Windows Phone Attempts to Capitalize on BlackBerry Outage

With only a couple weeks to go before BlackBerry 10 arrives, Research In Motion RIMM is doing everything it can to ensure that consumers are excited for its arrival. Unfortunately, a BlackBerry outage should not have been one of them. According to Reuters, BlackBerry users have been experiencing outages on Vodafone's VOD network. "We are aware that some BlackBerry customers are experiencing issues," a Vodafone representative told Reuters. "Vodafone is working closely with Research In Motion to restore full service as soon as possible. As soon as we have further information we will provide additional updates." No other details have been provided. However, ZDNet received an update from Research In Motion claiming that "all BlackBerry services are operating normally." "We are aware that a wider Vodafone service issue is impacting some of our BlackBerry customers in Europe, Middle East and Africa," a Research In Motion representative told ZDNet. "We are supporting Vodafone's efforts to resolve the issue as soon as possible." On Twitter, a search for "BlackBerry Outage" reveals a top tweet for the official Windows Phone Twitter page. "Is your friendship an epic adventure?" the tweet reads. "See it play out in photos, posts and check-ins. http://spr.ly/6015psed #MeetYours." With Google's GOOG Android and Apple's AAPL iOS platforms dominating the market, Microsoft MSFT hopes that it can take the number-three spot from Research In Motion. Nokia NOK released encouraging numbers this week, announcing that it sold an estimated 4.4 million Lumia devices in the fourth quarter. All of Nokia's Lumia smartphones contain the Windows Phone operating system. Thus far, the BlackBerry outage has prevented at least one reporter from tweeting today. "I'm afraid a BlackBerry outage prevented any tweets from me about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's visit to the NPG today until now," Richard Palmer, the royal correspondent of the Daily Express, tweeted. Other users do not seem to be surprised by the outage. "Yet ANOTHER #Blackberry outage...MAKE it stop," ‏@nathanpillay tweeted this morning. Self-confessed geek ‏@pidge_84 was equally unhappy. "Yet another #Blackberry outage," he tweeted. "Yet another reason to look at different solutions." "Another outage of BlackBerry on @VodafoneUK," ‏@RealMrJules tweeted. "What has failed this time?" Follow me @LouisBedigianBZ