Windows Phone 7 – No GAL Access on Exchange 2003

It looks as though ActiveSync connectivity on the newly released Windows Phone 7 may not be totally there yet.

• Microsoft KB2463128: You cannot search the Global Address List with Windows Phone 7 when connecting to Exchange Server 2003

Quote:

When using a Windows Phone 7 device to connect to Exchange Server 2003 using Exchange ActiveSync, you are unable to resolve user names within your Global Address List (GAL). 

When creating a new e-mail message, you type the name or alias of an e-mail recipient in your organization's GAL in the TO field and the name is not resolved.  In addition, you are unable to Search the GAL, and can only search local Contacts.

A workaround for now is to use the full e-mail info@sbscougar.ca in order to send an e-mail on a Windows Phone 7.

Judging by the Windows Phone site, the release version of the product looks as though it is more focused on consumers as opposed to corporate users:

• Windows Phone 7 Site – Discover

There is no real indication as far as ActiveSync feature integration other than Email, Calendar, and some sort of “Social networking” address book integration. People Hub may pull from Contacts on Exchange, but the Tasks synchronization seems to be missing completely.

If Tasks are indeed missing, then there will be no real incentive to drop the ailing HTC Touch Pro that I currently use until Windows Phone 7 gets a more business like approach. The Tasks/To Do list is needed to manage the little things that may get lost in the rush of day-to-day business.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book

*Our original iMac was stolen (previous blog post). We now have a new MacBook Pro courtesy of Vlad Mazek, owner of OWN.

Windows Live Writer