The article provides instructions on how to get started with Secure Phone. Before we begin, you might want to read Secure Phone overview first.
Prerequisites
Before you get started with Secure Phone, you need:
- Secure Phone device
- Secure Phone subscription
- Internet connection
Your distributor is responsible for setting up your account subscription and delivering to you your Secure Phone device.
Secure Phone Enrollment
The Secure Phone enrollment is the process when your device is configured with your account and settings. In terms of user experience, you sign in to the device with your account and provide some preferences. Connected to the server side, Secure Phone fetches your configurations and syncs.
Check out our quick video guide on how to enroll Secure Phone.
When signing in for the first time or after a device wipe:
- Turn on the device and select your preferred language. Tap to see the list of available languages:
- Select your Internet connectivity.
- If you have a SIM card, select Mobile connection and proceed.
For mobile data connectivity, we recommend that you subscribe to the Secure SIM international unlimited data plan. - If you don’t have a SIM card, you have no other option but to use a Wi-Fi connection. We strongly recommend you to use a trusted Wi-Fi network for all internet connections.
When the device connects to the Internet tap the Next button to continue.
If you receive a message “Unable to find SAS instance,” the Internet connection is blocked by the firewall and you have to select another trusted Wi-Fi network or contact your administrator.
3. At this stage, you need to enroll the device with your account. This can be done using either an active Secure Phone account or an activation code.
- If you have an active Secure Phone account provided by your distributor, enter your full username (which is an email address) and password. Tap Next.
- If you have an activation code (also called promo code), tap Create account using activation code. Enter your coupon and follow the account creation steps.
The difference between the two scenarios is that with self-enrollment (activation code) you pass through several account-creation steps, which are not needed with pre-created accounts. The latter is the common device enrollment scenario, and we assume that you’ve been using it further in the article.
4. Set date and time. Tap Next.
5. Select Device lock method.
Choose between PIN or Password, the latter is the safer option. Note that the device lock methods are policy-dependable and you may not have permission to use a certain method.
After selecting the lock method, set your PIN or password and move on.
Secure Phone devices reject passwords that are composed of identical characters (for example, 0000). Any combination of four identical letters or numbers applied on the Lock screen will get the device directly into Incognito Mode.
6. Enter Encryption password.
Type and retype your password for storage encryption (and decryption).
You will need to supply this password upon each reboot of Secure Phone. Otherwise, you will not be able to access your device at all.
There is a limit of incorrect input attempts to decrypt the Secure Phone storage. Too many incorrect attempts may result in Secure Phone wipe.
Next, Secure Phone enters the storage encryption process. This may take a minute or two to complete.
First boot and device backup
After the storage encryption is completed, Secure Phone reboots. To access your device, you need to
- Enter your decryption password
- Enter your unlock PIN or password. Note that the keyboard is mixed.
On start, Secure Phone shows a welcome screen and guides through the most important security apps. Next, it notifies you about the pending updates. Download and install it.
The Secure Backup app appears on display to remind you to create a backup for your data. This is an optional step. You can set Secure Backup to auto-perform this task routinely. Backups are stored in a remote location and will be available for you to restore from, even after device wipe. Follow this link to learn how to backup your data.
Enter Secure Phone for the first time
Your Secure Phone is up and running! Please review our quick list with what to do next. This is the Home screen.
Device status and syncing
One of the key features of Secure Phone is that it continuously keeps connected to the Secure Phone services of SAS (the Secure Administration System). This is needed for the integrity of the Secure OS and apps; as well as the entire Secure Phone ecosystem.
The device notifies you with the sync status of your apps. In order to view your connectivity stats with SAS, swipe the main Home screen to the right to access the Status Screen.
If you experience issues with your device, this screen is your first point of reference. Whenever a problem occurs, Secure Phone marks it with yellow or red.
Device syncing
Your device automatically syncs with the SAS services on regular intervals (as configured in SAS). On top of the Status Screen, you can see when was the last time your device syncing with the system.
Device syncing is necessary for all services to operate properly, and to have the latest builds and updates. If you want to force-sync your Secure Phone, tap (right next to the timestamp of your last successful sync).
Important! There is a limit to failed sync attempts. However, if you fail to sync your device more than the preset value, Secure Phone wipes its storage! This value is configured in SAS. Contact your SAS administrator (or distributor) to learn more about the number of permitted failed sync attempts of your Secure Phone.
Quick references
The Secure Phone User guide includes a collection of articles. Follow this link for more info.
Next Steps
To quickly jump to topics like adding contacts and communicating safely with people, check out these Getting started articles and learn how to:
- Send/receive encrypted emails: Secure Email – A quick start guide
- Exchange protected instant messages and make safe voice calls: Secure Chat – A quick start guide