RIM unveils BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express

Research In Motion (RIM) has unveiled the BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express, a new offering aimed at small and medium-sized businesses, branch offices and companies new to BlackBerry.

The Canadian company said that BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express offers the same enterprise-level security, consistency, features and functionality of BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.1 and is available as a free download from RIM through the Internet to any customer who buys a new BlackBerry device.

Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at RIM said, “Mobile access is an increasingly essential requirement of doing business and this is especially prevalent in smaller businesses.” Lazaridis added, “BlackBerry Enterprise Server is renowned for helping companies become more productive and responsive, while providing industry-leading security, functionality, manageability and back-end integration. With BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express, we’re now making it easier than ever for new customers to derive the full benefits of the BlackBerry solution.”

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express offers incorporation with Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino or Novell GroupWise to enable secure, pushed-based wireless access to email, organiser, Internet and intranet applications.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express software comes with a single user license and is upgradeable to support up to 15 users (with purchase of additional client access licenses). It can also be upgraded beyond 15 users (with the purchase of an electronic unlock key) to a full BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express also comprises of RIM’s standard 60-day free technical support plan (where available).