Reliance launched Prepaid BlackBerry Services in India

Reliance Communications today launched the country's first prepaid Blackberry services on both GSM and CDMA models. This has extended the reach of Blackberry smartphones to over 200 million prepaid users in India, a RCom statement said here.

So far, Blackberry is available only on the postpaid connections of Vodafone Essar and Bharti Airtel. The company has introduced two tariff plans for it-Plan Rs 1,299 and Plan Rs 1,599. In both the plans Reliance to Reliance mobile local and intra-circle calls are free.

n Plan 1,299 call charges range from 49 paise to 99 paise for local and STD calls from Rcom to other networks. The international calls range from Rs 6.90 a minute to Rs 40 a minute depending on the country.

A first of its kind 'pay as you use' pricing model in India is in line with Reliance Communications' strategy to extend BlackBerry services to customers who are looking for cost-effective options, flexibility and control over their expenses for wireless services, it said.

"We recognise the needs of customers and believe a prepaid option enabled by Reliance Communications will significantly broaden the consumer interest in BlackBerry smartphones and expand our business opportunity," Reliance Communications President, Mobile Data and Content Services, Mahesh Prasad said.

The new prepaid services are available on lots of BlackBerry smartphones from Reliance's lineup, including:

• BlackBerry 8830 World Edition, the handset that can operate both on GMS and CDMA networks
• BlackBerry Curve 8330 GSM
• BlackBerry Curve 8330 CDMA
• BlackBerry Pearl 8100 GSM
• BlackBerry Pearl 8130 CDMA
• and the old(er) BlackBerry 8703e CDMA

Basically, with the introduction of prepaid services, Indian mobile users will be able to buy BlackBerry smartphones without having to sign any contract agreement with Reliance.