Does Android devices lose contact with Google ZTE portal if they are not activated or they do not report back after x number of days? Is there a policy for that?

[Arifn]

So we have some Android devices that are imported to ZTE and then sent to the customers but the customers didn't enroll the devices immediately. They have inactive and turned off for 5 months. After 5 month when they start the device and connect to the internet (Wi-Fi) the enrollment is NOT happening. It just starts without any company profil. You can set it up as a normal private device without access to company apps etc.

so my question is, is there a policy in ZTE for this? If the device doesn't report back after x number of days just kick it out / don't talk to that device anymore even if it is still in ZTE portal with a profil.

[jasonbayton]

Hi there @Arifn 

No, once registered the devices remain so. It sounds like the devices are misconfigured or perhaps not correctly registered. 

Can you verify the IMEI registered is IMEI1 on multi-SIM devices, and there's a config applied?

[Arifn]

Okay thanks for confirming that!
All the devices are imported with the exact same policy and configuration. Nothing has changed.
Yes, we always use IMEI1. How can I check it in the ZTP if the device has config applied? Beside seeing that it has a work profile assigned to it and the DPC that applies to every imported devices. Because if I understand this right, you import the devices to ZTP and then the device has to be turned on and connect to a network in order to get the config right? 

[Moombas]

Hi @Arifn , in the ZTP go to devices. There you have all devices listed with their IMEI numbers claimed and under the configurations column there should be a configuration name shown for each IMEI.

As my ZTP is shown in german, I'm not sure what's written there in EN (translation would be: no configuration) if there's no configuration assigned.

[Arifn]

This is what I see, can you please share a screenshot from your end. Am I missing something?

[Moombas]

Looks like you are in the reseller portal (never seen) and not in the customer portal:

[Moombas]

Hi @Arifn , additional to Jasons question:

The devices are not showing a prompt that will reset them after ~2 hours (enrolled offline = not ZTP connection possible during enrollment)?

Test to remove the configuration (in ZTP) from a device with this issue and assign it after that agin. Then wipe the device and check again. We had to do this to some devices which behaved the same even it looked fine in the portal and after they have been fine.

[Arifn]

Hello @Moombas 
No, they are not getting prompted that the device will reset after 2 hours.
"We had to do this to some devices which behaved the same even it looked fine in the portal and after they have been fine." 
^ I think this is our problem too, the thing is that the devices has already been started and setup with a private Gmail and users have been using them without enrollment profiles, company apps etc. So they don't really want to wipe / reset them now. Would a soft enrollment work well, you think? Users can download company portal app and log in with their M365 account and they get a work profile on their device. Have you experience from setting up like this?

[Moombas]

You need to decide as you have less control over the device and their restrictions in a BYOD (work profile) than on a COPE (work managed) device.

We don't use it right now (only fully managed) but investigating into both (BYOD and COPE) but as the devices are owned by the company those need to be enrolled as COPE from our end to ensure access.

[Arifn]

Okay thanks for the info!

So did you find out with had happened to those devices that weren't getting enrolled? Because as I said in my earlier reply to @jasonbayton we didn't change anything in config or profiles. We uploaded the IMEI1 numbers to ZTP and sent the devices to customers. Some of them worked and got enrolled and some of them didn't get the enrollment prompt when started and even connected to the internet.

[Moombas · Accepted solution]

No, i just removed the config of the issuing device and reassigned it. Then all went fine after the wipe of the device.

As we had this only to some very few devices there was no more to investigate as there must be something on ZTP side something showing correctly but not working properly.

[Arifn]

I am afraid this is the case even for us. We tested the exact same scenario and it worked well after removing config and wiping the device. Thank you very much for you replies and time! Much appreciated!
 @jasonbayton Have you heard about this problem before, do you know if it's a recent or old problem.