Work Cell Phone... Separate or Merge?
Hey All,
Was wondering what the thought is on work cell phones. Do you get a completely separate line to have a physical wall between your personal/work life? Or do you suck it up and merge them?
The thought of privacy is appealing, the thought of schlepping 2 iPhone 6+s around is not.
Pros and Cons of Combining Work and Personal Phone
The main benefit to combining work and personal phones is that you won’t have to carry around two phones. Only using a work phone can save you costs as well since your company would be responsible your cell phone bill.
However, most WSO users advocate for keeping them separate for a few reasons:
- Last thing you want happening is data on your personal and work phone getting subpoenaed when you are named in a lawsuit.
- Think about what you send on your personal phone. Do you really want your work to have access to those texts and pictures?
- If you do work on the side, you probably don’t want to do this on your work phone.
- Privacy issues + legal separation should outweigh the hassle of carrying two phones.
No matter what you decide, be sure to review your company’s device policy. While most companies don’t have time to read your emails every day, if you’re having performance issues a boss could look towards your email/computer/internet/device usage and see if you violate any of the company code of conduct.
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Sick humblebrag on the iphone 6+ bruh
One iPhone 6+ and one small Blackberry. problem solved
I would keep them separate
First world problems burn, i know
Two totally separate phones. You're not actually going to separate your work and personal lives (separate discussion, but if you're in most fields contemplated on WSO, you're expected to have your phone on you at all times and reply pretty quickly) but if you're receiving tit pics and sending out drunk dick pics at 2 am your company won't see them and if/when you leave you won't lose your phone number. You get used to the two phone thing pretty quickly.
Keep them separate. Last thing you want happening is data on your personal and work phone getting subpoenaed when you are named in a lawsuit.
Yea, I am more worried about random legal shit like ^. Also is a blurry line if you are doing quasi side shit on a company phone (advising a friend on their business, your own start up stuff, etc.). Though sexting I suppose is a valid concern for some ;)
I got rid of my personal phone after a couple of months. We carry around enough crap as it is, I don't do shady stuff on my phone, and the $1200 a year isn't a lot of money but it's not nothing either.
I carried 2 phones for 4 years and hated the bulk and inconvenience. One phone for both keeps me happier.
I have a personal phone and a work BB. I do have work email on my personal phone so I don't have to carry 2 phones on the weekend.
Two iPhones = twice the battery life :) ...and need a phone dedicated to Tinder.
Get 2 phones, different service providers. You get accustomed to it incredibly fast.
1) I like blackberries for emailing but hate them generally and 2) I wouldn't trust myself to not fuck up when drunk. So I always keep them separate.
Nope--just one phone. Carrying two phones becomes incredibly annoying. I tried it for 6 months and got rid of one.
Hate carrying 2 phones. Battery is a non-issue with 4 chargers (home, office, car, laptop case).
Currently: 1 private phone, but logged in to work (email, calendar, soon company messenger). Work landline forwarded to private phone whenever I'm not in the office. --> everyone (incl. clients) can reach without knowing my private number. --> I see if it's a rerouted (=work) call and can chose if I answer (e.g. if at family event on a weekend) This setup actually showed me how archaic it is to expect seeing a separate cell phone # on business cards...
But since ppl keep asking for it, soon we'll get 2 mobile numbers (1 private, 1 work) on 1 phone. That is, two contracts (you pick your own for the private and can keep your private number; work number appears on business card) with separate billing, number and all. Device mgmt software on the phone will allow muting either number (=sending it voicemail), depending whether you're at work or on free time to help focus on/shut off work. Device can remain your own or you pick from list of company phones offered. Since we'll probably get unlimited internet via the work contract, I might downgrade the private plan and save money.
If you log onto any personal accounts (i.e. personal email, your espn insiders pass to get fantasy football tips, etc) your employer has access to anything in those accounts ( so he can go through your emails). When you have a work phone or a work computer, you have no reasonable expectation of privacy on those devices. So, if you do anything on your phone that you wouldn't want your boss seeing, I'd recommend that you keep a separate phone.
Tha's not true at all... A lot of the BYOD set-up separates your work stuff and your personal stuff for you. My company only has access to my work e-mail account.
Work computer is a completely different topic.
