• Combines Full Touch Screen Experience with Easy-To-Use Keyboard
• First to Feature New BlackBerry 6 with Rich WebKit Browser

du today launched the new BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800 smartphone in the UAE. Ideal for socially connected consumers and packed with the tools business customers love, the new handset offers elegant styling with top-of-the-line features and functionality. It is the world’s first smartphone to combine a BlackBerry® keyboard with a full touch screen experience and the first to feature the new BlackBerry® 6.

A du special offer for the BlackBerry Torch will run during GITEX Technology Week 2010. Customers who subscribe to du’s Elite Super 100 plan or any other Elite Plan with the new BlackBerry Torch smartphone can enjoy free unlimited national BlackBerry® Service for six months, or unlimited international BlackBerry® Service at a 50 per cent discount for six months – worth an impressive AED 780.

“We are committed to providing our customers with the ultimate value proposition as well as offering them the most innovative products and services available on the market. The BlackBerry Torch is one of the most cutting-edge smartphones and allows our customers to benefit from our flexible, transparent and value-driven business and individual monthly mobile plans,” commented Farid Faraidooni, Chief Commercial Officer, du.

Committed to providing the UAE’s businesses with the ultimate value proposition, du is also offering the new BlackBerry Torch smartphone together with the most cost-effective business mobile plans, the Business Super Plan for SME and the Premier Plan for corporate in the UAE. The enhanced new Business Super Plan – the first of its kind in the region – now offers triple the value through bundled international and national minutes, international and national SMS, national data and more. du’s Premier Plan, which benefits a large corporate portfolio, offers up to 100 per cent discount on calls within the business, up to 70% discount on international calls, the best rates on BlackBerry services, and more.

The new BlackBerry Torch features an exciting combination of a large capacitive touch screen and optical trackpad with a backlit slide-out BlackBerry keyboard, designed to feel optimally balanced when opened for typing. It also offers support for high-speed 3G (UMTS/HSDPA) networks around the world, includes the latest generation in Wi-Fi® (b/g/n) connectivity and built-in GPS for location-based applications and geo-tagging. Its 5 MP camera takes exceptional pictures with continuous auto focus, image stabilization, scene modes and zoom, and it also supports video recording. In addition it comes with a combined 8 GB of media storage out-of-the-box and includes a microSD/SDHD memory card slot that can bring the total storage memory to 36 GB for customers that want more.

The BlackBerry Torch is the first to launch with BlackBerry 6, a new operating system for BlackBerry smartphones. It features a new and rich WebKit-based browser that renders HTML web pages (as well as HTML email) quickly and beautifully for a great browsing experience. The browser includes tabs for accessing multiple sites simultaneously, pinch to zoom and an auto-wrap text zoom feature that can intelligently wrap text in a column while maintaining the placement of a page’s key elements; (simply double-tap on the BlackBerry Torch).

BlackBerry 6 features a redesigned interface that seamlessly works with the touch screen and trackpad, includes expanded messaging capabilities with intuitive features to simplify the management of social networking and RSS feeds (Social Feeds), and provides integrated access to BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger), Facebook®, Twitter™, MySpace™ and various instant messaging applications available on the BlackBerry Torch smartphone. Its enhanced multimedia experience rivals the best in the industry and includes a dedicated YouTube app and Podcasts app. A universal search feature, allows users to search for content on the smartphone, as well as extend the search to the Internet.

For more information about the BlackBerry Torch visit: http://www.blackberry.com/torch

About du

du, the integrated telecom service provider in the UAE, launched mobile telecommunication services in February 2007 across the UAE, in addition to internet and pay TV services that du provides in some of the free zones of Dubai. Call Select, du’s nationwide fixed line services for voice telephony, was launched in July 2007. By the end of 2008, over 3 million people in the UAE chose to become du customers.

Among du’s many firsts is its historic Number Booking Campaign for both individuals and business, Pay by the Second billing system, Mobile TV, Mobile Payments, first of its kind ‘WoW’ recharge card (which offers customers the choice between ‘more credit’, ‘more time’ and now the ‘more international’ recharge option with additional credit on international calls) and Self Care.

For business customers, du business offers include Closed Business User Group and preferred International Destinations. du Broadcast Services division brings scalable media technology platforms and telecommunication solutions to the broadcast community through its world-class teleport (Samacom) and Master Control Room (MCR) facilities.

du products and services for consumers and business are available through du’s retail network, currently numbering 34 du shops located in strategic locations across the UAE, including the recently opened flagship store located in the heart of Abu Dhabi. In addition, customers can access du products and services at more than 3000 authorised dealers or through the du e-shop, accessible at http://www.du.ae/en/where-to-buy/eshop.html. du shops are a one-stop-shop for mobile service, carrier select and the payment of service bills.

du is 39.5 per cent owned by the UAE Federal Government, 19.75 per cent by Mubadala Development Company, 19.5 per cent by Emirates Communications & Technology Company LLC and the remaining stake by public shareholders. It is listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and trades under the name du.

Awards to date

• du selected as a UAE Superbrand at the Superbrands awards gala 2010.
• du presented with an award for Best Middle Eastern Local Currency Deal 2008 by UK’s EuroWeek
• du won two prestigious awards at UAE Web Awards 2008. du e-shop portal won the best strategic online portal award in the e-commerce category and du media club website won the bronze award in the media and press category.
• du corporate brand launch campaign awarded a Cristal MENA award in 2008.
• du declared ‘Best Brand’ at Telecoms World Awards Middle East 2007 for innovative branding and outstanding brand success.
• Second place in the New Brand Launch category at the GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Awards 2007.
• Silver Award for the best website in the ICT category at the UAE Web Awards 2007.
• du WoW TV Commercial awarded amongst the best 50 TV commercials in mobile telecom category in the world for 2007.

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

For further information, please contact:

Saugat Chatterjee
Public Relations Manager
Brand & Communications du
Mobile: +971 55 9367045
Email: saugat.chatterjee@du.ae

Or

Gregory Henderson
Manning, Selvage & Lee, PR agency for du
Tel: +971 4 3676 324
Mobile: +971 55 495 6487
Fax: +971 4 367 2615
Email: gregory.henderson@dubai.mslpr.com