DailyTech - ICE Says It Will Test BlackBerry 10 Smartphones

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Gadgets ICE Says It Will Test BlackBerry 10 Smartphones
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - December 14, 2012 9:28 AM

9 comment(s) - last by maugrimtr.. on Dec 17 at 9:00 AM

(Source: NJ.com)

RIM gets a second chance

Many enterprise and federal customers have been abandoning RIM’s BlackBerry platform. One of the last federal agencies to drop the BlackBerry smartphone in favor the iPhone was the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. However, it looks like RIM might get a second chance with ICE.

ICE is set to begin a pilot program early next year to test the new line of BlackBerry 10 smartphones. The pilot program will also involve testing of BlackBerry software to manage the smartphones on the ICE network.

"Given the nature of a rapidly evolving marketplace for mobile computing and the rising expectations of our users ... the pilot with RIM is a prudent technology management practice," said Barbara Gonzalez, the agency's press secretary.

^{BlackBerry L-Series smartphone [Image Source: TINHTE.VN]}

Just the thought of being able to get back into the federal agency was enough to help send shares of RIM up over 6% Thursday morning. BlackBerry 10 is set to launch on January 30 and the new devices are crucial to RIM remaining viable in the marketplace.

BlackBerry smartphones have been continually losing out to the iPhone and Android devices at many federal agencies. Some of the reason BlackBerry devices have fallen out of favor have to do with expensive software required to manage the devices.

"Our priority is to ensure that ICE and all government agencies understand the full capabilities of the new BlackBerry 10 platform and how it can help them meet their mobility needs today and in the future," said Scott Totzke, RIM's senior vice president of BlackBerry Security.

When ICE announced its plans to stop using BlackBerry devices in October, it stated that BlackBerry smartphones "no longer meet the mobile technology needs of the agency." ICE had planned to buy iPhones for its approximately 17,600 employees.

Source: Reuters

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RE: BB Phone

By jimbojimbo on 12/14/2012 3:27:41 PM , Rating: 2

BB7 and below are managed by a Blackberry Enterprise Server. BES cannot manage BB10 so your IT department would have to get the licences for their Blackberry Device Manager server, one per device. However, since BB10 has ActiveSync built in it should be theoretically be able to connect straight to an ActiveSync server if you guys have Exchange. You'll lose out on a lot of control but you should be able to connect IF your IT department approves the device.

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RE: BB Phone

By Galcobar on 12/16/2012 9:09:16 AM , Rating: 2

It's odd that you'd say BES cannot manage BB10 when ICE will be testing BES 10 alongside BB10 -- and may use BES 10 to manage whatever phone it chooses to issue.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2012/12/13/us-fed...

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