SAN FRANCISCO-Following years of delays, Nokia Corp. finally is set to launch its 9300 device running Research In Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerry software in the United States. The device will be available exclusively through Cingular Wireless L.L.C. beginning in November.
Cingular, which reportedly serves more BlackBerry customers than any other operator in the world, noted the device would be the first third-party device in the country to use the BlackBerry Connect licensing platform running on its Symbian operating system. Cingular said the device will retail for as low as $300 with mail-in rebates and a two-year contract.
Befitting its business target, the 9300 includes traditional handset features on the outside, as well as a full keyboard and a larger 65,536-color screen inside its clamshell case. The handset will include five-way conference-calling capability, speakerphone and Bluetooth capabilities.
Cingular said it also will offer its Xpress Mail push e-mail service on the device, targeting individual and small businesses, and it noted that the 9300 will support the previously announced Nokia Business Center software solution.
The tri-band device will include support for Cingular’s nationwide EDGE network but is not compatible with its higher-speed UMTS/HSDPA network. The carrier plans to begin rolling out the upgraded network later this year.
Cingular Business Markets Group President Kent Mathy said the device would sell alongside the traditional BlackBerry devices, as well as Good Technology Inc.’s GoodLink platform.
Cingular also provided another round of updates on the progress it is making in integrating the former AT&T Wireless Services Inc. operations. Mathy said the integration still is on track to be completed in 2007.
“We are entering into the most critical phase of the integration process,” Mathy said. He added that the carrier is moving from “13 good networks” toward “four great ones.”
Cingular noted that significant progress has been made on integrating the GSM operations, which after the merger included 63 overlapping markets. Mathy said the carrier would have 35 of those overlapped markets completely integrated by the end of the year and that some of those markets will include up to 60 percent more cell sites than competing carriers.
“This will ensure great coverage and robust capacity,” Mathy said.
Cingular also is cutting down the 47 overlapping TDMA markets it controlled after it acquired AWS last October. As it stands today, less than 20 percent of its customers and 10 percent of its traffic operate on the TDMA networks. Mathy added that despite the downturn in total traffic and customers, Cingular actually would begin providing better TDMA coverage in some markets.
Cingular also said it is on track to launch higher-speed UMTS/HSDPA services across 20 markets by the end of the year and in more than 100 markets by the end of 2006. The carrier added that it is conducting call trials in the 20 initial markets, and that the data capabilities would provide network speeds of between 400 kilobits per second and 700 kbps.
Cingular did not provide an update on the markets included in the initial launch, but they are expected to include the six markets already offering UMTS services launched by AWS last year.
The launch is seen by many analysts as strategic for Cingular as rivals Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. aggressively have rolled out competing CDMA2000 1x EV-DO services that provide data network speeds similar to the 400 kbps to 700 kbps Cingular claims for its impending launch.
Cingular also is ramping up the unwinding of its network-sharing arrangement with T-Mobile USA Inc., which was reconfigured prior to Cingular’s acquisition of AWS.
The deal originally called for Cingular to provide service in New York City using T-Mobile USA’s network in exchange for T-Mobile USA having access to Cingular’s California and Nevada networks. Mathy said the unwind would be completed by the end of 2006, though T-Mobile USA will continue to provide roaming services to Cingular in California and Nevada for several years.
