BlackBerry has decided to cut ties with T-Mobile and has terminated its licensing agreement with the 4th largest US Carrier. Things came to a head recently when T-Mobile encouraged subscribers to exchange their existing BlackBerry smartphones for new non-BlackBerry devices. BlackBerry CEO John Chen, who has proven time and again that he won't stand for his company being unfairly treated, wrote a scathing post titled "BlackBerry's response to T-Mobile's anti-BlackBerry campaign," where he lambasted "T-Mobile's clearly inappropriate and ill-conceived marketing promotion."
T-Mobile backtracked, tried to placate pissed off BlackBerry supporters with a neat promo but the damage was done. Here's an example of a gimmick that backfired in T-Mobile's face. The final word, and this isn't an April fool's joke, although the timing is rather ironic, is that BlackBerry will not renew licensing on T-Mobile.
"Regretfully, at this time, our strategies are not complementary and we must act in the best interest of our BlackBerry customers. We hope to work with T-Mobile again in the future when our business strategies are aligned," said John Chen in a statement. In other words, good riddance.
As per the release sent out this evening, "BlackBerry has decided, it will not renew the T-Mobile U.S., Inc. license to sell BlackBerry products when it expires on April 25, 2014."
"BlackBerry customers on the T-Mobile network should not see any difference in their service or support. BlackBerry will work closely with T-Mobile to provide the best possible customer service to any customer remaining on the T-Mobile U.S. network or to any customer purchasing devices from T-Mobile's existing inventory."
BlackBerry is also working closely with other carrier partners to provide consumers and business users with alternatives should they decide to transition to another carrier and remain with BlackBerry for their long-term device and service needs. For additional details, offers and assistance, business customers and consumers can go to http://us.blackberry.com/smartphones.html.
Source: BlackBerry