NII, RIM to launch new smartphone in Latin America

(Reuters) - Wireless carrier NII Holdings Inc said it will launch Research In Motion's BlackBerry smartphone in Latin America during the first quarter of 2009. The company, formerly Nextel International Inc, said it will launch the BlackBerry smartphone in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Peru.

NII -- which operates in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Chile under the Nextel brand -- has been faring well against its rivals, Mexico's America Movil -- controlled by billionaire Carlos Slim -- and Spain's Telefonica SA.

(Reporting by Purwa Naveen Raman in Bangalore; Editing by Jarshad Kakkrakandy)