The legal storm clouds that have gathered over Research In Motion Ltd. are unlikely to slow sales of its popular BlackBerry handheld computer, says a spokesman for T-Mobile USA Inc., which Monday will announce it is the first North American carrier to sell RIM's new colour-screen version BlackBerry.
"We really haven't seen it have a significant impact on selling this device," said Bryan Zidar, a spokesman for Bellevue, Wash.-based T-Mobile USA. "It's full-steam ahead and it hasn't been an issue yet."
RIM is operating under a suspended injunction, issued by a U.S. court in Virginia, that would ban all sales of BlackBerry products in the United States. The injunction was granted and then immediately suspended pending RIM's appeal of the injunction after RIM lost a patent dispute with NTP Inc.
RIM is also engaged in patent disputes with Xerox Corp. and Good Technology Inc.
Monday, T-Mobile begins selling the BlackBerry 7230, the first BlackBerry to feature a full-colour screen.
"It'll make a big splash to be the first carrier in North America to have a colour screen," said Barry Richards, an analyst at CIBC World Markets Inc. of Toronto.
The device has been available for purchase since early June in Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom where it is offered by T-Mobile International Inc. T-Mobile USA and T-Mobile International are controlled by Deutsche Telekom AG of Bonn, Germany.
Consumer reaction to the 7230 and other new RIM products has been positive enough that analysts believe it could significantly boost RIM's revenue this year.
Michael Urlocker, an analyst at UBS Warburg Securities Inc., recently raised his 12-month stock price target from $20 (U.S.) to $25, citing strong consumer interest in RIM's new products.
"We believe RIM has ramped production and that the good reception of new products in Europe bodes well for RIM's prosumer strategy," Mr. Urlocker wrote in a July 31 report.
The term "Prosumer" is short for professional consumer, a target market segment that fits between corporate buyers — information technology managers at large companies who typically make volume purchases of more expensive BlackBerrys — and the mass market consumer.
In addition to the always-on wireless e-mail functionality built in to every BlackBerry product, the 7230 can also be used as a phone.
The 7230 and its monochrome-screened cousin the BlackBerry 6230, use what's known as Tri-Band technology, which means the phone can be used on many cellular networks in North America, Europe and Asia.
"It's an exceptional product," said Ray Sharma, wireless technology analyst at BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. in Toronto.
"The initial reaction has been extremely favourable," said T-Mobile's Mr. Zidar. "We think this is going to be a big seller for us."
Neither T-Mobile nor RIM would disclose how many 7230 units have been shipped to T-Mobile, although industry sources estimate that T-Mobile has bought 30,000 of the units from Waterloo, Ont.-based RIM for worldwide distribution.
The 7230 and the 6230 are also significantly cheaper than any other BlackBerry, an initiative that RIM and its carrier partners hope will broaden RIM's customer base.
T-Mobile USA is marketing the 7230 at a list price of $399 (U.S.) but analysts said after special deals involving rebates, trade-ins and reseller agreements, some consumers could buy the 7230 for as little as $299.
Analysts believe T-Mobile is not subsidizing the cost of the unit although T-Mobile declined to comment on that issue.
Buyers of the unit must sign up for a monthly subscription to the service. T-Mobile will charge a flat rate of between $30 and $40 a month.
T-Mobile has been given the exclusive rights to market the 7230 in the U.S. although RIM would not say how long T-Mobile has those rights. T-Mobile, also would not say how long it has exclusive rights except that it is at least until the end of the year.
Analysts believe other North American carriers are testing the 7230 on their networks.
T-Mobile USA is the smallest wireless carrier of its kind in the U.S. market with about nine million subscribers. AT&T Wireless Services Inc. and Cingular Wireless LLC, which sell other RIM products, are the largest U.S. wireless service providers with more than 20 million subscribers each.
David Akin is national business and technology correspondent for CTV News and a contributing writer to The Globe and Mail.
