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Cbeyond Expands BeyondMobile Handset Options For Small Businesses To Include The BlackBerry 8703e


WEBWIRE

December 13, 2006 - ATLANTA & WATERLOO, Ontario - Cbeyond, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBEY) and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM) (TSX: RIM) today announced the availability of the BlackBerry® 8703e on the Cbeyond BeyondMobile™ service, a mobile voice and data service designed specifically for small businesses. The BlackBerry 8703e is designed to keep users connected to important information and communications from a sleek and stylish device with a full QWERTY keyboard, which enables quick and accurate message typing and information entry.

Cbeyond is an IP-based managed services provider that delivers integrated packages of voice, mobile, and broadband Internet services to over 25,000 small businesses. The addition of the BlackBerry 8703e to its BeyondMobile service provides leading BlackBerry functionality to Cbeyond’s customers, allowing them to maintain wireless connectivity to a full suite of applications including email, mobile phone, organizer, Web browser, instant messaging and text messaging. It also supports a wide range of other business data applications and offers advanced security and manageability.

“Our customers asked for additional handset options and we delivered with the addition of the BlackBerry 8703e handset, which enhances our BeyondMobile service and strengthens our mobile offering,” said Brent Cobb, vice president of product management and general manager of mobile for Cbeyond. “The BlackBerry 8703e delivers premium quality voice and data services and gives our small business customers access to the same handset devices offered to larger enterprises.”

The BlackBerry 8703e has a bright, high-resolution LCD display providing a large viewable workspace and includes intelligent light sensing technology to automatically optimize screen and keyboard lighting levels for ideal indoor and outdoor viewing. It also offers premium phone features and intuitive call management features such as smart dialing; speed dialing; call forwarding; dedicated “send,” “end,” “mute” and “convenience” keys; built-in speakerphone for hands-free use; and Bluetooth® support for use with headsets and car kits.

“BlackBerry is the leading wireless platform for businesses of all sizes, allowing mobile professionals to stay connected, responsive and productive on the go,” said Mark Guibert, vice president, corporate marketing, Research In Motion. “We are very pleased to be working with Cbeyond to offer the powerful new BlackBerry 8703e.”

For Cbeyond’s customers, the BlackBerry® Enterprise Server tightly integrates with Microsoft® Exchange, IBM Lotus® Domino® and Novell® GroupWise® and works with existing enterprise systems to enable secure, push-based, wireless access to email and other corporate data.

In addition, BlackBerry® Internet Service allows users to access up to ten corporate and personal e-mail accounts (including Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and most popular ISP e-mail accounts) from a single device.

Cbeyond’s integrated packages of voice, mobile and broadband Internet services start at $495 per month. The company bundles long distance, toll-free and mobile minutes together. Unused landline minutes can be applied to mobile minutes and vice versa for free. The sharing of minutes is seamless to Cbeyond customers and requires no customer intervention. BeyondMobile customers can also pool all mobile minutes across employees so there’s no need to juggle different rate plans. With the company’s integrated service, customers receive one consolidated bill for all of their landline and mobile communications services, and have only one number to call for support.

About Cbeyond

Cbeyond (NASDAQ: CBEY) is an Atlanta-based managed services provider that delivers integrated packages of voice, mobile and broadband services to small businesses in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and San Diego. Cbeyond offers core communications services such as local and long-distance voice, mobile and broadband Internet access along with enhanced applications, including voicemail, email, Web hosting, data backup, file-sharing, VPN and more. Cbeyond manages these services over a private, 100‑percent Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) facilities-based network. For more information on Cbeyond, visit www.cbeyond.net.

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM’s portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry® wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (NASDAQ: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

Cbeyond Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to statements identified by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,” “targets,” “projects” and similar expressions. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Cbeyond’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause future results to differ include, but are not limited to, the following: changes in federal or state regulation that affects the Company; the timing of the initiation, progress or cancellation of significant contracts or arrangements; the mix and timing of services sold in a particular period; competitive factors; the need to balance the recruitment and retention of experienced management and personnel with the maintenance of high labor utilization; rapid technological change and the timing and amount of start-up costs incurred in connection with the introduction of new services or the entrance into new markets; the inability to attract sufficient customers in new markets; changes in estimates of taxable income or utilization of deferred tax assets which could significantly affect the Company’s effective tax rate; and general economic and business conditions.

RIM Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used herein, words such as “intend” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions made by and information available to Research In Motion Limited. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, possible product defects and product liability, risks related to international sales and potential foreign currency exchange fluctuations, the initiation or outcome of litigation, acts or potential acts of terrorism, international conflicts, significant fluctuations of quarterly operating results, changes in Canadian and foreign laws and regulations, continued acceptance of RIM’s products, increased levels of competition, technological changes and the successful development of new products, dependence on third-party networks to provide services, dependence on intellectual property rights and other risks and factors detailed from time to time in RIM’s periodic reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and other regulatory authorities. The Company has no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.RIM assumes no liability and makes no representation, warranty or guarantee in relation to third party products or services.



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