April 25 (Bloomberg) -- Research In Motion Ltd. and Verizon
Wireless will start selling a BlackBerry device next month that
makes it easier for U.S. customers to send e-mail and make phone
calls abroad.
Verizon Wireless customers who buy the 8830 will be able to
send e-mail in more than 60 countries for a flat rate, starting
at $64.99 a month. The device will work as a phone in more than
150 countries. Other carriers will start offering the 8830 in the
future, Balsillie said.
Motorola in February introduced versions of its Q e-mail
phone, which competes with the BlackBerry. Nokia the same month
unveiled three e-mail phones for business use.
The companies are banking on the new products to gain a
bigger share of e-mail phone sales, a market that will soar 43
percent this year to almost $6 billion in the U.S. alone,
according to Strategy Analytics, a Boston research firm.
``This definitely addresses a broad range of business
executives,'' Balsillie said in an interview.
