Orange UK is to offer a pay-as-you-go Blackberry – the first carrier in Europe to launch a PAYG RIM device.
The move underlines RIM’s intention to re-position itself as a provider of handsets that appeal to the consumer market as well as its traditional enterprise stronghold.
The smartphone will be an exclusive indigo-colored BlackBerry 8120 that will cost £145.
An estimated two-thirds of UK mobile customers use PAYG.
To take up the Orange offer customers must take out one of the operator’s existing PAYG Animal packages before taking a PAYG BlackBerry Internet Service for just £5 per month, on a monthly rolling subscription.
This will give them access to email, messaging and the web.
An Orange statement said the new offering was a result of the growing demand for a BlackBerry smartphone with PAYG service.
The BlackBerry Pearl 8120 has a 2 megapixel camera with LED flash, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and media player.