Cingular, Nokia 'Connect' with Nokia 9300
September 28, 2005
EDGE-enabled Business Device First in U.S. to Feature BlackBerry Connect
San Francisco, USA - CTIA WIRELESS IT & ENTERTAINMENT - Cingular Wireless and Nokia
today introduced to the U.S. marketplace the EDGE-powered Nokia 9300 business device
with BlackBerry Connect(TM). Cingular is the first U.S. carrier to launch the popular
BlackBerry® wireless services on a third-party handset via the BlackBerry Connect
licensing program from Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM). The Nokia 9300 will
be available in the U.S. through Cingular Wireless beginning in November.
Corporate customers can now choose the Nokia 9300 business device as an option to
use with the behind-the-firewall BlackBerry Enterprise Server(TM), and individual
and small business customers can use the Nokia 9300 with BlackBerry Connect to access
popular Internet Service Provider (ISP) e-mail accounts through BlackBerry Internet
Service(TM).
In addition to offering the BlackBerry Connect e-mail solution, the Nokia 9300 device
also is compatible with several third-party applications to provide individuals
and businesses of all sizes with a comprehensive wireless solution operating on
EDGE, the largest and fastest national wireless data network in America. EDGE is
available in 13,000 cities and towns, and along more than 40,000 miles of major
highways in the U.S.
The Cingular-enabled Nokia 9300 business device with BlackBerry Connect is designed
for the mobile professional seeking a high-quality combination of PDA, phone and
mobile email in a sleek, compact device. From a traditional handset on the outside,
opening to a full keyboard on the inside for fast, efficient text and data input,
the Nokia 9300 device offers a compelling voice and data experience. Further, it
boasts a wide, brilliant, 65,536 color screen for a best-in-class HTML desktop-like
web browsing experience.
The tri-band (850/1800/1900), Symbian OS-based Nokia 9300 device delivers the high-quality
voice experience that customers have come to expect from the Nokia brand, with key
calling features such as five-way conference call capability, an easy-to-use speaker
phone and Bluetooth® connectivity for use with an optional Bluetooth headset.
"The Nokia 9300 phone marks the convergence of two eagerly anticipated, business-focused
wireless products - the Nokia 9300 and BlackBerry Connect - with Cingular's nationwide*
EDGE network, the largest and fastest national wireless data network in the U.S.,"
said Kent Mathy, president, Business Markets Group, Cingular's B2B organization.
"By bringing all of these together, Cingular is offering a truly powerful tool and
complete voice and data solution both to businesses and individual users."
"Our goals to grow the impact of mobility and be the mobile device of choice for
the enterprise is an exciting opportunity that we look forward to achieving with
the help of partners like Cingular Wireless and RIM," said Mary T. McDowell, executive
vice president and general manager, Nokia Enterprise Solutions. "In a marketplace
where many professionals carry more than one device - one for voice, one for data
- the Nokia 9300 business device is a compelling alternative for companies ready
to mobilize their employees with a single reliable, manageable, business optimized
device."
"BlackBerry Connect is an important part of our global strategy to expand the reach
of BlackBerry services and provide customers with a broader choice of handsets while
maintaining the important benefits of the BlackBerry architecture, infrastructure
and security model," said Mike Lazaridis, president and co-CEO at Research In Motion.
"Together with Cingular and Nokia, we are providing customers with another powerful
business solution that addresses the needs of both users and IT departments."
E-mail Access
BlackBerry Connect will enable the popular, push-based BlackBerry services initially
on the Nokia 9300 for those users who want to access their e-mail and prefer the
look, feel and features of the Nokia phone.
In conjunction with BlackBerry Enterprise Server, corporate users of Microsoft®
Exchange and Lotus Domino® can have synchronized access to their corporate e-mail
as well as calendar functions, remote address book lookup and attachment viewing
capabilities in a secure environment. E-mail administrators also can take advantage
of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server security features such as remote deletion of
messaging data should a device be lost or stolen. Through BlackBerry Internet Service,
individuals and small business customers can use the Nokia 9300 with BlackBerry
Connect to receive e-mail automatically from up to 10 ISP e-mail accounts, including
popular services such as AOL, Yahoo! and Comcast. Set-up for the individual solution
is done easily via a Web-based set-up and configuration process that is started
by clicking on an icon that is sent over-the-air to the Nokia 9300 desktop when
the user activates BlackBerry Connect. Customers can choose to use the corporate
solution or the individual solution, or both at the same time.
