WATERLOO, ON - Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq:RIMM; TSX:RIM) and Orange UK today introduced the BlackBerry® 8820 smartphone to the UK market., The new smartphone features RIM’s thinnest handset design with a full and highly tactile QWERTY* keyboard, large ultra bright landscape display, user-friendly trackball navigation system and best-in-class voice and data functionality.

The BlackBerry 8820 also includes built-in GPS (Global Positioning System), RIM’s latest media player enhancements, and a microSD / microSDHC (microSD High Capacity) expandable memory slot that can support the current and future generations of microSD memory up to 32GB.

The BlackBerry 8820 is the first dual-mode BlackBerry handset combining EDGE/GPRS/GSM cellular and Wi-Fi® connectivity for data access and voice support through UMA (unlicensed mobile access) for fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) offerings, making it fully compatible with Unique, the innovative converged service for business customers from Orange. By offering a single handset that switches seamlessly between Wi-Fi and GSM networks, Unique offers users a solution to make use of home office Wi-Fi network coverage and allows business customers to use one device for all their calls – whether at home, on the road or in the office.

????RIM produces a wide range of smartphones to help ensure our customers can find a BlackBerry smartphone that is ideally suited to their personal and business needs,???? comments Charmaine Eggberry, vice president and managing director, EMEA at Research In Motion. ????The decisions to add Wi-Fi and GPS support were based on evolving customer requirements and we are very pleased to be able to respond to those needs with this exciting new handset.????

????Our research indicates that increasing instances of home and flexible working will be one of the defining business trends of this decade,???? comments Neil Laidler, interim vice president, Orange Business Services UK. ????We’re therefore delighted to be further expanding our range of converged devices from Orange with this exciting new addition from RIM, ensuring that we continue to meet the growing demands of today’s flexible organisations,???? he adds.