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Mobile Access Diagram

 

Lenovo Mobile Access is a cost effective 3G service without the need for telephone company contracts or long term commitments – just pay as you go for what you need. It’s an easy to understand solution right out of the box on our ThinkPad and ThinkPad Edge products.

  • Always available, always secure, wireless internet access
  • No contract needed
  • Time pass periods from 30 minutes to 1 month
  • Gobi™ 3G technology by Qualcomm® is built in to your Thinkpad or ThinkPad Edge product so no extra investment is required and no dongle needed
  • Simple activation process and pay by credit card
  • One hour per day free for the first 90 days after registration
  • Global coverage and hassle free roaming

 

General Questions
What is prepaid mobile broadband?

Prepaid Mobile Broadband provides service on a “pay as you go” basis. To use the service, you purchase a “Time Pass”. A Time Pass consists of both a set time period and data allowance for Internet use. If you reach your time or data limit, your Time Pass will expire and you will need to purchase another Time Pass to continue accessing the Internet.

Similarly, if your account balance runs low, you can “refill” your account. There is no contractual commitment. Lenovo Mobile Access rate plans fit the way you work and live, with 30 minute, hour, day, and month Time Passes. This service is available with select Lenovo laptops and tablets.

Note: Lenovo Mobile Access also offers complimentary access through promotions. Please check the Lenovo Mobile Access homepage frequently for current promotions.

What is Lenovo Mobile Access?

Lenovo Mobile Access is a right-sized, flexible, no-contract mobile broadband service that gives consumers and business users greater choice and flexibility when connecting to online services. Available as either pay-as-you-time passes, no contract monthly sessions, or customized/selectable by specific apps or services for Large Enterprises (contact Lenovo Mobile Access specialist for assistance).

I do not have Lenovo Mobile Access loaded on my PC. How can I get it?

At this time, Lenovo Mobile Access is only available pre-installed on select laptops and tablets purchased with mobile broadband capabilities.

What do we mean by “Right-Sized”?

: Lenovo Mobile Access can be “right-sized” by either using no-commitment time passes that start at 30minw for $1.95 (US price), or by limiting what employees in a Large Enterprise can and can’t access when they are away from WiFi. Lenovo Mobile Access solves the challenge of one-size-fits-all mobile broadband plans. For instance, a Large Enterprise can elect to pay only for email access for all of their employees versus paying $60/mo/employee for unlimited Internet access.

Where can I use Lenovo Mobile Access?

Lenovo Mobile Access has global coverage, with local rates currently in the United States and nine countries across Europe, including UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands—with more countries coming soon. More information regarding country-specific coverage areas is available on the Lenovo Mobile Access website (http://mobile.lenovo.com/support/support.html)

What devices include the Lenovo Mobile Access service?

Lenovo Mobile Access is available preinstalled in select ThinkPad Classic and ThinkPad Edge notebooks.

Here is the current list as of 7/1/12:

  • Current supported Lenovo devices: T430 / T430i; T530 / T530i; W530; T430s / T430si; X230 / X230i; X230 / X230i Tablet; L430; L530; X131e

Why am I getting a message telling me I may experience connectivity issues?

Low signal strength can affect your ability to connect to the network as well as your transmission speed. Low signal strength can be affected by your location as it relates to service coverage, your hardware and software, the source of your download and general network and Internet traffic. At times, if you are not using your AC adapter, your battery strength can also impact your signal strength.

If you are in a service coverage area and still experiencing low signal strength, there are some things that you can do which may help:

  • If you are indoors, try pointing the PC in different directions; the antenna of the device is somewhat directional.
  • Move closer to a window or other location within the building.
  • Make sure you are not in a facility that could be interfering with your signal (hospital, office buildings).

If you believe you are in a service coverage area and have tried to connect in various locations of the area, please contact our Support Team at LMAsupport@macheen.com.

Macheen
Who is Macheen?

Macheen, service provider of Lenovo Mobile Access, is a global corporation based in Austin, TX. Its unique cloud-based platform enables connected device makers, retailers and solution providers to deliver products that are “hot-out-of-the-box”—shipped pre-connected to the Internet via mobile networks.

What makes the Macheen platform different from traditional mobile broadband services?

The flexible Macheen platform allows us to tailor access for the specific needs of a business. This enables us to right-size the cost of access for each business so they can mobile enable more of their employee base. Increasingly, businesses are shifting their critical apps, services, and served content from the cloud, yet they can’t afford to keep their employees always connected due to the rising costs of mobile access. Macheen solves this by giving our customers the ability to manage, by policy, and via a simple to use web interface, access based on need—what we call right-sizing access.

Who do Lenovo Sales teams contact for custom corporate or custom-billed opportunities at Macheen? How does this process work?