If a junior in IB/PE (say up until VP), 2 phones. Privacy issues + legal separation (the subpoena thing) should greatly outweigh the hassle of carrying the second phone.
If you are a partner/owner of your business or director-level+ this advantage disappears, chances are that if something bad goes on in this front you're sorta knee deep in shit regardless of how you decide to compartmentalize your data.
2 phones for sure. Even if you have emails on your personal, you can still use the 2nd for intl calling and such. Not really worth the hassle of having to submit expense reimbursements and have the company take months to repay you if you have 1 phone. (At least this was my experience).
Your company audited your business phone for personal usage?
2 phones, though the bulk sucks, especially when going out. extra battery, no mistaken drunk text or picture, or drunk email to a MD... and privacy of personal life
One single phone for both personal and work. Many 'bring your own device' programs are getting good at compartmentalizing the owner's personal data separate from work data. It's just a lot easier to carry only one device, and have your calendar show both personal and work together. Data usage can be troubling for some, but with options like T-Mobile's unlimited data plans or high data limit plans getting cheaper, it's not bad at all.
Keep it separate. The shit you push through your phone you don't want on a bank serve. Shit, half the time I want a third burner.
need that bat phone
If you get a separate phone are you completely barred from texting friends/family at all with that phone? I understand that you don't want to be on Facebook/Tinder with that device, but am I allowed to call forward, etc. when I'm traveling, especially if the firm's plan is unlimited voice/text anyway?
I have Facebook on my company phone. I use it for personal calls, I text my friends, I get my gmail on it. Why would my company care?
One phone. Couldn't imagine carrying two around
I previously posted but as an employer, albeit at a much less hr focused firm, just have two seperate phones. I don't know about BB's policies but it's much better to have a personal phone. We had an associate we wanted to get rid of but couldn't figure how to do it until we looked at his phone.
Sorry but it's not a humblebrag if your company gives you a phone or a blackberry. I don't think prison inmates brag about the cool leg shackles they get. A work cell phone is designed to make sure they can reach you 24/7 so weekends aren't really weekends.
To answer OP's question, keep two phones.
I used two phones for about four years but finally got sick of it. If you work at a small employer (my PE shop there are very few of us) they are far less strict about personal phone use. I don't do shady stuff on my phone -- so this doesn't apply if you use SnapChat more than texts. The cost savings are nice and I have everything I need on one device. The number I use is my own and I get to keep it if I leave.
Personal iPhone and work BB. Don't need another email account killing my already bad iPhone 5 battery and adding to my data usage.
Different phones to close different kinds of deals.
Since this in the Consulting forum, there's gotta be an additional consideration given to being staffed internationally. As far as I know, all the big consulting firms have great roaming plans + also cover personal use. So I think it makes the most sense to just have one phone.
And are the concerns of privacy even real? I can't see my employer having the time/needing to go through my personal stuff.
I need a cell phone (Originally Posted: 10/16/2006)
Where are the best deals for a cell phone and a plan? I don't need a bunch of minutes so all I need is a basic plan (since I'd only use the phone during night time, yeah party time). I like the look of that chocolate phone that I
they aren't that expensive, my sister just bought one this weekend for $99, it was ilke $150 off or something like that.
This is like her 3rd cell phone in 1 year, she drowned her 1st one in diet coke, and the other one got crushed somehow.
but why do you need a cellphone? I thought everyone got a blackberry?
What's a Blackberry? I'm new to all this stuff, I never had a cell phone. How long does a cell phone even last (like the chocolate one)? Seems like everyone gets a new phone every other week.
blackberry is this thing that pretty much every IB gives all analysts so that they can call you at any time...its cellphone/email in 1.
cell phones tend to last like 3-4 years before battery dies, but they look crappy after a year(chrome gets rubbed off etc)
Most people change their cell phones every year or so, I change mine every 2, because with Verizon I'm on a plan that gets me a $100 dollar off any cell phone.
lol at what's a blackberry.
Well I've had elderly ppl ask "wats a blueberry?"
I've been searching the net for phones and you have to sign up for a 2 year contract (that adds up to about 1k) to get the phone for cheap. If you just get the phone you pay out the ass.
