T-Mobile officially announces BlackBerry Bold 9900, August 17th for business customers & 31st for everyone

by Kal Chebli

17 August 2011 No Comment

Finally! T-Mobile has came out at last and announced the BlackBerry Bold 9900 officially with a launch date. Back at BlackBerry World 2011, T-Mobile said they would carry the Bold 9900, but never had a launch date specified. The device is set to launch on August 31st in all T-Mobile stores and online. For business customers, it will be available as soon as August 17th. As for pricing, T-Mobile is asking $299.99 for the device AFTER a $50 mail in rebate. So we have it a little pricier than other carriers, but those who have been waiting for the device will get it any way I believe. Hit the jump for the full press release from T-Mobile.

T-Mobile Launches the BlackBerry Bold 9900, Its First 4G BlackBerry Smartphone

Featuring the new BlackBerry 7 operating system, the smartphone will be T-Mobile’s fastest BlackBerry to date, leveraging a 1.2 GHz processor and America’s Largest 4G Network

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Aug. 17, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the upcoming nationwide availability of the first 4G BlackBerry® smartphone to run on America’s Largest 4G Network™ — the BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900. Available today in an exclusive pre-sale for T-Mobile business customers and launching nationwide on Aug. 31, the 4G-capable BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone ever (at only 10.5mm) and the first to offer the perfect union of a high-performance keyboard and brilliant touch display integrated within the iconic BlackBerry Bold design. Featuring a range of powerful hardware enhancements including a 1.2 GHz processor, Liquid Graphics™ technology 24-bit high-resolution graphics and advanced sensors, the new smartphone is designed to deliver the ultimate in communications, multimedia and productivity.

“T-Mobile is excited to add a BlackBerry smartphone to T-Mobile’s best 4G product lineup ever,” said Andrew Morrison, vice president, product management, T-Mobile USA. “With the new BlackBerry Bold 9900, we are offering our socially-active and business-minded customers a powerful device with a unique proposition — the pairing of a nationwide 4G network with the mobile communications efficiency that has become synonymous with BlackBerry smartphones.”

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is powered by the new BlackBerry 7 operating system, which introduces a next-generation BlackBerry browser with a significantly faster, more fluid Web browsing experience that is among the best in the industry. Additional enhancements to this next-generation BlackBerry browser have also optimized zooming and panning for smoother Web navigation and optimized HTML5 performance for incredible gaming and video experiences.

“We continue to deliver innovative products for our customers, and we’re excited to offer our first 4G BlackBerry smartphone,” said Femi Lakeru, vice president of business sales, T-Mobile USA. “Since T-Mobile offers 4G speeds in more places than any other wireless broadband network in the U.S., CIOs can trust that the BlackBerry Bold 9900 will give their employees the ultimate combination of speed, productivity and security.”

T-Mobile’s high-speed 4G network continues to expand and is now available in more than 190 markets, reaching more than 200 million people nationwide*. With the addition of the BlackBerry Bold 9900, T-Mobile now offers a wide variety of 4G devices including smartphones, tablets, laptop sticks, a netbook and a mobile hotspot. Running on America’s Largest 4G Network, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 helps make life truly mobile — all at 4G speeds. Whether accessing email, sending an invoice, getting directions or uploading photos, T-Mobile customers stay connected and informed virtually anywhere life takes them.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone continues the tradition of delivering a leading mobile communications experience with a highly refined and integrated suite of phone, email, messaging and social apps to keep users connected and productive throughout the day. Recent enhancements include the newest release of BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger), and an updated Social Feeds (2.0) app. The new Facebook® for BlackBerry smartphones (2.0) app introduces features like Facebook chat and BBM integration that make it easier for users to connect with their Facebook friends in real time.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is also the first device to come preloaded with T-Mobile’s new MobileLife® Family Organizer application. Powered by Cozi, MobileLife Family Organizer makes managing families’ busy schedules easier with centralized calendars, shopping lists, to-do lists, and family journals that allow family members to share updates with each other on the go. Calendar reminders can be sent by text or email allowing customers to avoid missing their kids’ soccer practice or an important shared appointment. More information about MobileLife Family Organizer can be found at http://www.t-mobile.com/calendar.

Availability

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is expected to be available in an exclusive pre-sale for T-Mobile business customers beginning today, Aug. 17. The smartphone is expected to be available at T-Mobile retail stores and at select dealers and national retailers nationwide starting Aug. 31. For more information about T-Mobile products and services, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

T-Mobile’s 4G network has expanded to additional markets, including Atlantic City, N.J., and Florence, Ala. A complete list of all the markets where T-Mobile’s 4G network is live can be found at http://newsroom.t-mobile.com/articles/4g-fact-sheet.

For more information about T-Mobile’s 4G products, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

*T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere