Sprint Announces BlackBerry Bold 9650 #BlackBerry #Sprint #RIM

Press Release

Advanced Features and Refined Style of BlackBerry Bold 9650 Smartphone Coming to Sprint

Available in all Sprint sale channels May 23, the new BlackBerry Bold
9650 offers international roaming for a global smartphone experience

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With an extensive array of
high-end communications and multimedia features, compact and highly
refined design and international roaming capabilities, the new
BlackBerry® Bold™ 9650 smartphone will be available from Sprint (NYSE:
S). It will operate on Sprint’s nationwide 3G Network domestically,
and roams on other high-speed wireless networks around the world for
reliable voice and email communication.

The BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone will be available for $199.99 with
a new two-year service agreement, after a $100 mail-in rebate (taxes &
surcharges excluded). It can be purchased in all other Sprint sales
channels, including Web sales (www.sprint.com), Telesales
(1-800-SPRINT1), Sprint Business Sales, Sprint stores, national
retailers and third-party dealers, Sunday, May 23.

BlackBerry Bold 9650 provides instant access to email, calendar,
contacts, robust business and entertainment applications and
location-based services, leveraging the best performing wireless
networks in the United States and abroad. It is also ideally suited
for those who want to stay socially connected and share moments
through pictures and videos over MMS and popular IM services like
BlackBerry® Messenger. It also offers easy access to social networking
sites like Flickr®, MySpace™ and Facebook®, with smooth integration,
providing a great view of what’s happening both personally and
professionally.

“BlackBerry Bold 9650 extends Sprint’s position of offering the best
portfolio of BlackBerry smartphones in the industry with a powerful
mobility tool for those who want to stay connected, both domestically
and abroad,” said Fared Adib, vice president – Product Development,
Sprint. “Our customers will appreciate its fast Web browsing,
downloads and streaming as well as social media and productivity
enhancing applications. This is an ideal smartphone for juggling busy
personal and professional lives.”

“The BlackBerry Bold 9650 is a sophisticated and feature-rich
smartphone with uncompromising performance that lets you stay
connected to the people and content that matter most, whether at home
or travelling the world,” said David Smith, vice president of Handheld
Product Management, RIM.

In addition to top-of-the-line performance, functionality and
features, the BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone comes with BlackBerry®
OS 5. It is also designed with a smoothly integrated optical trackpad
and a distinctive, highly tactile, fretted keyboard and features a
large, high-resolution display (480 x 360 resolution at 245 ppi).

Additional features include:

-Access to up to 10 supported email accounts (including most popular
ISP email accounts such as Yahoo!®, Windows Live™
-Hotmail®, AOL® and Gmail™), plus BlackBerry® Enterprise Server
support offering advanced security and IT administration capabilities
for corporate deployments
-Built-in GPS and Wi-Fi® (802.11 b/g)
-3.2 MP camera with flash, variable zoom, image stabilization,
autofocus and video recording
-Advanced media player for enjoying pictures, video and music
-512 MB Flash memory and an expandable memory card slot that supports
up to 32 GB microSDHC cards, with a 2 GB microSD card included
-3.5 mm stereo headset jack
-Support for the Bluetooth® stereo headsets (A2DP/AVCRP)
-Sprint Music Store, Sprint Navigation, Sprint TV®, Sprint Football
Live and NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile
-BlackBerry® App World™ for access to thousands of applications

The 3G Sprint Mobile Broadband Network (inclusive of data roaming)
reaches more than 269 million people, 18,652 cities and 1,838
airports. The Sprint Mobile Broadband Network (inclusive of data
roaming) have twice the coverage of AT&T’s current 3G network and 14
times the coverage of T-Mobile’s current 3G network, both based on
square miles1.

According to Sprint performance data, Sprint Mobile Broadband
connections are successfully connected and maintained better than 99
out of 100 times. According to a recent independent network test
conducted by PC World, no one has a more reliable network than Sprint
based on a recent 13 city 3G performance test 2.

BlackBerry Bold 9650 for most customers requires activation on an
Everything Data plan or a Business Advantage Messaging and Data plan.
Additional plan options are available for business customers. For just
$69.99 per month, Sprint’s affordable Everything Data 450 plan with
Any Mobile, AnytimeSM gives customers unlimited calling with any U.S.
wireless user, unlimited text and picture messaging, unlimited Web,
email and social networking, and unlimited GPS navigation for the same
price AT&T and Verizon charge for unlimited talk only. Sprint
Everything Data plans also automatically enroll customers in the
Sprint Premier loyalty program, which provides annual device upgrades,
discounted accessories and other benefits.

Sprint’s Simply EverythingSM plan offers nationwide unlimited calling,
unlimited text and unlimited data, including email, social networking,
Web browsing, Sprint Navigation, Sprint TV, streaming music, Sprint
Football Live and NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile, for only $99.99 per month
(plus taxes and surcharges). That is a $480 savings over two years vs.
a comparable AT&T iPhone(R) plan3. (Prices exclude taxes and
surcharges. Both Everything Data and Simply Everything plans are
available to existing customers without extending their service
agreement. New lines of service require a two-year service agreement.)

International Travel

The BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone operates domestically on the
Sprint 3G network, and globally on 2100 MHz UMTS/HSPA and quad-band
EDGE/GSM/GPRS networks where Sprint has international roaming
agreements. With this smartphone, Sprint customers have the power to
make or receive phone calls in more than 185 countries and access
BlackBerry® data services including email, apps and Web browsing in
nearly 150 countries.

Sprint offers clear value and simplicity with its Worldwide
BlackBerry® service plan. The Worldwide BlackBerry plan gives
customers unlimited BlackBerry email and Web access in the United
States, Canada, Mexico, and other locations using CDMA technology, and
with UMTS and EDGE/GSM/GPRS carriers abroad where Sprint has
applicable roaming agreements. The plan is available to corporate
customers for $69.99 per month, or an additional $40 per month
(excluding taxes and surcharges) as an attachable to Simply
EverythingSM, Everything Data, Everything Data Family or Business
Advantage with Messaging and Data plans.

Sprint international voice roaming rates range from $0.59 to $5.99 per
minute, depending on where customers are calling. Customers making
frequent calls while in Canada can take advantage of a specific
service plan for $2.99 per month which allows calls to be made and
received at $0.20 per minute. Additional pricing plans are available
exclusively to enterprise customers.

Customers also have the option of using a third-party SIM for
international voice and data services.

--@ParaCAD