Blackberry Bold just got bolder at Telstra

David Swan
Thursday, 30 July 2009 05:05

IT Industry - Strategy

A new software upgrade for Telstra customers using the Blackberry Bold means better coverage and higher speeds, particularly in rural areas. But will this change have a large impact, and how does Telstra's pricing compare to the other telcos, and its pricing for the iPhone 3GS?

Telstra announced yesterday that one of Australia’s most popular smartphones, the BlackBerry Bold, would be accredited with Telstra’s Blue Tick which recommends devices for handheld use in metro, rural and regional areas.

The popular smartphone's been available since mid-2008, however a new software update means the phone will be more reliable when sending and receiving calls, and users in rural areas will experience better coverage.

Telstra Country Wide, Group Managing Director, Brett Riley, said existing BlackBerry Bold owners could upgrade software on their handsets from today while new customers can purchase out-of-the-box Blue Tick-ready devices from early August.

“The BlackBerry Bold is one of Australia’s favourite smartphones. Now business people in regional areas can combine the benefits of wider coverage on the Next G network with the added functionality of a smartphone. Customers will be able to stay connected to their work and personal lives with real-time access to email, calendar, contacts and the web in more places across Australia,” Mr Riley said.

“Business users will enjoy the benefits of always-on email and the ability to view and edit email attachments like Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents on the go. This enables users to recover time that would otherwise be lost. For instance a recent study found BlackBerry users can recover up to an hour of downtime a day or up to 250 hours per year.”

So how does Telstra's pricing for the Bold compare to other carriers, and pricing for the iPhone? And how can users download the update? Read on to find out.

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