14 DAY TRIAL // US wireless carrier AT&T announced on Tuesday that it would support the BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0, the new version of the market-leading push-based wireless platform Research in Motion announced recently. BES 5.0 offers users secure access to enterprise applications and corporate instant messaging, as well as to email, calendar, contacts and browser.
The new version of the platform is meant to enhance the access to administrative tools, while also simplifying management and centralizing control of BlackBerry smartphones. IT administrators are offered enhanced control over mobile application management and deployment capabilities, along with a number of APIs that help integrate other apps. In addition, it can also provide leveraged reliability and continuous service.
“We’re focused on providing our enterprise customers with the resources and latest technology to meet their mobile communications and application needs,” said Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Phone Portfolio, AT&T Mobility Corporation. “With the scalability, administration, and application extensibility enhancements, BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 gives enterprise companies the tools they need for improved employee productivity with secure anytime, access to their BlackBerry smartphone from AT&T.”
AT&T has a large number of smartphones in its offering, and they are all enabled for international voice and data usage. Among the handsets we can count the BlackBerry Bold, the BlackBerry Pearl series, the BlackBerry Curve series (the recently announced BlackBerry Curve 8900 is also included here), as well as the BlackBerry 8820 smartphones. According to the operator, its BlackBerry Bold can use 3G data while conducting a voice call at the same time, which means that the usage of a Bluetooth headset will allow customers make a phone call while sending or receiving emails.
At the same time, says AT&T, it can offer a great wireless coverage, as the company's business customers can make a phone call from their smartphones and handsets in more than 200 countries, while also being able to access e-mail or browse the Web in more than 170 countries that have 3G, EDGE or GPRS networks. AT&T enterprise customers can find more information on how to upgrade or purchase BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 at their account representative.