Kuwait Telecommunication Company (VIVA), an integrated mobile telecommunications service provider in Kuwait; Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert), and Research In Motion (RIM, have announced the launch of BlackBerry smartphone for VIVA customers in Kuwait.
Through this partnership, VIVA offers BlackBerry (News - Alert) Curve 8900 and BlackBerry Bold smartphones as well as service with BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry Internet Service.
Both handsets provide users with access to a wide range of mobile business and consumer applications.
BlackBerry Bold is a multimedia-enabled smartphone and the first BlackBerry smartphone to support tri-band High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) high-speed networks. It comes with integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) and Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (802.11 a/b/g).
The BlackBerry Curve 8900 is the thinnest and lightest full-QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone available. Like the Bold, Curve also features a wide range of advanced communications and multimedia capabilities.
BlackBerry Enterprise Server is designed for organizations that manage their own email servers. The software integrates with IBM (News - Alert) Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise. It uses advanced encryption and IT policy controls to enable secure, push-based wireless access to email and other corporate data.
Designed for small businesses and individuals, BlackBerry Internet Service allows customers to access up to 10 supported corporate and personal email accounts from a single device.
“As a leader of innovative services, we are committed to expanding our portfolio with the most advanced telecom solutions,” said Najeeb Al-Awadhi, VIVA CEO, in a statement.
Based on its distribution agreement with RIM, Alcatel-Lucent is leveraging its strong local presence in the region to provide VIVA with end-to-end support services for the BlackBerry solution.
While Alcatel-Lucent manages integration and deployment, VIVA focuses on delivering customer facing services, enabling the operator to quickly meet market demand.
According to Vincenzo Nesci, Vice-president of Alcatel-Lucent’s activities in the Middle East and Africa, this contract further reinforces Alcatel-Lucent’s ability to leverage their global strengths and local presence to deliver enterprise managed communications and value-added services, enabling the operator to quickly meet market demand.
“We are pleased to work with Alcatel-Lucent and VIVA to introduce the BlackBerry solution to VIVA customers in Kuwait,” said Mark Guibert, vice president, Corporate Marketing at RIM. “BlackBerry smartphones are popular with people around the world who want well-balanced mobile phones that deliver advanced features, refined usability and stylish designs.”
Rajani Baburajan is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Rajani's articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by Stefania Viscusi
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