Indian carrier Bharti Airtel is bringing out their own BlackBerry 8820, just in time to butt heads with the competition. The price point for the Wi-Fi-enabled enterprise device rests at Rs. 31,990, matching Vodafone’s price exactly. Once upon a time, Vodafone owned a stake in Airtel, but ditched it in favour or Hutch Essar. With the BlackBerry 8310 missing from Bharti Airtel’s lineup, that decision could very well pay off.
Tag: hutch
Bharti Airtel launches BlackBerry 8820
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The carrier formerly known as Hutch is now offering both Wi-Fi and GPS to India by way of the BlackBerry 8820 and the BlackBerry 8310. Vodafone is running the show these days, and lately they’ve been enjoying the benefits of Hutch’s acquisition. For anyone interested, the 8310 is going for Rs 24,990 and the 8820 for Rs 31,990.
Vodafone’s Q1 results are in, and revenue’s increased 7.5%, resting at a healthy GBP8.3 billion and 232 million subscribers. The flak from the Verizon joint venture doesn’t seem justified in light of Vodafone’s earnings at all – are the activist shareholders just out to lunch? Verizon‘s not doing great, but let’s take the long view. If Vodafone’s still doing well after handling financial burdens from Verizon, then it’s an investment they can afford, and could still pay off in the long run. Vodafone attributes most of their increase to the acquisition of a 67% stake in Hutch last February, who brought out the BlackBerry 8300 not too long ago in India.
Ah, RIM steps up to the plate and makes a move on India, even in the face of Nokia’s impressive advances. Hutch and Airtel are now carrying the BlackBerry 8300 for 24,990 rupees, or a little over $US600.
