Emirates Telecommunications Corporation Etisalat, the Middle East’s leading telecommunications service provider and Research In Motion, a leader in wireless innovation, today announced the launch of BlackBerry to customers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Etisalat will be the first service provider to introduce the BlackBerry wireless platform in the Middle East Gulf region.

Etisalat will initially offer the BlackBerry 8700gTM and the BlackBerry 7290TM handsets. These devices provide an intuitive user experience with support for email, phone, text messaging, Internet, organizer and corporate data applications. These quad-band devices operate on Etisalats GSM/GPRS network and, with Etisalats more than 100 global roaming relationships, in more than 40 countries*.

The end-to-end BlackBerry solution is now launched in the UAE and fully supported through Etisalat, said Essa Al Haddad, Chief Marketing Officer for Etisalat. Results from pilot testing show that the market in the UAE is ready for BlackBerry. We are confident that the BlackBerry solution we offer the handheld devices, software, wireless services and on-site professional services will all be embraced by the corporate and technology markets. BlackBerry from Etisalat will address the serious business needs of the UAEs high powered, and very mobile, corporate workforce.

Press release…

Etisalat