BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and BlackBerry 10 smart phones received the approval of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for classified communications up to the ‘Restricted” level, according to the Canadian smart phone maker.
The certification means that agencies in all the inter-governmental military alliance’s 28 member states, which include Canada, can use the new BlackBerry handsets in the office or in the field. The positive news, however, was followed by reports today that Toronto-based wireless carrier Rogers Communications Inc. has decided not to stock the new BlackBerry Z30 touch screen smart phone which is scheduled for release October 15.
Other carriers like Bell Canada and Telus and electronics retailers Best Buy and Future Shop will have the new smart phone in stock.
The NATO certification a significant for BES 10 because it provides assurance to security conscious organizations in government and regulated industries that BB10 smart phones are secured and encrypted, the company said. There a more than 25,000 BES 10 commercial and test servers installed globally.
“We built the new BlackBerry 10 platform from the ground up with the highest security needs of our government and enterprise customers in mind,” said Scott Totzke, senior vice-president of security at BlackBerry (TSE: BB). “The fact that BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and BlackBerry 10 smart phones have been approved for classified communications just months after debut, is testament to the thoroughness of its design and commitment to our defense and government customers.”
BlackBerry also announced that the National Police of Columbia is upgrading their current BlackBerry smart phones and migrating to BES 10. The police service decided to stick with company because its enterprise mobility management solution because the embedded controls in the system supports regulatory compliance in government environments with the highest security levels.