KT Powertel And RIM Launch BlackBerry For The First Time In Korea
KT Powertel, a nationwide carrier providing an integrated network for 'PTT' (Push-To-Talk) and voice calls, and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM)(TSX: RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, today introduced BlackBerry® for the first time in Korea. KT Powertel is launching the BlackBerry 7100i™ together with BlackBerry Enterprise Server™ for its corporate customers.
BlackBerry is the world's leading wireless communications solution providing mobile professionals with wireless access to email, phone, Internet, text messaging, organizer and corporate data applications from a single device.
"KT Powertel is proud to be first to launch BlackBerry in Korea with RIM. BlackBerry is trusted by business and government organizations worldwide for its 'push-based', secure, manageable and scalable architecture. KT Powertel's customers will join over 5 million BlackBerry users who enjoy the productivity and connectivity benefits of BlackBerry," said Kim Woosik, CEO of KT Powertel. "BlackBerry is a strong addition to our offering of 'total business communications solutions'. KT Powertel will address the mobility needs of the corporate market in Korea by providing the world-leading BlackBerry communications platform leveraging KT Powertel's PTT network."
"We are very pleased to bring BlackBerry to the Korean market with KT Powertel. Korea is one of the world's leading telecom markets and offers a significant opportunity for BlackBerry," said Norm Lo, Vice President, Asia Pacific at Research In Motion. "In addition to the wide-ranging benefits of the unique BlackBerry architecture, KT Powertel's customers will also enjoy the "push-to-talk" capabilities supported by the KT Powertel network and BlackBerry 7100i handset, allowing them to stay better connected on the go."
The BlackBerry 7100i's high-resolution color display is optimized for both indoor and outdoor viewing. It comes with 64 MB of flash memory, 8 MB of SRAM and a removable, rechargeable lithium battery. The BlackBerry 7100i also incorporates SureType™ keyboard technology. SureType combines a phone keypad and a QWERTY keyboard to fit elegantly within the size of a wireless phone form factor. Through an integrated keyboard and software system, SureType provides users with a familiar look and feel and enables them to dial phone numbers and type messages quickly, accurately and comfortably. The BlackBerry 7100i is also GPS-enabled to support location based applications and services.
For corporate customers, KT Powertel offers BlackBerry Enterprise Server™, which tightly integrates with Microsoft® Exchange, IBM Lotus® Domino® and Novell GroupWise® and works with existing enterprise systems to enable secure, push-based, wireless access to e-mail and other corporate data.
About KT Powertel
KT Powertel, a subsidiary of KT Corporation (NYSE: KTC), formerly Korea Telecom, is a business mobile telecommunications specialist that provides the optimum means for telecommunications. KT Powertel integrates mobile telephony, wireless data service, and more for the purpose of stimulating business. KT Powertel also provides the domestic trunked radio system service. KTC is Korea's leading telephone service provider with nationwide coverage for fixed-line communication networks and over 20 million subscribers. Today, the company has set its sight on becoming a global Internet service provider through ongoing technology development and management innovation.
About Research In Motion (RIM)
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 BlackBerry® wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ 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 http://www.rim.com or http://www.blackberry.com.