Optus announced today that it is the first Australian carrier to launch the new BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800, available for purchase from today. Powered by the new BlackBerry® 6 operating system, the BlackBerry Torch is available to both businesses and consumers for $0 upfront on $79 pricing plans on a 24 month contract (minimum spend of $1896), with generous call, text and data value to enable customers to make the most of this exciting new smartphone.

Small and Medium Business (SMB) customers can purchase the BlackBerry Torch on the $79 Business Complete Ultimate plan, which features $900 call and text value and unlimited BlackBerry POP3 email and web browsing via BlackBerry Browser plus 1GB additional mobile internet data. Business customers can also take advantage of unlimited BlackBerry Messenger, unlimited voicemail, unlimited SMS to Australian GSM mobiles and unlimited voice calls to services on the same account, all within Australia.

For an extra $10 per month, business customers can also add a Business Advantage Business Mobile Broadband plan featuring a high-speed USB modem to receive an additional 500MB of data, with the ability to share the combined data allowances across their BlackBerry Torch and notebook or tablet.

The BlackBerry Torch is also available to consumers for $0 upfront on the $79 Optus Cap plan, featuring the same included $900 call value and included mobile internet data as the Business Complete Ultimate plan, plus unlimited mobile access to social internet sites and unlimited SMS and MMS to Australian GSM mobiles.

Phil Offer, Marketing Director of Optus Small and Medium Business, said, "As a leading provider of smartphones, our aim is to provide customers with greater choice and exceptional value so it's fitting that we've taken the market lead as the first carrier to offer the BlackBerry Torch in Australia.

"Our new Business Complete Ultimate plan combines voice, data and mobile broadband under one offering so customers can make the most of the BlackBerry Torch to stay in touch with customers during business hours and connect socially with friends and family in their personal time. Businesses and consumers both have the flexibility to choose data options on the BlackBerry Torch to match the device to their needs while SMB customers have the freedom to share their data allowance between their smartphone and notebook for an additional $10.

"Beyond included plan value, we're also pleased to offer SMB customers a 12-month TrueLocal.com.au business advertising package at no additional cost when they sign up to the BlackBerry Torch on the $79 plan."

The BlackBerry Torch 9800 sees a world first by RIM (Research in Motion) in the combination of BlackBerry's user-friendly keyboard with a full touch screen experience and the exciting new BlackBerry 6 operating system. The BlackBerry Torch is the first device with BlackBerry 6 OS and is designed to provide communication capabilities that will meet the needs of socially connected consumers while providing the business tools that customers trust. The new BlackBerry Torch offers a new user interface, dynamic touch screen, web browser and new handset design for a fresh and engaging user experience.

Enterprise and government customers can also order the BlackBerry Torch from their Optus account manager.

For more information, please visit www.optus.builtforbusiness.com.au/phone/blackberry_torch_9800 and www.optus.com.au/cap.

Media contact:
Kasia Ciszak/Siobhan Quinn
Optus Corporate Affairs
Tel: 02 8082 7850