BlackBerry not to renew contract with T-Mobile US

Mobile phone giant BlackBerry will not be renewing its contract with T-Mobile US Inc., following its expiration in April 2014. The decision not to renew the contract was made after a spat over the promotions of the carrier for Apple’s iPhones.

Telecom giant T-Mobile is the fourth biggest carrier in the US and the company will not be able to sell new BlackBerry products any longer, following the expiration of the contract on April 25, 2014. The company in a statement said that current BlackBerry users will not be affected and Waterloo – which an Ontario-based company – will help those customers who wish to switch to other carriers.

The chief executive officer John Chen in a statement said, “BlackBerry has had a positive relationship with T-Mobile for many years”. Chen went on to say that at this time, the strategies are not complimentary and that they must act in the best interest of customers of BlackBerry. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for T-Mobile, Anne Marshall did not have an immediate response to the latest development.

In February 2014, Chen criticized T-Mobile because the company encouraged users to switch to iPhones. Apple’s iPhone was the first real challenge to BlackBerry when it was introduced in 2007.

Photo Credits: USwitch static