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Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.
RIM offers free voice calls over Wi-Fi with BBM.
BlackBerry users will be able to make free voice calls over a Wi-Fi network using the popular BBM messaging service.
Research
In Motion Ltd. announced Wednesday that it's adding the feature to BBM.
Users will be able to switch back and forth from a text chat to a voice
call. A split-screen option will let them talk and text at the same
time.
The new feature is a free update for existing customers and comes months before RIM introduces its new BlackBerry 10 smartphones, which are seen critical to RIM's survival.
RIM
surprised analysts in September when it announced that the number of
BlackBerry subscribers grew, thanks in part to emerging markets and its
popular BBM service. It's struggling in North America as customers
migrate to flashier iPhones and Android phone.
RIM
stopped short of offering the BBM voice feature over wireless carriers'
own cellular networks. Doing so would have potentially created more
congestion on cellular data networks and deprive carriers of revenue for
voice calls. With the new feature, the free calls are limited to times
and places where Wi-Fi is available.
The
Canadian company said the BBM voice feature is especially attractive
for developing markets. Unlike regular texts, BBM messages are not
charged on a per-text basis.
Although RIM is struggling in North America, the BlackBerry continues to sell well in such markets as South Africa, Nigeria and Indonesia.
The
BBM service has long been a reason for BlackBerry users to not defect
to other smartphones but there are rival messaging services. There are
more than 60 million BBM users worldwide.
RIM
said the BBM voice update is currently available for BlackBerry
smartphones running the BlackBerry 6 operating system or higher, with
plans for BlackBerry 5 later. RIM's latest phones run the 7 operating
system. The next version, BlackBerry 10, will come soon after a Jan. 30
launch event.
AP.
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