CESG Approves BlackBerry 7.1 OS for Government Use

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - Dec. 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*, 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™ 9900, BlackBerry® Bold™ 9790, BlackBerry® Torch™ 9860, BlackBerry® Torch™ 9810, BlackBerry® Curve™ 9380, BlackBerry® Curve™ 9360, BlackBerry® Curve™ 9320 and Porsche Design P'9981 from BlackBerry smartphones.

Notes to editors

* The study was commissioned by RIM. "TCO & Security of Enterprise Grade Mobility", Strategy Analytics, October 2012. For a copy of the full report, please visit: http://uk.blackberry.com/business/StrategyAnalyticsReport.pdf

About Research In Motion

Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ:RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

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