Doha, Qatar and Waterloo, ON - Qtel and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced the launch of the BlackBerry® solution in Qatar in association with Emitac Mobile Solution (EMS), a Dubai based solutions provider. The partnership between Qtel, EMS and RIM enables customers in Qatar to enjoy the benefits of the BlackBerry wireless solution, which offers businesses and individuals easy wireless access to email, phone, Internet, text messaging, organizer and other mobile applications.
“The launch asserts and enhances Qtel’s role as a business solutions provider. The BlackBerry solution offers advanced security standards, rich IT management features and integrates with existing enterprise systems to extend wireless communication and corporate data applications (including email) to mobile users. With BlackBerry smartphones and services, we are providing a one-stop solution to our customers,” said Sheikh Fahad Bin Jassim Al Thani, chief operating officer, Qtel.
Qatar Airways, which has its operational hub in the State of Qatar and is one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, will be the first customer to deploy the BlackBerry solution in Qatar.
“Qatar Airways is extremely delighted to participate in the launch of the BlackBerry solution, which promises to be a highly popular communications tool for our sales force, managers and key operational staff across Qatar Airways’ international network. As a global airline, we connect Doha with the rest of the world and the BlackBerry solution will help our staff stay connected to each other, as well as head office and our entire network. Gaining access to mobile email and other applications will greatly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our staff.”
“We are pleased to be able to bring the benefits of the BlackBerry solution to customers in Qater, thanks to our partnership with Qtel and EMS,” said Charmaine Eggberry, Vice President and Managing Director of RIM, EMEA. “The BlackBerry solution is ideal for enterprises that want to achieve higher levels of productivity and collaboration and for individuals who want to make the most of their work and personal lives.”
Qtel is offering the BlackBerry® Enterprise Solution for the enterprise market and BlackBerry® Internet Service for smaller businesses and individual users. Qtel is also providing a choice of three BlackBerry smartphones for its customers: the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8100, the BlackBerry® 8800 and the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8300.
Corporate customers can set up BlackBerry smartphones to integrate with their enterprise systems using BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, which is installed behind the corporate firewall and offers advanced security and IT management features. BlackBerry Enterprise Server tightly integrates with IBM Lotus® Domino®, Microsoft® Exchange and Novell® GroupWise® to provide push-based wireless access to email and other corporate data.
BlackBerry® Internet Service is available for smaller businesses and individuals that use a web based email solution. This service allows customers to access up to 10 supported POP3 or IMAP4 accounts, including most popular ISP accounts such as Gmail™ and Yahoo!® Mail.
Emitac Mobile Solution, RIM's strategic channel partner, will provide localised support to Qtel customers. “We are very pleased to be working so closely with Qtel and supporting their mission to offer the best customer experience with high quality services and unmatched functionality. We strongly believe that our complete wireless solution offering will make mobile connectivity a success in Qatar," said Baber Khan, CEO of EMS.
One of the smallest and lightest smartphones on the market, the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 packs the power and functionality that users have come to expect from a BlackBerry smartphone in an elegant design. Beneath its sleek and stylish exterior, this award winning smartphone supports powerful communications and rich multimedia capabilities, which has made it popular among business users and consumers alike.
The BlackBerry 8800 is an elegant smartphone designed to satisfy the most demanding mobile professional. It includes a full, highly tactile QWERTY keyboard with a range of new features including built-in GPS, a multimedia player and an expandable memory card slot. The large, high resolution screen, with its automatic light sensing technology, makes viewing email, the Internet and other applications a pleasure.
The BlackBerry Curve 8300 is the smallest and lightest full-QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone. Its stylish design, large display and range of advanced multimedia features, including a 2 megapixel camera, complete with 5x digital zoom, built-in flash, self-portrait mirror and full screen viewfinder, makes it easy to stay connected to the information and people that matter most.
To subscribe to the BlackBerry solution, corporate customers can contact their Account Manager in Qtel. Other customers can visit any of the Qtel Customer Service Centers to subscribe for the service.
For more information on the new BlackBerry smartphones and services, call 8008000 or visit the Qtel website at www.qtel.com.qa
About Qatar Telecom QSC
Qatar Telecom (Qtel) is the exclusive telecommunications provider in Qatar. Its principal activities include local and international fixed telephone, mobile, Internet, data and cable television services.
Qtel is committed to growing its presence regionally and internationally. Qtel operates in 15 countries in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, through its subsidiary and associate companies and covers a total population of 527 million.
Qtel was the Prestige Partner of, and Official Telecommunications Provider to, the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006, where it implemented the most advanced technologies in the region, including a wide range of services for local and international telephony, Internet and data services and television and radio broadcasting required to support the Games and transmission to over 3 billion people around the world.
Qtel is a winner of the 2005 Gulf Excellence Award and the 2006 GCC Economic Award. The company is listed on the Doha Securities Market and on other stock exchanges in the GCC.
For more information, visit: www.qtel.com.qa
About Qatar Airways
Doha-based Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 59 aircraft to 80 destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Far East and North America.
The airline will have a fleet of 110 aircraft by 2015 – almost double the existing size. Qatar Airways has ordered 80 Airbus A350s, together with 60 Boeing 787s and 32 Boeing 777s. The airline is a launch customer of the twin-deck Airbus A380 ‘super jumbos’ with five aircraft on order and scheduled for delivery from 2010. Qatar Airways moves to the New Doha International Airport in 2009, when the first phase of the new facility opens. For more information, visit www.ndiaproject.com
Qatar Airways is one of only five airlines in the world with a Five Star ranking for service and excellence awarded by Skytrax, the independent aviation industry monitoring agency. Skytrax also named Qatar Airways’ cabin crew as Best in the Middle East for the fifth year running in 2007 following a survey of more than 12 million passengers. During the 2006/07 financial year, Qatar Airways carried more than 8 million passengers worldwide. For more information, log onto www.qatarairways.com
About Emitac Mobile Solution (EMS)
Emitac Mobile Solutions (EMS) is a Dubai based solutions and service provider and Research In Motion (RIM) strategic channel partner focused on the delivery, implementation and support of BlackBerry solutions. EMS provides mobile operators with sales, marketing, distribution, solution implementation and technical support services for the BlackBerry wireless platform from RIM.
For organisations using the BlackBerry wireless platform, EMS provides the ability to rapidly create, deploy and manage robust client-server wireless applications that reduce an organization's total cost of ownership and significantly increases the value of their mobile technology investment.
EMS is the region’s first Mobile Virtual Solutions Provider (MVSP) whose services are delivered through partnerships the company has with mobile operators in the Gulf, North Africa and Eastern Europe. For more information about EMS, visit http://www.emsmobile.com
About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM's portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry® wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.BlackBerry.com .
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