Basking Ridge, N.J. – BlackBerry continued to gain some traction through carrier channels with the announcement that Verizon will offer the BlackBerry Classic.
The announcement follows February 20 availability of the Classic and the BlackBerry Passport by AT&T through its web site and AT&T retail stores. The Passport is exclusive to AT&T.
On the Verizon network, the Classic will be available on the carrier’s web site starting February 26 and in Verizon Wireless stores on March 5 for $99.99 with new two-year activation after $50 mail-in rebate debit card. The phone will also be available unsubsidized under the carrier’s Verizon Edge installment/trade-in program.
The two carriers’ announcements demonstrate BlackBerry’s “growing carrier support and traction in the region,” a spokesperson said.
Since December, the Classic has been available only through Amazon and ShopBlackBerry.com as unlocked models without contract and through Ingram Micro Mobility for resellers who target the enterprise market.
The Classic is positioned as a productivity-first smartphone that combines the latest BlackBerry 10.3.1 OS with a 3.5-inch touchscreen and the old BlackBerry Bold’s optical track pad, dedicated answer/hang-up buttons, and physical QWERTY keyboard, menu and back buttons. The physical user interface enables one-handed typing and phone calling, BlackBerry said.
The Verizon version features XLTE dual-band LTE for faster peak speeds and greater network capacity in 400 XLTE markets, Verizon said.
Other key features include 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 16GB internal storage, 128GB microSD Card slot, 2500mAh battery for up to 22 hours of mixed use, and access to the BlackBerry World app store and the Amazon Appstore.