Email a summary of the opportunity to LenovoSales@macheen.com . This will notify the appropriate people within Macheen and Lenovo and you will be contacted about the opportunity within 24hours during the business week Monday thru Friday.

What is the business structure for teaming with Macheen for corporate opportunities billed direct through Macheen (vs Credit Card)?

Each opportunity is a teamed deal like with the carriers. Macheen provides Lenovo with a commission for selling services. Direct-billed, corporate customers, where the end customer is identified and billed directly from Macheen, will also be eligible for account team commissions.

Will Gobi4000 modules support LMA in 3G-Only mode?

Gobi4000 are LTE only.

When will LTE be available on LMA?

TBD – No timeline at this point.

Why am I getting a message telling me I may experience connectivity issues?

Low signal strength can affect your ability to connect to the network as well as your transmission speed. Low signal strength can be affected by your location as it relates to service coverage, your hardware and software, the source of your download and general network and Internet traffic. At times, if you are not using your AC adapter, your battery strength can also impact your signal strength.

If you are in a service coverage area and still experiencing low signal strength, there are some things that you can do which may help:

  • If you are indoors, try pointing the PC in different directions; the antenna of the device is somewhat directional.
  • Move closer to a window or other location within the building.
  • Make sure you are not in a facility that could be interfering with your signal (hospital, office buildings).

If you believe you are in a service coverage area and have tried to connect in various locations of the area, please contact our Support Team at LMAsupport@macheen.com.

Time Passes
How much do mobile broadband Time Passes cost?

Mobile Broadband Time Passes have different pricing based on where you are when you need access and how much access you’d like to purchase. You can view pricing for your current location by selecting the “Buy a Time Pass” option from the top navigation on the Lenovo Mobile Access website found at https://mobile.lenovo.com.

Can I use a Time Pass whenever I want?

Any time pass begins right after you “Buy” it. Once a time pass begins, the clock starts immediately, and will expire in the purchased time or data limit is reached.

How do Lenovo Mobile Access time passes work?

A time pass is comprised of both a time limit and a data limit. Your time pass concludes when either the time limit is reached or the data limit is reached, whichever comes first. All Lenovo Mobile Access time passes are “all-in” pricing—there are no additional fees once a time pass is selected. Once a time pass is started, the connection to the Internet can be turned on and off using the user Lenovo Mobile Access web control panel (mobile.lenovo.com). You will be notified by alerts from your system tray as time and data usage approach their limits. Once concluded, access to the Internet will cease, the customer is be redirected to the Lenovo Mobile Access purchase page, and a new time pass will need to be selected to reconnect to the Internet.

How does Lenovo Mobile Access pricing compare to mobile broadband options from traditional carriers?

While traditional carriers do offer pay-as-you-go mobile broadband plans, those plans generally provide fewer options in terms of time, data and pricing. Lenovo Mobile Access is unique in that it offers users an unprecedented level of choice by matching price to need, so users pay only for the amount of connectivity they need—nothing more. With so much flexibility, Lenovo Mobile Access is equally well-suited for the road warrior working through lunch at the park as for the data-hungry, C-Suite executive taking his office to go. For Large Enterprises that want more control over costs, security, and what their employees access while away from the office, they can choose customized access options, which is unique to Lenovo via the Mobile Access offering.

How much Lenovo Mobile Access cost?

Lenovo Mobile Access rate plans fit the way you work and live. Contract-free time passes are available in increments and data allotments including 30 minutes (30MB), 1 day (200MB), 1 month (2GB) and 1 month (6GB). You can buy additional time passes as you need them. Auto-renewable, bandwidth-specific monthly plans are also available for data allotments of 200MB, 2GB and 6GB. If you reach your time or data limit, you can purchase another time pass; similarly, if your account balance runs low, simply “refill” your account. Country-specific pricing information for Lenovo Mobile Access time pass plans is available on the Lenovo Mobile Access control panel and on the Lenovo website.

What happens when my Time Pass ends?

When your time pass expires, you will be disconnected from the network. When your time pass expires your internet access will end and you will be presented with the option to purchase another pass.

Note: When your Mobile Broadband Time Pass expires, any content that is being sent or received will be interrupted. If a download or upload has not completed, this will interrupt the download or upload.

Lenovo Mobile Access
Where can I use Lenovo Mobile Access?

You can use Lenovo Mobile Access anytime you have a mobile broadband signal. Coverage Maps are provided for your home country. There is a link to the coverage map on the Help page.

How do I activate a Lenovo Mobile Access Time Pass?

