On Thursday, BlackBerry announced that its BlackBerry 10 phones such as the full touch-screen Z10 as well as the keyboard-enabled Q10 were awarded with the "authority to operate" in the networks of the US Defense Department. The BlackBerry 10 phones together with the company's Mobile Device Management service and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 would all be used on the department's system.
Despite the financial troubles and a recent dismissal of senior executives, BlackBerry continued to cling on to the smartphone industry. Its security remained as an advantage to the Waterloo, Ontario-based mobile maker in the face of competitors.
BlackBerry said BES 10 was the initial MDM solution on the smartphone market to be awarded with the said certification. BES 10 could work with the BlackBerry 10 units along with iPhones, iPads and Android gadgets.
The US government's IT and communications support unit, Defense Information System Agency, is currently designing its infrastructure. It aimed to support 10,000 BlackBerry 10 smartphones during the third quarter and 30,000 martphones before the year ends.
Scott Totzke, BlackBerry's senior vice president, said the certification "further establishes" the smartphone maker's "proven and validated security model."
Timothy Raschuk, an analyst from Frontaura Capital, valued the enterprise service and security services of BlackBerry at US$2 billion. The amount alongside the cash and properties that the company owns would add up to US$2.35 billion. BlackBerry also boosted the company's cash in the bank for potential undertakings to US$2.9 billion from just US$2 billion.
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