ology more common in other countries in addition to the standard used on the company's U.S. network. The device, a variant of the 8800 line first introduced in February by BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. through AT&T Inc., will be priced at US$400 (euro294), but will be available for as little as US$200 (euro147) for customers who sign up for both voice and data service with a two-year commitment.
The BlackBerry is being rolled out by Verizon with an international data plan costing US$20 (euro14.73) per month for unlimited e-mail access in about 60 countries on top of the regular BlackBerry subscription fee of US$45 (euro33.13) to US$50 (euro36.81) a month.
Occasional travelers can opt to pay as they go for their data usage. The device also can be used as a phone in more than 150 countries at a cost of US$1.29 (euro.95) or US$2.49 (euro1.83) per minute, depending on the market.
RIM developed the dual-mode capability to suit Verizon's circumstances.
Though Verizon uses what some experts consider a superior wireless technology known as CDMA, the vast majority of the world's cellular networks run on a standard called GSM, including those owned by Vodafone Group PLC, which also happens to own 45 percent of Verizon Wireless.
As a result, where GSM-based carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile USA can easily offer phones that work overseas, Verizon Wireless hasn't had many options for its customers who travel abroad.
Though a dual-mode phone is an obvious solution, the drawback is the added cost of the extra components and the engineering challenge of jamming them into a handheld device without making it bulky.
RIM overcame the second hurdle, squeezing in the dual capabilities without increasing the 8800's size.
Verizon, meanwhile, appears to have addressed the first problem by offering a steep discount -- a point driven home by its decision to "lock" the device, preventing users from using it with a rival carrier's service abroad.
It's undisclosed how much RIM is charging Verizon for each device. But after the assorted discounts, Verizon's 8800 is being offered for US$100 (euro74) less than AT&T's GSM-only version. In fact, Verizon's 8800 is also equipped with a speedier technology for wireless Internet access than AT&T's version.
