China Mobile to distribute BlackBerry handset (China)

BlackBerry handsets will debut in China by the end of December, with China Mobile as the exclusive distributor of the first model, reports Interfax citing a comment from the manufacturer of BlackBerry in China, TCL Communications. The company has already received an order for 10,000 of the handsets from China Mobile, TCL Communications spokesperson Cheng Yanyan said. The handset will be sold under the dual brand name Alcatel BlackBerry 8700; TCL has the rights to the Alcatel brand name for mobile phones. In late October, Research in Motion agreed with Alcatel-Lucent and TCL Communications to distribute BlackBerry handsets in China, and TCL Communications helped RIM gain certification for the 8700 handset in the Chinese market. Cheng declined to comment on the retail price of the new handset. China Mobile currently offers two BlackBerry tariffs, one at CNY 398 per month and the other at CNY 598 per month.

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