Remember when T-Mobile was trying to convert BlackBerry users to the iPhone and BlackBerry decided to end its licensing agreement with the “Un-carrier?” Well, it seems the two have patched things up because the two announced on Thursday “a new partnership to bring the BlackBerry Classic to the Un-carrier’s Data Strong network and its approximately 57 million individual and business customers.”
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The BlackBerry Classic is a device that BlackBerry unveiled late last year that combined modern hardware specs with the classic look of old-school QWERTY BlackBerry phones. BlackBerry has been pitching the device to customers who are still loyal to the BlackBerry brand but who have never upgraded to a BlackBerry 10 device.
T-Mobile will start selling the BlackBerry Classic in stores starting on May 13th for $0 down and $18.33 per month over a span of 24 months. There’s no word yet on whether T-Mobile will start selling any other BlackBerry handsets in the near future, such as the beastly BlackBerry Passport.
Check out the companies’ full press release below.
BlackBerry, T-Mobile Team Up to Bring BlackBerry Classic to Un-carrier Customers
Two mobile industry mavericks create new partnership to bring the business-savvy BlackBerry Classic to the Un-carrier’s Data Strong™ network
WATERLOO, ONTARIO and BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON–(Marketwired – May 7, 2015) – BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB), a global leader in mobile communications, and T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE:TMUS), America’s fastest growing wireless company, today showed they’re two companies in the business of listening to their customers by announcing a new partnership to bring the BlackBerry Classic to the Un-carrier’s Data Strong network and its approximately 57 million individual and business customers.
This new partnership begins by bringing together the productivity and security of the BlackBerry Classic and T-Mobile’s industry-rattling Un-carrier for Business initiative. Now, whether you’re downloading tomorrow’s big presentation or video conferencing with colleagues on Skype, only the Un-carrier™ serves up the BlackBerry Classic on America’s fastest nationwide 4G LTE network-giving US business customers and today’s data-hungry mobile professionals the wireless experience they’ve been asking for.
“People who love BlackBerry smartphones and want to use one on America’s fastest nationwide 4G LTE network now have that choice,” said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. “Bringing BlackBerry into our device line-up now also stokes Un-carrier 9.0, which is all about bringing the Un-carrier revolution to business.”
“BlackBerry is proud to partner with T-Mobile once again to offer the world’s most secure and reliable mobile products and services that encourage productivity − whether they are individual users making the most of their day with the BlackBerry Classic, or an enterprise seeking to manage thousands of devices,” said John Chen, BlackBerry Executive Chairman and CEO. “Together with T-Mobile, we hope to deliver highly differentiated solutions that appeal to our mutual users: the power professionals who depend on their smartphones to get things done and make things happen.”
The BlackBerry Classic is built to meet the needs of productive people who appreciate the speed and accuracy that can be found with a physical QWERTY keyboard and features such as a fast browser and up to 22 hours of battery power.
The BlackBerry Classic will be available beginning May 13 at T-Mobile.com and in participating U.S. T-Mobile stores beginning May 15 for $0 down (and $18.33/month for 24 months; FRP: $439.92). For more information, visit BlackBerry.com/Classic or T-Mobile.com.
*Fastest LTE network based on download speeds.
**Device pricing for well-qualified customers: $0 down + $18.33/mo x 24 mos.; Total $439.92. If you cancel wireless service, remaining balance on phone becomes due. 0% APR O.A.C. Taxes & fees additional; total device tax due at sale.
**Battery Power Based on GSMA PRD TW.09 Battery Life Measurement Technique and a mixed usage scenario. Many factors affect battery life, including network connectivity, application usage, feature configuration and battery age. Actual results may vary.
