Getting Started with LIVE@SPS
I'm already a student. Will my current e-mail address change?
I'm a new student. What's my e-mail address?
How do I check my e-mail?
Who is eligible for LIVE@SPS?
What else do I get?
Is LIVE@SPS required?

Using LIVE@SPS: Technical Information and How-To, and Support
What if I forget my password?
Do I need to use a Windows PC with Microsoft Internet Explorer?
How can I configure my Live Mail e-mail client?
How can I configure an e-mail client, such as Outlook to work with LIVE@SPS?

Security, Privacy and Spam Management
How Does LIVE@SPS handle spam?
Do I have the ability to control anti-spam?
How is data physically secured?
Will someone from Microsoft be reading my e-mail?
Does CUNY have access to my account, even though it is provided by Microsoft?
Does Microsoft share or sell my contact information with third parties?

Why use LIVE@SPS?
LIVE@SPS offers significant advantages over the current e-mail services provided to students throughout CUNY, such as:

• 10GB of storage space – Users receive 10 GB of storage between email, contacts, and calendar.
  
• It's never down!  LIVE@SPS is hosted on servers managed by Microsoft to provide the highest levels of reliability and performance.
  
• It's all about the look!  Your e-mail is hosted on a new Web 2.0 e-mail system with an intuitive and customizable desktop look and feel.
  
• Connect and collaborate with your classmates more effectively!  Many of your classmates will be using LIVE@SPS, so use the web-based shared calendar, post files on SkyDrive, send meeting requests, and use other cool collaboration tools to coordinate both academic and non-academic activities.
  
• Receive campus updates:   Receive campus-related updates from administration staff.
  
• Control spam and viruses through filtering - Microsoft offers increased spam protection and filtering with your LIVE@SPS account.
  
• Offline access, POP access, and more access to your personal accounts – all in one place!  You can access your e-mail offline from Windows PCs using the beta version of Live Mail Desktop. Live Mail Desktop also allows access to multiple e-mail accounts -- including Gmail and AOL -- and can include RSS feeds to your favorite blogs and news sources together with your e-mail.  Students will also be able to use POP to access their LIVE@SPS mail using other e-mail clients.
  
• Multi-task!  You can use your LIVE@SPS account to access an extended set of tools offered by Microsoft including Windows Live Messenger, Spaces, and Mobile services.
  
• Link all your e-mail IDs and check only one account: With linked IDs, you sign in only once for all accounts, so you can quickly switch between them.
  
• Keep your account even after you graduate. Your e-mail account will not be deleted after you graduate - only its look changes. However, to ensure that your messages and files are kept intact, you must login to your account at least once every semester, otherwise your content will be cleared, while your e-mail account remains.
  
• We're not done yet!  CUNY will work with Microsoft to continue enhancing the LIVE@SPS platform. See http://explore.live.com/windows-live-essentials?os=other for some of the products Microsoft is working on as part of its Live initiative.
  
  

1. Windows Office Live Workspace: No time to meet your classmates? Simply invite them to your online workspace where you can store, access, and share password-protected documents online - you control who views and edits. For more information, please visit http://workspace.officelive.com/en-us/
   
2. Windows Live Messenger: Great for audio and video conversations with friends, family, and colleagues. It also offers multi-user IM functionality for study groups, group chat with up to 15 others, look at photos together right in the conversation window, etc. For more information, please visit http://explore.live.com/windows-live-messenger?os=winxp.
   
3. Windows Live Spaces: Upload files by dragging and dropping from your computer onto the Web. Work on a group project with classmates using shared folders, the whole team can upload, download, and collaborate on documents and other files. Students and alumni can use spaces to share information, photos, blogs, and much more. For more information, please visit http://home.spaces.live.com/
   
4. Windows Live for Mobile access to IM and e-mail: Students can access their e-mail on virtually any Web-enabled phone. Carriers may charge for wireless data service. For more information, please visit http://mobile.live.com/GoLive/.
   
5. Windows Live Expo:  Buy and sell stuff within your campus and alumni community. Post an ad for free, and control who can see it. Browse for jobs, housing, and just about anything else. For more information, please go to http://explore.live.com/windows-live-essentials?os=winxp and view the Windows Live Expo demos.
   
6. Windows Live SkyDrive™:  25 GB of free password-protected online file storage. Store, access and share files with friends or classmates, from anywhere online. For more information, please visit http://explore.live.com/windows-live-skydrive
   
7. Access to Windows Live APIs to build your own custom apps: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windowslive/default.aspx
   
8. More new stuff coming all the time: http://explore.live.com/windows-live-essentials?os=winxp

Is LIVE@SPS required?
Yes. Accounts will be created for you automatically. We highly recommend that you login to your account frequently to review important information sent by your college's faculty, staff, and administration, some of which might be time sensitive.

