Cingular Will Run BlackBerry on Nokia Phones

SAN FRANCISCO -- Cingular Wireless in November will enable its subscribers to use Research in Motion's BlackBerry software on a non-BlackBerry device for the first time, the mobile operator announced Wednesday at the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment show here this week.

The BlackBerry Connect software will be available on the Nokia 9300, a flip-open handset with a QWERTY keyboard, Cingular said in a statement Wednesday. BlackBerry Connect is software that RIM is beginning to license to third parties for use on non-RIM devices. RIM's BlackBerry, one of the first handhelds to have a keyboard, has become a familiar sight as business users rely on it for real-time e-mail on the road. Cingular said it will be the first U.S. operator to offer BlackBerry Connect.

Alternate Access

Enterprises will be able to use BlackBerry Connect with the Blackberry Enterprise Server, and individuals and small businesses can use it to access Internet service provider and Web-based e-mail accounts through BlackBerry Internet Service, according to Cingular. Customers could also use the individual and enterprise BlackBerry services at the same time.

Cingular has a national Global System for Mobile communications/General Packet Radio Service (GSM/GPRS) network and faster infrastructure in many locations. It is the largest mobile operator in the U.S., with more than 50 million subscribers. The 9300 will use Cingular's national Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) network where available.

RIM is not about to give up on the hardware business. It announced at CTIA on Tuesday a deal with Intel to use that company's upcoming mobile processor, code-named Hermon, in a phone to be launched in the fourth quarter. However, RIM is up against emerging competitors, notably Good Technology, that make mobile e-mail software for many different devices.

Sprint Nextel, the nation's third-largest operator, plans to roll out BlackBerry Connect on PalmOS devices next year, said Eric Martin, manager of business device marketing, in an interview at CTIA Wednesday. The company is responding to customer requests, he said. Sprint currently offers Palm Treo handhelds running PalmOS.

"Not everyone is sold on the legacy RIM form factor," Martin said.