CESG Approves BlackBerry 7.1 OS for Government Use

RIM has announced today that the BlackBerry 7.1 OS has achieved CESG approval. This means that with the approval, public sector workers in the UK can now securely use all the features of BlackBerry 7.1 smartphones.BES is the only approved solution by CESG that protects classified and restricted data when used in accordance with CESG guidance. This just adds to the long list of government agencies worldwide that have approved BlackBerry for secure use.

CESG Approves BlackBerry 7.1 OS for Government Use 

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - December 18, 2012) - Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM)(TSX: RIM) today announced that the BlackBerry® 7.1 operating system has been approved for UK government use by CESG, the National Technical Authority for Information Assurance in the UK. The approval enables public sector workers to utilise the enhanced performance and rich functionality of the latest BlackBerry® smartphones available in the UK.

The BlackBerry® Enterprise Solution from RIM is the only mobile solution approved by CESG to protect data classified up to and including 'Restricted' when configured in accordance with CESG guidance. According to a recent research study from Strategy Analytics(i), the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution not only provides the most secure mobile platform but also the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) for mobile deployments. The study considered typical industry best practices, using the UK government as an example.

Scott Totzke, SVP, BlackBerry Security Group, RIM, said, "As we have seen from the recent Strategy Analytics report, the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution remains unique in that it not only delivers the highest level of security for government customers, but also the lowest total cost of ownership in the industry. It's a compelling proposition that has seen our solution widely deployed across UK public sector organisations, including the NHS, local government bodies, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), most of Central Government and over half of the UK's police forces.

"The CESG approval of the BlackBerry 7.1 OS enables our valued government customers to allow their employees to take advantage of the enhanced features and improved services offered by the latest iteration of the BlackBerry operating system."

The BlackBerry Enterprise Solution has delivered benefits at many levels in public sector organisations, including significant cost savings, greater workforce efficiencies and, in turn, an improved service to citizens. For example, by extending core processes and systems to frontline officers, UK police forces using BlackBerry smartphones have been able to reduce the time officers are required to spend at their desks, enabling them to spend more time policing the streets. Furthermore, a number of police forces are using the BlackBerry smartphone apps for Twitter® and Facebook® to change the way they engage with local communities to deliver enhanced frontline policing.

BlackBerry 7.1 OS smartphones currently available in the UK and covered by the new approval from CESG include the BlackBerry® Bold^TM 9900, BlackBerry® Bold^TM 9790, BlackBerry® Torch^TM 9860, BlackBerry® Torch^TM 9810, BlackBerry® Curve^TM 9380, BlackBerry® Curve^TM 9360, BlackBerry® Curve^TM 9320 and Porsche Design P'9981 from BlackBerry smartphones.