Research In Motion (RIM) has announced the immediate availability of BlackBerry Professional Software - a new wireless communications and collaboration solution that integrates with email servers and is specifically designed and priced to meet the needs of SMBs.

BlackBerry Professional Software is based on the core functionality of BlackBerry Enterprise Server software used by governments and large organisations, but it is streamlined and tailored to meet the needs of smaller organisations with up to 30 wireless users. BlackBerry Professional Software is priced at $499 for 5 users.

According to the release, BlackBerry Professional Software enables SMBs to enhance communications and collaboration with an enterprise-grade mobility solution – allowing wireless access to email, organiser, Internet and intranet applications. 

Key features of BlackBerry Professional Software include small IT footprint, integration with Microsoft Exchange or IBM Lotus Domino, advanced security and BlackBerry MDS (Mobile Data System) support.

“Productivity and flexibility are obviously important for small and medium-sized businesses and we know that the majority of these businesses are interested in a wireless solution, but many have been waiting for a server product that can afford greater IT simplicity while still allowing a superior quality of experience for users. We specifically designed BlackBerry Professional Software to provide a more simplified and affordable solution for SMBs, while maintaining industry leading performance, security and control,” said Mike Lazaridis, president and Co-CEO at Research In Motion.