cancellations link to the left.

Pay as you Go / Short Term Hire mobiles

We cannot provide “Pay as you go” handsets. Should you wish to hire a mobile phone; telecoms have 3 handsets on the Orange network and 1 on the Vodafone network which can be hired for £5 per day or £25 per week. These handsets are intended for short-term hire.

If you require loan handsets for longer periods or no loan handsets are available, mobiles can be hired from O2: www.o2rentals.co.uk

The university do not hold a central account for rental phones from O2. You would arrange your own rentals with them.

Stolen / Lost / Damaged / Handset Faults

STOLEN – Call 0800 0790091 as soon as your aware of the handset being stolen, to bar calls to/from the number. Report to the police immediately. Obtain a crime reference number which is required by telecoms in order to handle your claim (should your handset be covered by Orange Care). Please forward this information to telecoms via https://nuservice.ncl.ac.uk or call x5999 at your earliest opportunity.

LOST – Call 0800 0790091 as soon as your aware of the handset being lost, to bar calls to/from the number. Please report within 24 hours to the telecoms office via it service desk, providing details of when/where you were when the handset was lost. Orange care does not cover the handset if you do not report this to us within 24 hours. Once you have advised us, within 24 hours of your call to Orange, we will submit an insurance claim for a replacement with Orange Care team (should you have Care on your contract).

DAMAGED/FAULTY – Call the IT Service Desk (or log a ticket at https://nuservice.ncl.ac.uk) and provide as much information as you can about the problems you experience, including any error messages you experience. The handset must be brought back to the telecoms office. We will call Orange who will diagnose the handset and advise us how to resolve any issues. If they deem the handset is faulty beyond the advice they offer, they will advise us if they are prepared to replace the handset.

Synchronisation issues - At times you may find that you have to re-sync your handset with your PC and/or Exchange. Support of the mobile device is offered via the normal desktop support group. Telecoms will only check to ensure that the correct services are active on your account/SIM card.

Disposing of old equipment

We must ensure the university adheres to the WEEE directive governing the disposal of waste electronic equipment. Further advice here: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/estates/services/waste/disposal/MobilePhones.htm

The handset belongs to your school/service and can be kept as a spare or re-used.

What does "Pro-Rata" Data mean?

The billing date for the whole university account is the 22nd of each month.

If you add a 200MB 30 day data bundle to any number (Handset or Data card), on the 22nd of the month, you will receive 200MB's of data to consume between the 22nd of the current month and the 21st of the next month.

If however, you added the same bundle on the 1st of the next month, you will receive a pro-rata amount between the 1st and 21st, with the balance of the bundled data from 22nd till the 30th of the month.

You cannot assume that you will receive 200MB from 1st till 30th of the month. You will receive a Pro-Rata amount of data between 1st till 20th, with the remaining amount 21st till 30th.

If the pro-rata amount of data is exceeded, you will be charged at pay-as-you-go rates, until the next amount of pro-rata data bundle becomes available.

Confusing, yes, however, all mobile networks operate in this manner.