* Updated: 8130 now available from Sprint! *

Penetration of the BlackBerry Pearl "2" in North America has a come a few steps closer this week. The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 is already available from Verizon and Telus, Sprint will have it any hour now, and today Alltel and MTS Allstream (local Winnipeg carrier) announced they are adding the 8130 to their BlackBerry offerings as well.

With the CDMA carriers almost covered, next up are GSM guys with the BlackBerry 8120. The FCC gave it approval this week (accidentally spilling the beans that it will be in North America soon enough), so hopefully we'll see it on AT&T, T-Mobile and Rogers early into the new year. You can read the MTS Allstream Press Release Here, and the Alltel Press Release after the Jump! 

Alltel Wireless Plans to Add the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 to Line up in Time for the Holidays
Small and stylish smartphone eases customers’ daily tasks

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alltel Wireless, America’s largest network, is going to make customers’ wireless experience easier and more productive with the announcement that they plan to have the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130 smartphone from Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM) (TSX: RIM) available in time for the holidays.

This sleek smartphone is designed to give customers an exceptional mobile experience with powerful communications and multimedia capabilities. Whether it’s answering email, sending text messages, scheduling meetings, playing music, or surfing the Internet, the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 provides customers the ability to do all the things they need and want to do.

“The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 will be a great addition to our smartphone line up, allowing our customers to stay connected, productive and entertained while on the go,” said Brian Ullem, director of device strategy for Alltel Wireless. “This new BlackBerry Pearl 8130 blends multimedia functionality with the BlackBerry® email platform to create a smartphone that exceeds expectations.”

The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 offers the full smartphone experience – including phone, email, Web browser, text (SMS) messaging, instant messaging and organizer applications. Available from Alltel in an attractive amethyst color, the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 also features:

• GPS technology and access to mapping applications such as BlackBerry® Maps and TeleNav® GPS Navigator™
• 2 MP camera with flash, zoom and video capture 
• Advanced media player, 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth® stereo support and dedicated volume controls 
• An externally accessible SDHC expandable memory card slot 
• Speaker Independent Voice Recognition for Voice Activated Dialing 
• Enhanced SureType® keyboard technology with new word completion capability and built-in spell-checker 
• Multi-directional trackball for easy navigation. 

Alltel Wireless will be offering the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 for $149.99 after a $100 mail-in-rebate at Alltel retail stores nationwide and online at www.shopalltel.com. This discounted price is available to new customers who sign-up for a two-year service agreement as well as existing eligible customers on qualifying rate plans. All Alltel customers who purchase the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 and are on a qualifying calling plan are able to receive “My Circle,” Alltel’s exclusive calling feature allowing customers to choose who they call for free – any 10 numbers, any network. Alltel Wireless also offers Anytime Plan Changes, giving customers the flexibility to change their rate plan any time, without extending their contract.

To find out more about BlackBerry Pearl 8130 from Alltel please visit www.alltel.com/pearl.

Alltel is owner and operator of the nation’s largest wireless network and has more than 12 million customers. For more information about Alltel, please visit www.alltel.com.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited.