Verizon Intros Push To Talk For BlackBerryVerizon Intros Push To Talk For BlackBerry

Enterprise cell phone pacesetter Research In Motion is moving into push-to-talk territory, an area primarily used by construction, public safety, and other outdoor workers. Verizon Wireless said the service, to be offered on RIM's BlackBerry Tour 9630, will be available starting Tuesday.

Verizon Wireless said the push-to-talk service will be available for both BlackBerry Internet Service and BlackBerry Enterprise Server customers who have the BlackBerry Tour handset.

"Extending push-to-talk to the BlackBerry Tour from Verizon Wireless offers business customers a single device for instant communication plus the enterprise-grade security and robust business communications capabilities people have come to expect from a BlackBerry smartphone," said Verizon's Mark Bartolomeo in a statement. Bartolomeo is VP of global enterprise marketing for Verizon Wireless.

The Tour application is not the first push-to-talk service offered by Verizon Wireless, which already offers push-to-talk handsets by Casio, Motorola, and Samsung. The new handset, however, is the first Verizon Wireless offers for RIM's enterprise-oriented consumers.

The Tour push-to-talk service enables users to participate in group calls with up to 50 participants and can serve as an online contact management tool for an entire organization. A presence feature enables users to determine whether a colleague is available, and a single individual or a group of colleagues can be contacted with the push of a button.

After the push-to-talk service is added to their service plans, customers can download the app through VZStart on their handsets or from the Verizon Wireless Application Center.