Verizon planning BlackBerry 8830 world plan

Not too long ago, we revealed that Verizon would be getting BlackBerry's 8830 World Phone--a tantalizing prospect for frequent international business travelers. Now, the full details have emerged: the phone will be available on May 14 through Verizon Wireless' business sales channels and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on May 28. Along with the phone, Verizon will be launching its Global BlackBerry service: an "always-on, always connected" wireless email solution that provides access to email, contacts, calendars, organizers and the Web around the globe. Users will be able to use one local number in Australia, Europe, parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North America and will be able to place and receive voice calls from more than 150 countries and send and receive email in the United States, Canada and more than 60 countries. Sprint is also planning a similar world plan with the same handset, which will launch in June.

For more details on the global plan:
- see this ZDnet article

For more technical details:
- see this Gizmodo post

For more on Sprint's 8830 plans:
- see this FierceWireless article