Vodafone prices BlackBerry Storm

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 31 Oct 2008 at 12:04

Vodafone has announced that RIM's iPhone rival, the BlackBerry Storm will be available for free on certain contracts.

Anybody who takes on one of the company's two-year, £35 per month contracts will be offered the handset for the princely sum of nothing.

The contracts offer 600 minutes of talktime and unlimited text-messaging, together with unlimited internet access. Users will also have access to Vodafone's Find&Go navigation service for the first six months.

However, pay less on contract and the phone begins to look distinctly pricey. An 18 month contract, or any lower-priced monthly tariff, will see the user charged £300. A single year contract will see the phone rocket up to £500.

Vodafone is the exclusive operator for the BlackBerry Storm, though it will also be available through the company's retail partner Phones4U.

The storm represents RIM's first foray into the world of touchscreen smartphones, and features a 3.25in, 480 x 360 display that depresses slightly when touched, something the company has grandly called "an engineering marvel". It also features a HSDPA connection, 3.2-megapixel camera and GPS.

Vodafone is now taking pre-orders for the handset which is due to arrive in Autumn. Full pricing details can be found on the company's website.