DOD Approves Use of Blackberry 7 Devices

Research in Motion (RIM) scored a key victory on Wednesday when its largest customer – the Department of Defense (DOD) – approved the company's line of Blackberry 7 smartphones for use on its networks.

The approval comes on the heels of an extensive testing program on behalf of Army lab researchers, who have now listed six additional Blackberry models on the DOD's Unified Communications Approved Product List (UCAPL). Newly-approved models include touch screen and keyboard varieties of the Bold, the Curve and the Torch.

RIM says that the handsets will enable DOD and army personnel to access a host of new features including universal search, Near Field Communications, Augmented Reality and Social Feeds 2.0, among others.

"RIM's unwavering focus on security and RIM's achievement of key security certifications including FIPS 140-2 validation and Common Criteria EAL4+ accreditation continue to be very important to many of our DoD and enterprise customers, but leveraging the full power of BlackBerry smartphones is also important as it helps them realize the full potential of their investment in the BlackBerry platform," noted Scott Totzke, senior vice president, BlackBerry Security Group at RIM.

While only including a single client, the deal with the DOD was critical for RIM as it makes a statement on the secure nature of the company's network and servers. The Blackberry maker has gradually lost enterprise customers over the last few years as IT administrators have begun to question whether RIM's network is truly superior to rivals in terms of security. RIM often uses its relationship with the U.S. government to prove its dominance in this area.

The deal is also important to RIM's bottom line. The company has seen its share price plummet 75 percent in the past year due to dwindling revenues. RIM recently announced a net loss of $125 million, or 24 cents a share, in the fiscal fourth quarter.

RIM is reportedly considering adopting a more radical business strategy, which may include taking on a partner or being sold outright.