Cingular also will offer a second "push" e-mail service on the Nokia 9300 - Cingular
Xpress Mail - that is targeted to individuals and small businesses that want to
access work and personal e-mail. Available in Cingular retail stores and based on
the popular e-mail platform from SEVEN, users have access to e-mail, calendar and
contacts, and have the ability to view attachments. Cingular Xpress Mail supports
Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes corporate e-mail, as well as popular POP3/IMAP
personal e-mail accounts.
The Nokia 9300 from Cingular also will support Nokia Business
Center announced earlier this month. The Nokia Business Center is a new software
solution enabling collaborative business applications for the mobile world, starting
with push e-mail. Available through accredited resellers, the Nokia Business Center
brings mobile e-mail to the corporate masses, changing the economics of mobile email
adoption so that employees at all levels can reap the rewards of virtually anytime,
anywhere access to their corporate email on their mobile phones. Nokia Business
Center complements Nokia's existing portfolio of today's popular email solutions
available for its business-optimized mobile devices.
Application Ecosystem
Above and beyond e-mail, Cingular and Nokia, through Cingular's developer program
and Forum Nokia, the industry's largest mobile developer organization, are building
a business solutions ecosystem to support the Nokia 9300 device. At its inception,
there will be several third-party applications certified by Cingular for use on
the device to present business customers with a compelling and complete wireless
voice and data solution right out of the box. Applications to be available at launch
include those in the areas of sales force automation, field service and security.
"It's not enough to present companies with a highly functional device enabled for
a powerful network - they need to know what they can do with that device to connect
to their office applications and solve the critical needs of their business in a
mobile environment," Mathy explained. "That's why Cingular and Nokia are working
together to deliver a complete portfolio of e-mail and industry-specific applications
for the Nokia 9300 to give businesses a complete set of tools to extend their key
processes wirelessly into the field."
Pricing and Availability
The Nokia 9300 business device will be available in the U.S. in Cingular retail
stores, select Cingular authorized dealers, Cingular.com, and through its direct
B2B sales beginning in November. Cingular will offer the Nokia 9300 for as low as
$299.99 with a two-year contract and after $50 mail-in rebate. Customers can choose
from either a $44.99 BlackBerry unlimited data plan or a $34.99 4Mb BlackBerry data
plan when they also choose a qualifying voice plan. The $44.99 and $34.99 plans
both include data service for BlackBerry Connect, Web browsing and other applications.
In addition, corporate customers, as needed, can purchase BlackBerry Enterprise
Server for a complete enterprise messaging solution directly from Cingular and select
resellers.
*Not available in all areas.
About Nokia
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability
of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information
that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones,
devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment,
solutions and services for network operators and corporations. www.nokia.com.
About Research In Motion
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative
wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development
of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network
standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive
information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications.
RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers
to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM's
portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used
by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerryÒ wireless
platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld(TM) product line, software development tools,
radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based
in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange
(TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.
About Cingular Wireless
Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving
51.6 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications Inc.
(NYSE: SBC) and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE: BLS), has the largest digital voice
and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVERSM network - and the largest mobile-to-mobile
community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier
to offer Rollover®, the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly
minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com. Get Cingular
Wireless press releases e-mailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://cingular.mediaroom.com.
Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor"
provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
When used herein, words such as "intend" and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions
made by and information available to Research In Motion Limited. Investors are cautioned
that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed
or implied by such forward looking statements include, without limitation, possible
product defects and product liability, risks related to international sales and
potential foreign currency exchange fluctuations, the initiation or outcome of litigation,
acts or potential acts of terrorism, international conflicts, significant fluctuations
of quarterly operating results, changes in Canadian and foreign laws and regulations,
continued acceptance of RIM's products, increased levels of competition, technological
changes and the successful development of new products, dependence on third-party
networks to provide services, dependence on intellectual property rights and other
risks and factors detailed from time to time in RIM's periodic reports filed with
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and other regulatory authorities.
The Company has no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive
properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion
and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may
be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company
names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.