Press Release

February 26, 2008

Celtel, EMS and RIM Launch the BlackBerry Solution in Madagascar

Antananarivo - Madagascar, Dubai - UAE et Waterloo - Canada - Celtel Madagascar today launched the BlackBerry® Enterprise Solution from Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) to its postpaid subscribers in Madagascar.  This service will be ideal for professionals and corporate consumers and help them stay connected to important people and information while on the move. The BlackBerry solution is also very beneficial for corporations who want to improve the productivity and effectiveness of their mobile employees. Employees with BlackBerry smartphones will be able to manage their corporate email without being at their office desks.

Celtel customers will be able to access a wide range of features using a BlackBerry smartphone including corporate email, mobile phone services (including voice calling, SMS and MMS), other corporate data applications, and a range of personal information management (PIM)  tools. 

The launch of the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution in Madagascar is the result of a partnership between Celtel, Emitac Mobile Solutions LLC (EMS) and RIM, who have collaborated to bring the BlackBerry solution to market. 

At launch, Celtel Madagascar will offer the BlackBerry® 8800 smartphone to its customers. The BlackBerry 8800 smartphone is packed with powerful communications capabilities and yet, is also incredibly slim and stylish.  The BlackBerry 8800 includes built-in GPS for location based services and applications such as BlackBerry® Maps (also included), a media player, expandable memory slot and a trackball navigation system.

“We are proud to assist Celtel Madagascar in bringing BlackBerry services to a ready and eager marketplace” said Babar Khan, CEO of Emitac Mobile Solution (EMS), RIM's strategic channel partner of choice. “We will support Celtel in providing its customers best-in-class service when it comes to BlackBerry solution and remaining at the forefront of BlackBerry portfolio development”.

“We continue to extend the global availability of the BlackBerry solution and are pleased to be launching today in Madagascar with Celtel and EMS.  BlackBerry smartphones are a great choice for individuals that strive to be more productive, flexible and ultimately more successful in work and life,” said Charmaine Eggberry, Vice President and Managing Director of EMEA at Research In Motion.
Celtel customers traveling within East Africa’s One Network and Zain countries can continue to use their BlackBerry smartphone while roaming in the region.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server tightly integrates with IBM® Lotus® Domino®, Microsoft® Exchange and Novell® GroupWise® environments and features a broad set of IT policy controls that allows IT departments to manage deployments.
 
About Celtel International
Celtel is the most successful pan-African mobile network, offering telecommunications services to more people in Africa than any other network. The company is one of the best-known branded businesses in Africa with mobile licenses covering more than 400 million people, close to half of Africa’s population. Under the brand promise of ‘Making Life Better’, the company is committed to achieving sustainable development of telecommunications in Africa. Celtel has more than 20 million customers and operates mobile cellular operations in 14 countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Madagascar, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Madagascar and Zambia. For more information please visit www.celtel.com

Celtel is owned by Zain, a leading provider of mobile telecommunications in the Middle East and Africa. Zain employs 13,000 people provides a comprehensive range of mobile voice and data services to over 29.7 million active individual and business customers.  

The Mobile Telecommunications Company KSC (the parent company) is a Kuwaiti shareholding company and its shares are traded on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. The company’s market capitalisation at 1 May, 2007 exceeded US$ 24 billion. For more information please visit www.zain.com

About Zain
Zain is the pioneer of mobile services in the Middle East and now a major player in Africa. The company was established during 1983 in Kuwait as one of the region’s first mobile operators, and since the initiation of our “3x3x3” expansion strategy in 2003, we have expanded rapidly becoming the 4th largest company in the world with a footprint in 20 countries. 
As a leading mobile and data services operator in five  Middle Eastern and 15  African countries with 13,000 employees, we provide a comprehensive range of mobile voice and data services to over 29.7 million active  individual and business customers. 

Zain operates in Kuwait, Bahrain, in Jordan, in Iraq, in Lebanon, in Sudan and in 15 sub-Saharan countries in Africa as Celtel: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Madagascar and Zambia. 

The Parent Company and its subsidiaries (the Group) provide mobile telecommunication services under licenses from Governments of the countries in which they operate; purchase, deliver, install, manage and maintain mobile telephone and paging systems; and invest surplus funds in investment securities. 

The group recorded revenues of KD 392.5 million (USD 1.356 billion) and net profit of KD 71.4 million (USD 246.6 million for the quarter ending March 31, 2007.  The Kuwait Investment Authority owns 24.6% of the company’s shares. 

The Mobile Telecommunications Company KSC (the Parent Company) is a Kuwaiti shareholding company and its shares are traded on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. The Company’s share price as at May 1, 2007 was 3.700 Fils, giving a Kuwait Stock Exchange market valuation for Zain of KD 7.013 billion (USD 24.25 billion) 

About EMS
Emitac Mobile Solutions (EMS) is a Dubai based solutions and service provider and RIM strategic channel partner focused on the delivery, implementation and support of BlackBerry® Solutions. Delivered by an experienced team of mobile professionals, EMS provides the mobile operator with sales, marketing, distribution, solution implementation and technical support services for the BlackBerry wireless platform from Research In Motion (RIM). For organizations using the BlackBerry wireless platform, EMS provides the ability to rapidly create, deploy and manage robust client-server wireless applications that reduce an organization's total cost of ownership and significantly increases the value of their mobile technology investment.  EMS is the region’s first Mobile Virtual Solutions Provider (MVSP) whose services are delivered through partnerships the company has with mobile operators in the Gulf, North Africa and Eastern Europe. For more information about EMS please visit the Company website at http://www.emsmobile.com 

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.

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. RIM assumes no liability and makes no representation, warranty or guarantee in relation to third party products or services.