I'm a new student. What's my e-mail address?
User name convention: firstname.lastname@spsmail.cuny.edu
Example: If your first name is John and your last name is Doe, then your username is john.doe@spsmail.cuny.edu
Password convention: The first initial of your first and last name followed by the last 4 digits of your social security number.
Example: If your name is John Doe, then the first initial of your first name is J, your first initial of your last name is D and your last four digits of your social security number is 1234, then your password is jd1234.

How do I login to check my new e-mail?
Go to http://sps.cuny.edu/spslive/

1. Click on the Login to LIVE@SPS button.

2. 

   
   
   
3. You will be directed to https://studentmail.cuny.edu, the Live@CUNY login page as seen below:
   
4. At the Login page, enter your student e-mail address -firstname.lastname@spsmail.cuny.edu
   User name convention: firstname.lastname@spsmail.cuny.edu
   Example: If your first name is John and your last name is Doe, then your username is john.doe@spsmail.cuny.edu
   Password convention: The first initial of your first and last name followed by the last 4 digits of your social security number.
   Example: If your name is John Doe, then the first initial of your first name is J, your first initial of your last name is D and your last four digits of your social security number is 1234, then your password is jd1234.
   

What if I forget my password?
Now you no longer have to take an extra trip to the Helpdesk to reset your e-mail password.  You can reset your password online on the sign in page.  Click on “Forgot your password?” and follow the simple instructions on the screen.

Microsoft tests against a variety of Web browsers and supports the major browsers across a variety of operating system platforms. Internet Explorer from 7.0 down to 5.5 versions, the leading versions of Firefox (cross platform) and Safari (cross platform) are supported as well as Opera. Basically, any browser supported by MSN® or Windows Live in general is supported for Microsoft Live@edu. We also do browser detection to tune the experience the end user receives based on the browser's capabilities.

How can I configure an e-mail client on PC and MAC?

Access the links below for POP3 configuration instructions which are in the PDF formats:

Disadvantages of using POP3:

• If you use POP, you will not get a virus check/scan because anti-virus tools are on the server side.
  
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• You will not get a virus check/scan on your computer (unless your computer has an antivirus tool installed).
  
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• The attachments on your hard drive, which are not properly scanned, can make your computer susceptible for a virus.
  
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• All messages get stored taking up your computer's hard drive space.
  
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• Since all messages are stored on your hard drive, it is accessible by anyone who uses your computer, even if your e-mail client is password protected. It is also possible for someone to read your messages by using another application.
  
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• When configuring your mail client, make sure you check mark the box stating "Leave a copy of messages on server". Otherwise, all messages will be stored on your hard drive and subject to loss if e-mail folders or hard drives become corrupted.

Can I check my account using my mobile phone?
If your mobile phone has a mail client installed, you can configure it to check your LIVE@SPS account via a POP connection, using the settings above. NOTE: We recommend using the "Leave Messages On Server" option if your client supports it. If you do not use this setting, your messages will download on your phone and be removed from the server.  Click here http://mobile.live.com/GoLive/ for information on Windows Mobile phones: 

How does the calendar system synchronize with mobile devices?
Calendar sync to mobile devices is supported in a variety of ways.  First, if the mobile device uses Windows Mobile®, Microsoft provides a client that provides access to Windows Live data over the air and also synchronizes through ActiveSync ®or the Windows Mobile Device Center in Windows Vista®.  Additionally, there are a number of other synchronization products available to sync data to mobile devices on Windows (and for different calendar applications) and also on other operating systems.  With our standards support users will be able to sync their Window Live calendar on a wide variety of available mobile devices.

How do I get alerts on my cell phone?
You can sign up for text alerts from the Windows Live Alerts service - http://alerts.live.com/Alerts/
(Recipients may be a charged a fee by their mobile provider to receive messages.)

How is data physically secured?
Data is stored on Microsoft servers where all the common Microsoft practices for security are followed. Microsoft does thorough security testing; Microsoft has third parties do penetration testing; Microsoft uses best practices to maximize security of the servers and prevention of unauthorized network access; Microsoft only allows select personnel with approved clearance to have access to the Live site.

Will someone from Microsoft be reading my e-mail?
No. Microsoft will not read your e-mail. See Microsoft's statements on this at http://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/default.mspx and http://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/fullnotice.mspx. While an automated process indexes your e-mail content for fast search retrieval, no one at Microsoft will be looking at your e-mail.

Does CUNY have access to my account, even though it is provided by Microsoft?
By opening and using your account, you agree and consent that CUNY may access your account for administrative and other purposes such as password resets and compliance with University policies governing this service. This may require Microsoft to access and disclose to CUNY any information stored within the account.

Does Microsoft share or sell my contact information with third parties?
No. Microsoft does not share or sell any contact information unless you opt in.  This is covered in Microsoft's comprehensive privacy and disclosure policies which are available not only to Microsoft Live@edu participants but to all users of Microsoft's online services. For more information, please visit http://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/fullnotice.mspx