IT Services

Phone Purchase Instructions

Go to the Procurement Forms and select Phones and Subscriptions.
Log in to the form.
Fill out the form and click save.
Wait for your case to be processed.
During processing, you may receive clarifying inquiries about your case.
The helpdesk will notify you when the device is ready for pickup.

Filling out the procurement form creates a service request in Requeste. While your case is being processed, you can track and comment on it by logging in at hd.metropolia.fi, selecting > Browse Cases > choose the desired case type.

Note: The same form is used to apply for a subscription for a new phone.

Phone Lifespan

Standard models = three (3) years.
Non-standard models and purchase price over €600 (excl. VAT) / €753.00 (incl. VAT) = four (4) years.

Security and Updates

Nokia promises security updates for mobile phones for three years from the model’s release.
For example, the operating system of the work subscription phone model G22 is the same as in the 5.4 model, i.e., Android 12 (information updated on 11.12.2023).
The Nokia 5.4 model can still be used safely even if the mentioned three years have passed.
IT Services is aware of the risk that older work subscription phone models may be outdated in terms of security.
Model-specific update schedules can be checked here.

Basic Information

Every employee must have a phone (smartphone) provided by Metropolia, equipped with email and internet access, which is kept open and carried at least during working hours and can be contacted (e.g., for security communication).
For part-time (hourly teachers) and temporary employees, the need for a phone and subscription is considered (by the supervisor together with the cost center budget manager) based on the duration of the employment, weekly hours, and job duties as a whole.
When purchasing project phones, follow the project equipment procurement guidelines, and project equipment is not allowed to be used as personal work devices.

Non-Standard Mobile Phone Models

An employee can purchase a more expensive phone than the standard model by paying the excess amount themselves. The standard model price for work subscriptions is €180 (excl. VAT) and for benefit subscriptions is €380 (excl. VAT).
If the employee’s job duties require it, cost center managers or directors can, in exceptional cases, decide to participate in the costs exceeding the invoice sharing limits. In this case, the cost center pays the excess amount over the aforementioned compensation amounts.
The user is responsible for support themselves or relying on available instructions.

Depreciation Period

The calculated depreciation period for the phone is 24 months. If the employee’s employment ends before this, the employee must redeem the employer-paid portion or return the phone to the employer. The redemption price is calculated using the formula: employer-paid purchase price / 24 * remaining months of use. The minimum redemption price is €50 (incl. VAT 24%).
The employer’s insurance does not cover mobile phones. When an employee purchases a more expensive phone than the standard model by paying the excess amount themselves, it is recommended to check the compensation practices in advance with their insurance company.
The employer does not reimburse the employee’s paid portion if the employee returns the phone.

Note: OnePlus and Xiaomi models are not currently procured due to challenges in getting them to work at Metropolia.

Approval Limits

The approval of devices exceeding the normal price limits paid by the cost center is the responsibility of:
- Team supervisors can approve the excess up to €380 (excl. VAT).
- Managers / directors up to €600 (excl. VAT).
- Devices more expensive than €600 (excl. VAT) are approved by the competence area budget manager.

Monitoring, Management, and Ownership of Mobile Phones and Subscriptions

All Android phones are managed with Microsoft Intune mobile device management, and iPhones with the Device Enrollment Program (DEP) device registration program.
The supervisor is responsible for monitoring the use of mobile phone subscriptions by their subordinates. Units designate individuals who check and approve phone bills.
IT Services is responsible for the standardization and procurement of phone models. The standardized range (Nokia G42 and Nokia HMD Skyline) is limited considering lifecycle and price targets.
Standardized and fully Metropolia-paid phones are owned by Metropolia for work purposes.

Phone Directory and Number Service

Staff phone numbers can be found using OMA’s People Finder and the external People Finder. Additionally, the Elisa Ring application is automatically found on every phone, it just needs to be activated for use. With it, you can create call forwards, connect calls, search for information in the phone directory, and mark your status (absences).
In number services, use free services, e.g., Fonecta Caller. Note: Registering a Fonecta account costs €0.25 per time. The fee is charged because in Finland, private individuals’ contact information cannot be provided completely free of charge.
After downloading and logging into the application, you can decide whether to continue using Fonecta Caller for free (with limited content) or to subscribe to the paid Caller Pro, which can be tested for free for 14 days.
- Free account: You get 10 free personal and business searches per month. Additionally, you can use number identification in three received calls or messages.
- The paid Caller Pro can be purchased as a monthly subscription for €3.99/month or an annual subscription for €39.99/year.

