AT&T BlackBerry 8820 officially announced; onsale tomorrow
Availability for the Wi-Fi enabled device will begin tomnorrow, September 20. Users will be able to use the device in any of 10,000 AT&T-branded or affiliated Wi-Fi hotspots.
For business customers, the BlackBerry 8820 provides support for 802.11a, b and g with enterprise security features,. RIM says this will extend the BlackBerry platform to business customers at public hot spots and on wireless local area networks. Customers can use a BlackBerry 8820 to link to their enterprise through home Wi-Fi networks.
RIM and AT&T also tout the BlackBerry 8820 as supporting AT&T Mobile Music, an integrated, on-the-go music experience that delivers "your music, your way" by providing simple access to a robust collection of music content, including access to online subscription music content from eMusic, XM Satellite Radio and more.
The BlackBerry 8820 will be available for $299.99 - with a two-year contract and rebate - in all 1,800 AT&T retail stores nationwide, online at http://www.wireless.att.com and through select national retailers and AT&T business-to-business sales organizations.
And the charges? Oh yes, the charges. Here's what RIM and AT&T Wireless say 'bout that:
Customers who want personal e-mail access and Web browsing with BlackBerry Internet Service can choose the BlackBerry Personal Unlimited plan for as low as $29.99 a month with a qualified voice contract. Unlimited corporate e-mail access via BlackBerry® Enterprise Server is as low as $44.99 a month when a qualified voice plan also is chosen. Customers who travel overseas can select an unlimited international e-mail access plan for as low as $64.99 a month with a qualified voice plan.
Unlimited Push to Talk service is available for an additional monthly charge of $9.99 for each handset and $19.99 for Push to Talk Family. AT&T Push to Talk also features a pay-per-use option of 15 cents a minute. XM Satellite Radio and MusicID, which are features within AT&T Mobile Music, require monthly subscription fees of $8.99 and $3.99, respectively. TeleNav GPS Navigator is available for additional monthly charges of $5.99 for 10 trips and $9.99 for unlimited trips. TeleNav Track service plans are $12.99 to $21.99 for each device.