BlackBerry to launch BBM channel for Mumbai Indians

MUMBAI: BlackBerry launched several new features on its BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) on Thursday as the struggling Canadian smartphone maker beefs up alternate revenue channels to compensate for its losing streak in the mobile devices market.

The new BBM application will allow free voice calling between two subscribers. Enterprise users can encrypt and record conversations for a fee, said Krishnadeep Baruah, senior director of BBM Marketing, Asia Pacific.

It also allows users to make their phones discoverable for up to four hours, when any other BBM subscriber invited by them can track the movements of the phones using satellite positioning.

The company said it has entered into an agreement with IPL franchise Mumbai Indians to launch a BBM channel that will allow the team to engage with fans. As part of the deal, BBM users can log on to Mumbai Indians channel and participate in contests and other programmes to win tickets, time in the team’s practice dugout.

Baruah said WhatsApp, the instant messaging application that has badly hurt BBM as it is available on cheaper phones using the Android OS, has opened the market for instant messengers. BlackBerry is now visiting colleges and offices to win back subscribers. The company is also tying up with mobile makers to preload the BBM application on their phones.

Deals with companies including Nokia, Micromax, Karbonn and Spice have already been struck, Baruah said. Application makers typically offer a revenuebased incentive or fixed fee to pre-install their apps on phones.