Alcatel-Lucent to power RIM’s prepaid platform: Tracking service expected to increase interest in developing countries

Alcatel-Lucent announced that it’s developing an application for Research In Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerry platform that will allow prepaid users to track voice and data usage against the amount remaining in their account.
The partnership is largely aimed at increasing interest in BlackBerry smartphones in developing markets. The companies said the partnership has already increased distribution of the BlackBerry platform in Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Alcatel-Lucent will host the application and integrate it with operators’ existing networks, the infrastructure vendor said.
“We are proud of the work that has been done in partnership with Alcatel-Lucent to bring the BlackBerry solution to new markets and we look forward to expanding this relationship,” Jim Balsillie, co-CEO at RIM, said in a prepared statement. “We believe a prepaid option enabled by Alcatel-Lucent will add significant value for our operator partners and further broaden customer interest in BlackBerry smartphones.”