I just want whatever phone and a $20-30 a month service.
not entirely sure about the subject, but I think the companies that use GSM phones(cingular?), you can just get a sim card, and get the phone itself cheap on ebay.
also if you are in NYC chinatown has very cheap phones, my friend bought a top of a line phone for like 50 bucks. GSM once again.
But like I mentioned I'm pretty clueless on the subject(Verizon doesn't use the GSM)...so I'm not that sure that GSM is what the thing is called or what companies use them.
Oh and as far as monthly, I think one of the companies(Cingular?) have been running commercials about their prepaid phones w/o a contract, so might want to look into that
If you want to get a big sexy phone, a blackberry or a treo, if you just want a phone that works wherever you may be, get a motorola, thier reliability is the best on the market.
get chocolate
Get a vertu sig. I would go for platinum but it is a bit more expensive than the white gold. Your call. Also, on a more serious note, I don't think ive ever seen a phone service plan that didnt require a 2-year contract and was less than $50 (after fees and taxes). You could always get a tracphone.
interesting
Can you really pop the sim card out of your blackberry and put it in a GSM capable cellphone?
Has anyone done that? Will it work? It'd save a bunch of money if you can!
if you want a blackberry that actually looks like a phone go with the pearl... 2 providers have it now and its beautiful
Blackberry and cell phone (Originally Posted: 03/14/2007)
Just a general question: How many of the current analysts out there have both a company blackberry and a personal cell phone?
I know the whole spiel about how blackberries can be enabled for cell phone use. However, it is still a company phone. Do you guys have your own phone for your own calls or do you just use the company phone?
Finally do you get your blackberry/phone early on in training? I'm coming from Canada so I didn't really want to have to buy a plan in the US.
Thanks.
carry both, everyone i know does too.
carry both
I'm actually considering buying the 8800. My current cell phone is on the verge of death.
Anyone know if it is possible to get two phone numbers (personal and then work) on to one phone?
forward your personal calls from your cell to your blackberry. the best way is to get a VOIP number. this allows you to forward all calls to your blackberry hassle-free, and when you dial a certain number from your blackberry, you can then make calls directing through your VOIP number. so you can have two lines on one phone. i do it all the time and am loving it. Plus its only 19.99/mo flat rate for the whole US/Can/Puerto Rico.
I'll have to look into this. I'm tired of forking over $80 a month to Verizon AND having to carry 2 phones.
kreatif- what provider do you use? do you know which other providers offer this option? thanks.
What blackberry model do the different banks give you?
Any banks giving 2007 analysts the newer blackberry model?
Bump. I really hope incoming analysts get the newer version.
dont know about 2007 but all 2006 got the waffle looking blackberry - older version and def not as nice as 8700 or 8800
azwethinkweiz:
check it out...
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,119784-page,1/article.html
The only catch is that you need a VOIP router-link, but that comes with the package when you order. also, you can connect a land phone with that router through any cable/dsl (anywhere around the world!). my router has been turned off for 6 months cuz i dont need a land line any more (especially since I dont even remember where my apt. is after work started) and i get (/and make) all personal calls to(/through) my blackberry.
Get another cell phone and expense it.
A. I know all of you new analysts want to signal to chicks that you're bankers with the blackberry on your side on Friday nights, but it's way too big to carry in your pocket and when you go out you're likely to lose it.
B. If you're talking to someone / listening to a conference call on your cell phone, you'll still want to be able to check emails while you're talking/listening.
C. The reception on the blackberry sucks
You can expense your personal cellphone if you use it for conference calls, etc? How does that work, do you expense a portion of the bill or what?
bump
I cancelled my personal phone as soon as I got my BB. You can use it for personal calls and nobody cares...everybody does it. Of course use some common sense and don't call porn lines or China for personal use. Nobody expenses their personal cell phone at my firm as everybody uses their BB.
Cell Phones - Starting at an analyst (Originally Posted: 05/20/2008)
I'm starting as an analyst this summer, and I was wondering if analysts usually keep a personal cell phone and a work blackberry, or if it is better to try to consolidate (less to carry around in your pockets). Thanks.
i usually wear a blackberry on my belt clip like a douche and a small personal cell phone in my pocket
Keep 2 phones...
