BlackBerry said it has signed a long-term licensing agreement with TCL Communication, saying the agreement will accelerate its transition into a security software and services company. Under the terms of the agreement, BlackBerry will license its security software and service suite, as well as related brand assets to TCL Communication who will design, manufacture, sell and provide customer support for BlackBerry-branded mobile devices. BlackBerry will continue to control and develop its security and software solutions, serve its customers and maintain BlackBerry security software, while TCL Communication will manage all sales and distribution and serve as a global distributor of new BlackBerry-branded mobile devices along with dedicated sales teams.
As announced earlier, BlackBerry is transitioning its handheld devices strategy to focus on continued software innovation, while working with third parties to develop hardware and distribute and market the BlackBerry handset brand. The agreement with TCL Communication is BlackBerry's first global licensing agreement and expands on its existing relationship with the company, which led to the introduction of the DTEK50 and DTEK60 handsets.
TCL Communication will be the exclusive global manufacturer and distributor for all BlackBerry-branded smartphones with the exception of the following countries: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia.
