World-savvy BlackBerry 8830 Now at Verizon

Verizon is now offering the CDMA/GSM-capable BlackBerry 8830 smartphone, along with a one-number service plan providing voice and data access around the world.

Verizon Wireless has begun offering the BlackBerry 8830, dubbed the "Global BlackBerry" for its ability to handle both CDMA and GMS networkers, as well as EV-DO/GPRS high-speed data connections. And for the world travelers out there, Verizon is offering the 8830 with a package which provides wireless email and voice service from Europe, Australia, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, North America, and parts of Africa—all under one local number.

The BlackBerry 8830 offers the usual spate of BlackBerry features, including an integrated QWERTY keyboard for your important email, trackball, built-in speakerphone, Bluetooth, a built-in media player, 64 MB of built-in memory (expandable via microSD cards), and the usual suite of BlackBerry applications and email capabilities, including tying in with BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Microsoft Exchange. The 8830 doesn’t tout a camera, but he phone offers dual-band 900/1800 MHz GSM/GPRS capability, along with dual-band 800/1900 MHz CDMA200 1× EV-DO access, which Verizon says will set you up for email access in more than 90 countries, and offer voice service from more than 160 countries.

To promote the phone, Verizon is offering a Global Support Pack, which includes 24/7 support and a calling card for free support calls outside the U.S. if the BlackBerry should be lost, broken, or stolen.

The BlackBerry 8830 is available today from Verizon Wireless stores; it runs $299 after a $100 rebate if purchased with a two-year service agreement. The Global BlackBerry service offers unlimited email in the U.S., Canada, and over 90 other countries for $64.99 a month with a voice plan, or $69.99 a month without a voice plan; a $20/MB pay-as-you-go data plan is also available with voice plan, and customers who only want email service in the U.S. can opt for a $49.99/month plan.