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Regional carrier Alltel, and the nation's fifth largest overall, is now offering Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry 8703e, the first QWERTY thumb-keyboard BlackBerry with high-speed EV-DO networking, for data transfer rates averaging between 400 and 700 kbps.

The county's CDMA operator's, Verizon Wireless and Sprint, launched this very same RIM device in back in September. And like these carrier's, Alltel already offers RIM's BlackBerry 7130e, which also features 3G, but is more handset than handheld, with a keypad/keyboard hybrid and SureType predictive text software.

Alltel is selling the 8703e for $249.99 with a two-year contract after a $50 mail-in rebate.

As with Sprint's version of the smartphone, Alltel's integrates assisted-GPS technology to support location-based services smartphone. For Alltel that means bundling TeleNav GPS Navigator to provide maps, turn-by-turn, voice and onscreen driving directions. The software also offers information and directions to more than 10 million business listings (including gas prices and Wi-Fi hotspots) and a pedestrian mode for use while walking.

The 8703e measures 4.3 x 2.7 x 0.77 inches and weighs 4.7 ounces (135 grams). It runs on 64 MB of flash memory, 16 or RAM and a 312 MHz XScale processor.

There's RIM's aforementioned signature 35-key QWERTY thumb-keyboard, of course, plus a QVGA (320 x 240 pixel) resolution display that supports over 65,000 colors. The device incorporates intelligent light sensing technology that automatically adjusts both the LCD and keyboard lighting to provide an optimized view in outdoor, indoor and dark environments.

Call management features include "send," "end" and "mute" keys plus a speakerphone, microphone, smart dialing, conference calling, speed dialing and call forwarding. Bluetooth 2.0 lets you connect to wireless headsets and car kits.

The removable/rechargeable lithium battery is supposed to last up to 3.3 hours talk and 8 days standby time.

In addition to accessing the Web, corporate network, and e-mail from their handheld, 8703e users have the option to connect their BlackBerry via a USB cable to a laptop to take advantage of EV-DO to do the same.

As with all BlackBerrys, corporate customers can access the behind-the-firewall BlackBerry Enterprise Server, which tightly integrates with Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise for push-based, wireless access to e-mail and other corporate data. For individuals and smaller businesses, BlackBerry Internet Service allows users to access up to ten corporate and personal e-mail accounts.