Most people have a 1 or 2 year phone plan with a hefty termination fee so it wouldnt make sense to get rid of your personal phone when you will need it again in 3 months after your SA stint is over. Also, it prevents accidental dialing to MDs/clients while some girl is on your lap at Room Service or Tens.
thanks, i'm actually starting as a full-time analyst, but I think that advice still applies.
Do some banks give their SA's phones for the summer? If so, I'm assuming this applies more to IB than S&T?
If your company offers to cover or reimburse for a significant part of your phone plan, you're probably best off keeping it all on a blackberry. I know that some people would say that they want two devices to separate work from personal life, but it's just an extra hassle to carry everything around. I keep everything on my Blackberry curve these days, and just downloaded the GMail application so I can access personal e-mail too. It also makes text messaging a lot easier. (disclaimer: I moved to the buy-side and didn't have anything like this on the sell-side, but I've heard that some boutique banks do cover some part of an employee's phone bill)
Most BB give IBD interns blackberrys, but ususally they only have data plans (from experience at the firm I'm interning at and two friends at other firms last year)
I think it's best to keep two separate cell phones. Especially since you can't access your personal email/aim/etc at work, having your own personal phone that can do all of those things is probably useful. Also, I'm not sure how closely they monitor those blackberries or if they even do, but I want to keep the bank from monitoring my browsing habits/who I call as much as I can.
I would definitely say that having two phones is a bit redundant, but I would prefer to keep the same phone number for as long as I can, so I would keep my personal phone. Although you just started, you won't be at that same bank forever (most likely) so why not just keep your personal number to take with you whenever you leave.
Good luck to you.
I would definitely use two blackberrys (get a personal Pearl) and your work one. You'll look like a nerd with two blackberries but having the Pearl is key for talking with recruiters / places you're interviewing at. Also the Pearl is great for texting, which is something you will do a lot more when you're in new york.
work blackberry and personal iphone is the way to go
i have no clue how blackberry's are set up, but is it possible to have two phone lines on one? like two sim cards or whatever? that way you could click between profiles of work/personal whenyou wanted to use the internet or whatever?
but that is a million dollar idea or just retarded..
not sure..i think a bunch of us should get together and pitch this idea to motorola or some telco like at&t.
just hope google doesn't beat us to it.
It may sound wonderful, but I doubt it would really work. You would certainly have to have the same carrier as your employer for this to even seem feasible as most cell phone companies would probably have very little interest in offering just strictly phone service to a person who got their cell phone from another carrier.
Its done in China, among other places, and is called SIM cloning
If you guys are referring to two-sim phones, this is nothing new. There are several phones out there which support this, mainly Chinese phones, but Samsung has one out too:
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_d880_duos-2156.php
Anytime you come up with a brilliant idea nowadays, you will find out someone else invented it way before you even thought abt it.
I've never actually seen someone call on their blackberry. It isn't very common right?
Corporate Cell Phones? Your thoughts (Originally Posted: 10/10/2009)
Do you use your corporate cell phone for personal use?
Yes? Are you not worried about personal texts or e-mails? No? Are you too worried about personal texts and e-mails being on a corporate set?
Too cheap to buy your own phone? Why would you ever want to use your work phone for personal use? Are you a consultant?
I'd say about half the people I know use their work phones as personal phones as well. Everyone has a personal email though that doesn't go to their blackberry, and most don't text frequently. BBM is device to device, so is not stored on any corporate server, and your company has no access to it.
"Never write when you can speak, never speak when you can nod, never nod when you can wink."
I've been carrying two phones for years now. It's a pain in the ass but I'd prefer the flexibility to talk as much as I want and text as much as I want without wondering if one day someone will call me up and tell me I've been abusing the phone policy. At the end of the day, it's really not that much money to have a personal phone. Also, check to see if your corporate affiliation gets you a discount on your service. I've got a 10+% discount on my monthly bill as a result of where I work.
~~~~~~~~~~~ CompBanker
Is that true about BBM, cause a friend was considering getting an i-phone since he'd get a blackberry from work but didn't want to give up bbm and wasn't sure if he could use it of the work phone
I suppose IT could disable BBM if they desperately wanted to, but I've never heard of that being done and can't imagine why it would be. BBM is used in a work context as well. I'm sure his work phone will have BBM.
why are you so cheap you can't afford 2 cells? seriously so unprofessional
...or carrying around two phones is annoying?
