Surprise! T-Mobile sent out a midnight press release announcing the availability of the Blackberry Bold 9900 arriving August 31st for $299.99 after a $50 mail in rebate. Business customers can take advantage of some early opportunities by picking up a Blackberry Bold 9900 in an exclusive pre-sale beginning today, August 17th. Featuring a 1.2GHz processor, 4G HSPA+ power and running Blackberry 7 operating system the Bold 9900 is ready to deliver “the ultimate in communications, multimedia and productivity.” Blackberry arguably still handles email better than anyone else but is that enough anymore, can Blackberry return to their former glory days with the Bold 9900? Time will tell but we can say that a $299.99 starting price point isn’t going to help things. Thoughts?

Press Release:

T-Mobile Launches the BlackBerry Bold 9900, 

Its First 4G BlackBerry Smartphone

Featuring the new BlackBerry 7 operating system, the smartphone will be T-Mobile’s fastest BlackBerry to date, leveraging a 1.2 GHz processor and America’s Largest 4G Network

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Aug. 17, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the upcoming nationwide availability of the first 4G BlackBerry® smartphone to run on America’s Largest 4G Network™  — the BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900. Available today in an exclusive pre-sale for T-Mobile business customers and launching nationwide on Aug. 31, the 4G-capable BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone ever (at only 10.5mm) and the first to offer the perfect union of a high-performance keyboard and brilliant touch display integrated within the iconic BlackBerry Bold design. Featuring a range of powerful hardware enhancements including a 1.2 GHz processor, Liquid Graphics™ technology 24-bit high-resolution graphics and advanced sensors, the new smartphone is designed to deliver the ultimate in communications, multimedia and productivity.

“T-Mobile is excited to add a BlackBerry smartphone to T-Mobile’s best 4G product lineup ever,” said Andrew Morrison, vice president, product management, T-Mobile USA. “With the new BlackBerry Bold 9900, we are offering our socially-active and business-minded customers a powerful device with a unique proposition — the pairing of a nationwide 4G network with the mobile communications efficiency that has become synonymous with BlackBerry smartphones.”

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is powered by the new BlackBerry 7 operating system, which introduces a next-generation BlackBerry browser with a significantly faster, more fluid Web browsing experience that is among the best in the industry. Additional enhancements to this next-generation BlackBerry browser have also optimized zooming and panning for smoother Web navigation and optimized HTML5 performance for incredible gaming and video experiences.

“We continue to deliver innovative products for our customers, and we’re excited to offer our first 4G BlackBerry smartphone,” said Femi Lakeru, vice president of business sales, T-Mobile USA. “Since T-Mobile offers 4G speeds in more places than any other wireless broadband network in the U.S., CIOs can trust that the BlackBerry Bold 9900 will give their employees the ultimate combination of speed, productivity and security.”

T-Mobile’s high-speed 4G network continues to expand and is now available in more than 190 markets, reaching more than 200 million people nationwide*. With the addition of the BlackBerry Bold 9900, T-Mobile now offers a wide variety of 4G devices including smartphones, tablets, laptop sticks, a netbook and a mobile hotspot. Running on America’s Largest 4G Network, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 helps make life truly mobile — all at 4G speeds. Whether accessing email, sending an invoice, getting directions or uploading photos, T-Mobile customers stay connected and informed virtually anywhere life takes them.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone continues the tradition of delivering a leading mobile communications experience with a highly refined and integrated suite of phone, email, messaging and social apps to keep users connected and productive throughout the day. Recent enhancements include the newest release of BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger), and an updated Social Feeds (2.0) app. The new Facebook® for BlackBerry smartphones (2.0) app introduces features like Facebook chat and BBM integration that make it easier for users to connect with their Facebook friends in real time.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is also the first device to come preloaded with T-Mobile’s newMobileLife® Family Organizer application. Powered by Cozi, MobileLife Family Organizer makes managing families’ busy schedules easier with centralized calendars, shopping lists, to-do lists, and family journals that allow family members to share updates with each other on the go. Calendar reminders can be sent by text or email allowing customers to avoid missing their kids’ soccer practice or an important shared appointment. More information about MobileLife Family Organizer can be found at http://www.t-mobile.com/calendar.

Availability

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is expected to be available in an exclusive pre-sale for T-Mobile business customers beginning today, Aug. 17. The smartphone is expected to be available at T-Mobile retail stores and at select dealers and national retailers nationwide starting Aug. 31. For more information about T-Mobile products and services, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

T-Mobile’s 4G network has expanded to additional markets, including Atlantic City, N.J., and Florence, Ala. A complete list of all the markets where T-Mobile’s 4G network is live can be found at http://newsroom.t-mobile.com/articles/4g-fact-sheet.

For more information about T-Mobile’s 4G products, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

*T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere

About T-Mobile USA

Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG. By the end of the second quarter of 2011, approximately 128 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group — 33.6 million by T-Mobile USA — all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS and additionally HSPA+ 21/HSPA+ 42. T-Mobile USA’s innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile USA among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.de/investor-relations.