ATLANTA, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company (NYSE: SO), today announced the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8350i smartphone has been added to its product portfolio.

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Developed by Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) (TSX: RIM), the BlackBerry Curve 8350i is the first BlackBerry smartphone to combine Push To Talk (PTT) two-way radio capabilities, via Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN), with built-in Wi-Fi®. The result is a feature-rich smartphone that provides the convenience of communicating using PTT, the practicality of a full QWERTY keyboard, the industry's leading mobile e-mail and messaging solution, plus the ability to use Wi-Fi to access e-mail, the Internet and other data services at high speeds.

"A great tool for increasing productivity, the BlackBerry Curve 8350i allows users to view and edit text, spreadsheet and presentation documents directly on the smartphone," said Rodney Johnson, vice president of sales and distribution for SouthernLINC Wireless. "What's even more exciting is that users have the ability to connect to data services wherever they have Wi-Fi access - in or out of the SouthernLINC Wireless Regional Calling Area, Wi-Fi provides data access at broadband speeds."

The smooth, clean design of the BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone strikes a balance between style and performance. The smartphone's aesthetic features include easy-to-use trackball navigation, an internal antenna and a sleek, black exterior with rubberized sides for a more secure grip.

Additional product highlights include:

• MicroSD/SDHC memory card slot enables memory expansion to 16 gigabytes, providing plenty of storage for pictures, videos, music and documents.
• A 2-megapixel camera with flash and digital zoom, plus video recording capable with the addition of a microSD card, sold separately.
• Advanced media player for listening to music, watching videos and viewing pictures.
• Stereo headset jack for calls, PTT conversations, music and other audio.
• Stereo Bluetooth® enabled speakerphone, voice-activated dialing and voice notes recorder.
• "Push" e-mail for easy, efficient delivery of corporate and personal e-mail.
• A high-resolution, light-sensing 320 x 240 display that automatically adjusts screen brightness.
• DataViz® Documents To Go® preinstalled for editing Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the smartphone.
• Built-in GPS.
• Group Push To Talk capability.
  

The Blackberry Curve 8350i smartphone is now available through SouthernLINC Wireless sales representatives, sales and service locations, authorized dealers or online at www.southernlinc.com/curve. Through Dec. 31, 2009, receive a $100 mail-in rebate with a qualifying two-year service agreement. In-stock availability may vary by location. Visit www.southernlinc.com/promoinfo for more information about this offer.

About SouthernLINC Wireless

SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is an Atlanta-based regional wireless carrier with network coverage in the major metro and rural areas of Alabama, Georgia, southeast Mississippi and northwest Florida. SouthernLINC Wireless bundles multiple communication options, including Push To Talk two-way radio, cellular service, text messaging, wireless Internet access and wireless data, into one hand-held device. For more information, please call 1-800-818-LINC (5462) or visit www.southernlinc.com.

About Southern Company

With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company is consistently listed among the top U.S. electric service providers in customer satisfaction by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Visit our Web site at www.southerncompany.com.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

SOURCE SouthernLINC Wireless

SOURCE: SouthernLINC Wireless

Web site: http://www.southernlinc.com/