BlackBerry Torch 9810 Now Available at MTS for $150

Manitobans can now purchase one of the latest BlackBerry 7 smartphones, the Torch 9810, from regional carrier MTS.

The operator announced earlier this week that it will carry two of the new devices recently launched by Research in Motion (RIM), the Bold 9900 and Torch 9810.

However, as the carrier stated, the Bold 9900 will be available beginning October, while the Torch 9810 can be purchased starting today for as low as $149.99 with a new three-year agreement and a minimum $44.99 voice and data plan.

Unfortunately, customers who wish to avoid being tied by a long term contract will hardly be able to get the Torch 9810 from MTS, as the smartphone is available for a suggested retail price of no less than $629.99.

Other price options offered by MTS for the Torch 9810, include:

- 24-month contract – $249.99
- 12-month contract – $474.99

“Since we launched our 4G network in March, MTS has seen increasing demand for smartphones and we are pleased to make available to our customers throughout Manitoba the latest BlackBerry devices,” said Stan Kurtas, vice president, Marketing, MTS.

Built on the popular BlackBerry Torch 9800, the next-generation Torch 9810 retains the same slider form factor, but offers the functionality of the BlackBerry 7 OS.

With a powerful 1.2 GHz processor, the Torch 9810 is faster and more fluid, while the new mobile platform allows for an enhanced multimedia experience.

The smartphone comes with a 3.2-inch high resolution capacitive touch display and a full QWERTY keyboard that allows for faster typing.

The Torch 9810 sports a 5-megapixel photo snapper with autofocus, LED flash, as well as HD video recording capabilities.

It packs 8GB of internal memory, 768 MB of RAM and microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 32GB).

According to the manufacturer, the phone's 1300 mAh Li-Ion battery should provide up to 300 hours of standby time or up to 6 hours of talk time.