Senate Abandons BlackBerry, Offers iPhone SE and Galaxy S6 Instead

A recent report claims that U.S. Senate is finally abandoning BlackBerry smartphones and this time it is final.

According to a notice sent out to Senate staffers, the chamber will not replenish the stock once the current supply of Blackberry smartphones runs out. This is due to BlackBerry’s decision to abandon BlackBerry OS in favor of Android.

Once we have exhausted our current in-house stock, new device procurements will be limited, while supplies last, to warranty exchanges only.

Recently BlackBerry notified Verizon and AT&T about the discontinuation of its BlackBerry OS 10 smartphones. For now, staffers can still get their hands on a Z30, Classic, Passport, Z10, and Q10. However, there is a limited number available, and most of them are of the Classic and Z30 varieties. Once the stock is gone, they will be given a choice between 16GB iPhone SE or Galaxy S6.

Currently, the Senate has a little more than 600 various BlackBerry models stockpiled, according to the Sergeant at Arms, and device support for current phones is expected to continue for the “foreseeable future”.

Once we have exhausted our current in-house stock, new device procurements will be limited, while supplies last, to warranty exchanges only.

As of June 29, 2016, our BlackBerry device stock levels are:

• RIM Classic Verizon BlackBerry – 275
• RIM Z30 Verizon Black BlackBerry – 160
• RIM Classic AT&T BlackBerry – 45
• RIM Passport AT&T BlackBerry – 45
• RIM Z10 AT&T Black BlackBerry – 45
• RIM Q10 AT&T Black Blackberry – 40

After the existing stock has been used up, the only new BlackBerry that will go out will be warranty exchanges, and only when possible. If staffers want to ditch their existing Blackberry phones altogether, they can upgrade now to a Galaxy S6 on Verizon regardless of upgrade eligibility. Those who are eligible for an upgrade can also opt for a 16GB iPhone SE.

For offices wishing to make the transition from BlackBerry devices to other platforms, Verizon has agreed to suspend eligibility upgrade requirements for users migrating to Samsung S6 Android devices. Additionally, the $0 16GB iPhone SE has been added to the Technology Catalog, although current eligibility upgrade and mandatory AppleCare+ requirements apply.

In addition, those who are loyal to the bran can continue to use their BlackBerry smartphones as long as the device remains functional. Also, the report claims that BlackBerry will offer support to any existing devices for the foreseeable future.

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