Use the Lenovo Mobile Access homepage. You can access the home page in one of three ways:
From the Windows Start Menu, select All Programs and then select Lenovo Mobile Access.
--OR--
Click the Lenovo Mobile Access icon from the System Tray. This is located in the lower right hand corner of the screen, next to the system clock.
--OR--
When you are not connect to a Wi-Fi network, open a web-browser and type in a familiar URL. You will be automatically redirected to the Lenovo Mobile Access homepage.
Any of the three paths above will open the Lenovo Mobile Access homepage. There you can add credit to your account and purchase a Time Pass. For more information, please go to https://mobile.lenovo.com.

How do I reset my password?

To reset your password or manage your account, access the "My Account” page from the Lenovo Mobile Access homepage https://mobile.lenovo.com. If you are having issues logging in, click the “Forgot your login info?” link. You will be prompted to enter your email address and a reset password link will be sent to you.

How do I determine what version of the software I am using?

To view the software version you are using, right-click the Lenovo Mobile Access icon in your system tray. You will receive a menu options to select from. Select “About”. This view will also provide your device information.

How does roaming with Lenovo Mobile Access work?

When you login to the Lenovo Mobile Access website, the site will display available Time Passes and their prices. Outside the United State, there might be several “zones” from which to choose. A zone defines all of the countries associated with a Time Pass. When you purchase a Time Pass from a zone, you will be able to connect in any of the countries associated with that zone and receive Internet access. Please note that pricing varies depending on the zone selected.
Time Passes behave the same regardless of the zone for which they apply. The price indicated is “all-inclusive”. The Time Pass has specific time and data limits.

Is Lenovo Mobile Access a replacement for Wi-Fi or mobile broadband service through traditional carriers?

Lenovo is committed to giving individual and corporate customers a wide range of connectivity options from which they can choose depending on their budget and how, when and where they want to connect with online applications and services. WiFi continues to be a feature on all Lenovo laptops and, in addition to Lenovo Mobile Access, users will still be able to select mobile broadband solutions compatible with services offered by traditional mobile broadband carriers. However, Lenovo Mobile Access provides companies with the ability to better control their mobile broadband costs and what their employees are accessing over mobile broadband. Companies will have the option to choose when they access WiFi vs. using mobile broadband.

Is Lenovo Mobile Access only for individuals, or can businesses also use it?

Businesses can leverage the same pay-as-you-go options, helping them reduce the cost of mobile broadband connectivity with right-sized access that can be extended to large numbers of individual employees. In addition, business customers can also take advantage of intelligent features within Lenovo Mobile Access that are designed to streamline device management, increase security and productivity for mobile employees, and reduce operational expenses.

For example, all ThinkPad notebooks with embedded mobile broadband connectivity ship with Lenovo Mobile Access pre-activated as the default configuration. Web-based policy management tools let IT administrators customize permissions and access to services, sites and content for the whole company, specific workgroups, or individual users. Also, simple payment options allow centralized, single-payer end-of-month billing for corporate arrangements.

Will Lenovo Mobile Access be included in Lenovo’s tablets, or is it only for PCs?

At the present time, Lenovo Mobile Access is available on select models of ThinkPad Classic and ThinkPad Edge laptops. Lenovo Mobile Access will soon be available on tablets and additional devices. We’ll detail the availability of Lenovo Mobile Access on tablets or other devices when it becomes available.

How do Time Passes work with Lenovo Mobile Access?

A Time Pass is comprised of both a time limit and a data limit. Your Time Pass ends when either the time or data limit is reached, whichever comes first. Time Passes have “allinclusive” pricing. In other words, no additional fees are required once a Time Pass is purchased.
Once a Time Pass expires, your access to the Internet ends. You will need to purchase a new Time Pass to regain full access to the Internet.

How do I determine the balance on my account?

You can determine the amount of credit remaining on your account by accessing the Lenovo Mobile Access homepage at https://mobile.lenovo.com. The balance is in the top navigation area on the right side of the screen.


Download the complete Lenovo Mobile Access FAQ in pdf from here.

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Short Time Pass
30 Mins 30 MB
$1.95
  • Differentiated market offer.
  • Good for syncing your life quickly.
  • Low price hurdle for those looking for occasional mobile broadband access.
Short Time Pass
1 Day 200 MB
$8.95
  • Take care of your day’s needs.
  • The perfect plan for commuters who don’t want to be tethered to Wi-Fi when they are out of the office.
  • A better option for travelers looking for connectivity at the airport or hotel.
Monthly Time Pass
1 Month 2 GB
$39.95
  • Get on and off as you wish throughout the month.
  • Recurring monthly option, without the contract, for those that want always connected access without the hassle  of looking for Wi-Fi.
  • The perfect plan for the mobile sales force of a company.
Monthly Time Pass XL
1 Month 6 GB
$69.95
  • The “one-size fits all” plan for road-warriors.
  • The perfect plan for media-hungry commuters.
  • Or, for the mobile workers who don’t want to worry about how much data they consume during the month.