Two Cell Phones? (Originally Posted: 02/08/2010)
So my phone is finally up for promotion. I don't currently have a blackberry but am considering getting one. However once I start work in June I believe I will receive a work blackberry. So should I have two blackberries, or just upgrade to a regular texting phone, or not renew my contract at all?
For those who work in IBD now, do you have two separate cell phones?
I have two blackberries. Works for me but most of the other guys have a different phone - more senior guys have a cell, younger guys an iphone or another smartphone. Only issue is pocket space.
Some banks give Blackberries that only e-mail (no calls), so if this is the case for you you'll probably need another phone. With texts and e-mails, you probably don't want to have to worry about the possibility of the firm seeing what you say so I'd recommend just getting your own. Its a pain in the ass but you could always free up some pocket space by wearing the Blackberry on your belt and looking like a real douche.
I've used 2 phones for almost 3 years now. You get used to it. My company would pay for me to have a single line and keep my own #, but I'd have to give up texting which would quickly make me lose all my friends.
You definitely want two cell phones.
Compliance at most firms monitor e-mails etc. (nowadays with even greater ease due to the fact that automated software can do it). You don't want the firm to know about how wasted you and your buddies were last weekend or the girl you banged the other day. Therefore, you get your own personal phone and discuss personal things and send personal e-mails on this phone. On your work phone, you behave professionally and send professional e-mails.
Anyone else?
i was wondering the same thing... i was considering getting the droid or a blackberry but not sure if having two blackberries would be redundant. (2 bbm's and whatnot)
It seems like an absolute necessity for full time analysts to have a blackberry, but is it necessary for a summer analyst?
................
Upgrade to an iphone.
To echo what others have said, you definetly want to have 2 phones. Most BB's ban texting on the fones, and closely monitor email. Yup, no 3am booty calls on the corporate blackberry.
Ok so I'm definitely gonna get another smartphone. Now the question is Bold 2 or iPhone?
Would love an answer: does an SA need a berry?
Would like to know this too. Safe to assume they don't give you one for the summer?
Thanks for the info, and funny story lol
Cell Phone Situation at GS (Originally Posted: 07/12/2010)
Hey guys,
I'm a new hire starting with GS next week. Moving to NY tomorrow from another country and would like to get a personal cell phone asap. Just wondering if I should wait until my start date in case GS offers an employee discount with a particular carrier. Anyone on the inside who can provide some insight?
Thanks
all wall street banks have discounts. wait.
You can apply those discounts after you've already been on the plan. I applied my banks discount 12 months into my contract.
Thanks guys. But I assume the discounts are only available for certain carriers?
the discounts are for the major carriers (at&t/verizon). You can apply them at any time during the contract
Excellent...thanks!
Also, do you know which BB model the firm is now providing to new analysts? Is it still the Curve 8900?
What sort of discounts do firms offer? I'm still on my parents' family plan so would that not work? Should I open up a new account under my own name?
Ranges from 0-20% off line rental.
if you tell a sprint store you work for home depot you get 27% off your monthly bill and they have no way of checking your employment with HD...
oh wait do you have Home Depot's in NYC?
do new yorkers know what Home Depot is?
Its usually around 20%. And if you open a family plan in your name you can put your parents on it and get the discount on all of their phones. Just use their credit card. This allows them to save money. Goodluck at GS
IBD IT Policy and blackberry vs personal cell phone? (Originally Posted: 08/21/2014)
I'm a 0 year associate at a bb in NYC. I am assuming that IT policies across the street are fairly standard. We have the option to use the Good app for droid/iphone in lieu of our blackberry.
What are the pros/cons of using our personal cell phone instead of the bb? From what I can understand, the company will be able to monitor any network information while the Good app is installed, however, will be unable to monitor specific data usage. Within the Good app, anything is fair game. So if the Good app is installed and running in the background, and I send a text msg, does the company know what I sent? Can anyone give me some advice regarding whether I should duel wield the bb/personal cell phone? I hate carrying more than I need to.
Thanks
I don't like the GOOD App and I do not like like having a work and personal phone as one. I like everything separate
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