TELUS to offer new BlackBerry Pearl 3G smartphone in May

Pink version only available in Canada from TELUS, on the country's biggest and fastest 3G+ network

TORONTO, April 26 /CNW/ - TELUS will offer its clients the smallest Blackberry(R) smartphone ever starting in May. Running on Canada's biggest and fastest 3G+ network, the new BlackBerry(R) Pearl(TM) 3G will be available from TELUS in either black or pink (only at TELUS).

"The BlackBerry Pearl is a favorite amongst Canadian consumers and TELUS is thrilled to bring them the latest addition to this family of smartphones, on our 3G+ network," said David Fuller, Chief Marketing Officer at TELUS. "TELUS offers a comprehensive line-up of state-of-the-art smartphones to meet our customers' need to stay connected, informed and entertained on the go. The BlackBerry Pearl 3G packs a great deal of power in a very small package, and is definitely a great addition to our device selection."

"The new BlackBerry Pearl 3G offers uncompromising performance in a remarkably small package," said Carlo Chiarello, vice-president, Handheld Product Management, Research In Motion. "It offers the social connectivity features that consumers want, including easy access to email and social networking sites as well as popular messaging services like BlackBerry Messenger. We expect the BlackBerry Pearl 3G will appeal to a broad range of mobile consumers who want to upgrade from a traditional phone without giving up a highly compact and fashionable design."

The new BlackBerry Pearl 3G is a smartphone marvel that's as powerful as it is compact. It measures less than two inches wide (50 mm) and weighs only 3.3 ounces (94g), yet it packs support for high-speed 3G (UMTS/HSDPA) networks, Wi-Fi(R) (b/g/n) and GPS with a powerhouse processor that drives visual excellence to its sharp-resolution display. It features an optical trackpad for smooth navigation, dedicated volume and media keys, a 3.2 MP camera with flash and support for up to 16 GB of personal content. It also offers the superior email, instant messaging, and social networking experience that BlackBerry smartphone users love.

Key features of the new BlackBerry Pearl 3G smartphone from TELUS include:

    
    -   Elegant candybar form factor measuring 4.25" x 1.96" x 0.52"
        (108mm x 50 mm x 13.3 mm) and weighing only 3.3 oz (93 grams)
    -   20-key condensed QWERTY keyboard with SureType(R) software that
        completes words as the user types, making texting fast and accurate
    -   624 Mhz processor with 256 MB Flash memory
    -   360x400 sharp-resolution display (238 ppi)
    -   Optical trackpad that makes navigation fast and smooth, plus a
        comfortable keyboard for fast typing
    -   Media player for videos, pictures and music (music plays up to
        30 hours), plus dedicated media keys integrated along the top of the
        handset
    -   3.2 MP camera with zoom, autofocus, flash and video recording*
    -   Built-in GPS for location-based applications such as BlackBerry(R)
        Maps, as well as photo geotagging
    -   Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) (first BlackBerry smartphone to support 'n')
    -   microSD/SDHD memory card slot that supports up to 16 GB cards
    -   Premium phone features, including voice activated dialing,
        speakerphone and Bluetooth(R) (2.1) with support for hands-free
        headsets, stereo headsets, car kits including systems that support
        the emerging Bluetooth MAP (Message Access Profile) standard and
        other Bluetooth accessories
    -   Access to BlackBerry App World(TM), featuring a broad and growing
        catalog of mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry
        smartphones
    -   Support for BlackBerry(R) Media Sync for easily syncing photos as
        well as iTunes(R) and Windows Media(R) Player music with the
        smartphone(xx)
    -   BlackBerry(R) OS 5
    -   Support for tri-band UMTS/HSDPA and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks
    -   Removable, rechargeable 1150 mAhr battery that provides approximately
        5.5 hours of talk time on 3G networks.
    

TELUS offers a broad range of best-in-class wireless devices on Canada's biggest and fastest 3G+ network, now including the new BlackBerry Pearl 3G. Starting in May, this smartphone will be available from TELUS in pink and in black for as little as $29.99 on a three-year plan. For more information about the new BlackBerry Pearl 3G smartphone, please visit www.blackberry.com/pearl3G

For more information about TELUS products and services, please visit www.telus.com

* Video recording requires a microSD card, sold separately.

(xx) Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies. Photo syncing is currently only available for Windows-based PCs.

Forward looking statements

This news release contains forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations, TELUS assumptions and projections about future events, and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward looking statements. Such statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations. Company assumptions and risk factors are listed from time to time in TELUS' reports, public disclosure documents including Management's discussion and analysis, Annual Information Form, and in other filings with securities regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $9.6 billion of annual revenue and 12 million customer connections including 6.5 million wireless subscribers, 4 million wireline network access lines and 1.2 million Internet subscribers and 170,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video.

In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $158 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered more than 3 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Nine TELUS Community Boards across Canada lead TELUS' local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company ever to receive this prestigious international recognition.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information: For media inquiries, please contact: AJ Gratton, TELUS Media Relations, [phone], [email protected]