Phone Bills

Each result area is responsible for monitoring monthly bill details and keeping costs reasonable.
Large phone bills (over €50) are handled with supervisors and future exceedances of the €50 limit are prevented. Phone bills over €300 are reported to the deputy CEO.

Taxation

If you make private calls during your free time with the phone and the employer also pays for them, you receive a taxable phone benefit / employment benefit / fringe benefit from the employer, and it is taxed as salary income. The value of the benefit is added to the recipient’s salary income.
The fringe benefit value of a mobile phone provided by the employer to the employee is €20 per month. The value of the benefit covers the costs incurred from calls, text messages, multimedia messages, and other data communication other than the data communication arranged for the employee’s work use.

Maintenance and Problem Situations

The user makes a maintenance request to the helpdesk as a service request, and the phone is delivered to the lobby services for pickup by the helpdesk. The phone holder is responsible for making the necessary backups of files, address books, and messages before delivering the phone to the helpdesk. The user should be prepared for the phone to undergo a factory reset during maintenance, and all content will be erased from the device. An attempt is made to arrange a replacement phone for the phone holder during maintenance.
In case of damage or theft, the maintenance costs of the devices are allocated according to the IT procurement procedures.
In other cases, the user pays for the maintenance of the devices themselves or with the supervisor’s approval, the cost center / product number. IT Services does not pay for the maintenance of devices purchased with invoice sharing.

Lost or Stolen Mobile Phone

If a mobile phone is lost or stolen, immediately contact Metropolia’s phone service at +358 9 7424 6777 (Mon-Fri 8 am - 4 pm), or at other times Elisa’s business customer service at +358 10 80 4400 (or from abroad +358 10 80 4400) and request to temporarily close the subscription.
If you call Elisa’s business customer service, remember to also notify Metropolia’s phone service about closing the subscription, from where you can get, for example, a temporary phone and subscription.
File a police report at: https://asiointi.poliisi.fi/fi/yksityis/rikos
Send a scanned copy of the police report by email to helpdesk@metropolia.fi.
IT Services will forward a copy of the police report to the operator for device closure, as the police do not provide it.
Once the police report has been submitted to the employer, a new phone can be procured.
Instructions on Elisa’s website.
You can also block the use of Elisa’s business subscription by logging into OmaElisa for Businesses.

Liability for Damages

If the recipient of the mobile phone benefit negligently breaks or loses a mobile phone owned by Metropolia, they are liable for the damage caused. The procurement of a new phone follows the IT equipment procedures.

Redemption

Upon termination of employment, it is possible to negotiate the redemption of the phone with IT Services.

If the phone is connected to Microsoft Intune mobile device management or the Device Enrollment Program (DEP) device registration program, the phone must be reset to factory settings. If you do not know how to do this yourself, you can request help from local support by making a service request. If the phone is not connected to the aforementioned management applications, it does not need to be reset to factory settings.

Removing the device from the aforementioned management applications may result in the device being wiped, and the employee is responsible for backing up the device they have been using.

The redemption price is calculated using the formula: employer-paid purchase price / 24 * remaining months of use. If more than 24 months have passed since the device was purchased, the head of user support decides the redemption price, with a minimum price of €50 (incl. VAT 24%).

The employee removes account links (e.g., Find my device function) from the device and resets it to factory settings or agrees to the device being wiped before handing it over to the helpdesk.

Procurement of a New Subscription Only

Subscriptions and subscription changes are applied for using a separate Subscription Form.

Go to hankintalomake.metropolia.fi
Log in to the e-form.
Fill out the form and click save.
Wait for your case to be processed.
During processing, you may receive clarifying inquiries about your case.
The helpdesk will notify you when the subscription or its change has been processed.

Procurement of a Benefit Subscription

First, discuss with your supervisor. If they approve the procurement of a benefit subscription, the supervisor follows step two.
The supervisor presses the button in Sympa for the mobile phone benefit (supervisor’s signature).
The subscription procurement then goes to the supervisor’s supervisor for approval.
The information goes from Sympa to payroll so they can withhold the taxable value of the benefit.
The user checks in Sympa (according to the Subscription Check instructions on the page) that the mobile phone benefit is visible there and takes a screenshot, which they send to IT Services by responding to the procurement request.
The procurers order the phone.
The supplier invoices the user for the deductible portion of the phone.
The phone is delivered to the user.

Subscription Information

Metropolia employees can choose one type of Elisa subscription (EU subscription), two different subscription levels (work subscription and benefit subscription), two different SIM cards (physical and electronic), and a mobile certificate (only in the physical card subscription).

IT Services

Phone and subscription purchases