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Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) RIM.TO said on Tuesday it has launched a new version of its popular BlackBerry e-mail device, which includes "walkie-talkie" feature, with U.S. wireless carrier Nextel Communications Inc. NXTL.O
Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM said the new Java-based BlackBerry 6510 device begins shipping this week from Nextel, the No. 5 U.S. wireless telephone company. Financial terms of the agreement, which was widely expected, were not disclosed.
RIM noted that more than 90 percent of Nextel's subscriber base, which stood at about 10.1 million customers at the end of the third quarter, were business customers, who are the primary users of the BlackBerry.
"They've been talking about this for some time and said it was going to be available. It's much pretty similar to the previously launched 6710 , integrated phone, integrated earpiece speaker," said Michael Abramsky, senior technology analyst with Canaccord Capital.
"Nextel is a very important relationship for RIM because the 10.1 million Nextel subscribers are ideally suited to RIM's subscriber base. And Nextel has stated pretty frequently that it's pretty bullish on the outlook..it's a potentially big opportunity for RIM."
Nextel has managed to post strong quarterly results in the highly competitive U.S. wireless industry partly due to the popularity of Direct Connect, a service similar to a walkie-talkie, especially used by technicians and construction crews. The new BlackBerry device includes the Direct Connect feature.
RIM and Nextel announced in January they would work with Motorola Inc. MOT.N to develop a BlackBerry device that would operate on Nextel's national network and use Motorola's iDEN technology.
Separately, RIM also announced on Tuesday that it reached a new supply agreement with Alpha Micro Components to distribute RIM's OEM radio modems for GSM/GPRS wireless networks to device manufacturers in the Britain and Ireland.
Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM said the new Java-based BlackBerry 6510 device begins shipping this week from Nextel, the No. 5 U.S. wireless telephone company. Financial terms of the agreement, which was widely expected, were not disclosed.
RIM noted that more than 90 percent of Nextel's subscriber base, which stood at about 10.1 million customers at the end of the third quarter, were business customers, who are the primary users of the BlackBerry.
"They've been talking about this for some time and said it was going to be available. It's much pretty similar to the previously launched 6710 , integrated phone, integrated earpiece speaker," said Michael Abramsky, senior technology analyst with Canaccord Capital.
"Nextel is a very important relationship for RIM because the 10.1 million Nextel subscribers are ideally suited to RIM's subscriber base. And Nextel has stated pretty frequently that it's pretty bullish on the outlook..it's a potentially big opportunity for RIM."
Nextel has managed to post strong quarterly results in the highly competitive U.S. wireless industry partly due to the popularity of Direct Connect, a service similar to a walkie-talkie, especially used by technicians and construction crews. The new BlackBerry device includes the Direct Connect feature.
RIM and Nextel announced in January they would work with Motorola Inc. MOT.N to develop a BlackBerry device that would operate on Nextel's national network and use Motorola's iDEN technology.
Separately, RIM also announced on Tuesday that it reached a new supply agreement with Alpha Micro Components to distribute RIM's OEM radio modems for GSM/GPRS wireless networks to device manufacturers in the Britain and Ireland.