Blackberry Phenomenon Set To Hit Nz Business

Blackberry Phenomenon Set To Hit Nz Business

Vodafone is set to deliver one of the hottest new technologies to New Zealand businesses – the BlackBerry Wireless Handheld™.

BlackBerry is already a ‘must-have’ business tool for CEOs, politicians, business executives and celebrities around the globe. The passion and fervour it inspires in its high-profile devotees has sparked reports of a ‘cult -like’ international following with more than one million handsets in use worldwide.

The BlackBerry Enterprise solution is a cutting-edge end-to-end solution that combines phone, corporate data access including email, calendaring and Internet browser technology in one slim, sexy, pocket-sized device for businesses.

One key difference from other mobile email devices is its ‘push’ delivery – instead of relying on you to dial in and check your messages, BlackBerry delivers them right to you. Rather than disrupting your workflow to chase email, the email finds you.

Frustrations for business people on the move include the time it takes to dial in to the internet to check urgent emails before venturing into their next meeting, and facing a backlog of emails on their return to the office.

By being continuously connected with BlackBerry, business users dramatically increase their productivity by making better use of ‘downtime’ and through being able to respond to challenges almost immediately.

Phil Patel, General Manager of Business Marketing at Vodafone, says BlackBerry will transform the way people work.

“Up until now email has been largely deskbound. Vodafone’s launch of the BlackBerry in New Zealand is another leap in technology in terms of its ease and simplicity of use. BlackBerry allows customers to turn wasted time into

- 2 - productive time because they’re always connected, even when they’re on the move.

“Research tells us that by 2008 mobile email penetration will reach 80%. It’s predicted by the same year mobile email will have increased mobile worker productivity by 10%.

“Internationally BlackBerry has become a phenomenon. We expect to have a similar reaction to it in New Zealand.” says Phil Patel.

An international independent study of BlackBerry users conducted by Ipsos Reid found they saved 54 minutes a day of downtime – equating to 196 hours per year.

In New Zealand, email is the primary communication tool for businesses with approximately a 3:1 ratio of email to voicemail.

Vodafone New Zealand has mobilised its own sales force with BlackBerry since April and now has 100 people using the handheld.

The BlackBerry Enterprise solution will be available to Vodafone’s business customers from mid-July. BlackBerry Web Client, which will allow individuals and businesses to access Internet based email will be launched later this year.

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EDITORS NOTES

BlackBerry Enterprise Server™ enables a wireless data service designed for any business that has an IBM Lotus® Domino™ or Microsoft® Exchange email environment. BlackBerry Enterprise Server is designed to provide IT departments with simplified management and centralized control of wireless handhelds in a secure, scalable and flexible architecture that leverages existing infrastructure and investment. Security is based on end-to-end Triple DES encryption, which is why the BlackBerry solution has been so popular with security-conscious government organisations and financial institutions in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. The Ipsos Reid Survey is a US research study, ‘Analyzing the Return on Investment of a BlackBerry Deployment, 2004’. - 3 -

Additional features of BlackBerry handhelds include support for text messaging, Internet, address book, memo pad, alarm and calculator.

Every BlackBerry handheld includes integrated wireless technology. It also has an optimised keyboard, thumb-operated trackwheel, easy-to-read backlit screen, intuitive menu-driven interface, integrated software applications and long battery life.

Use of the BlackBerry is subject to national and international GPRS network coverage. Please view www.vodafone.co.nz for further information.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties of Research In Motion Limited.

About Vodafone

Vodafone New Zealand Ltd is part of Vodafone Group Plc, the world’s largest mobile community, with more than 133 million proportionate customers worldwide. The company has equity interests in 26 countries over five continents and Partner Networks in a further thirteen countries.

As at March 2004 Vodafone New Zealand has more than 1.62 million customers on its fully digital network providing coverage to 97 per cent of the population.

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