[makedonce]

Is it common, when RIM signs a contract with a provider, for the provider to insist on a exclusivity clause with RIM and a guarantee that RIM will not offer its services to any other provider for a certain period of time?

[Dubdub]

Seems to be the case lately. And not just with RIM. Look at Apple and the iPhone and AT&T.

[skyman84]

Yep,
It's common for most mobile device providors to do such a thing, Apple being the biggest stickler of them all!!

They'll generally only do it with flagship models (such as the storm) though.

[ndub33]

Exclusivity has been going on for a long time...most exclusivity clauses have a shelf life, but there are a couple that are indefinite.

[makedonce]

Originally Posted by skyman84

Yep,
It's common for most mobile device providors to do such a thing, Apple being the biggest stickler of them all!!

They'll generally only do it with flagship models (such as the storm) though.

Im not talking about phone models only, but for Blackberry service as well. Vodafone first infroduced BB service in macedonia a year ago and no other provider has offered the product in the mean time, which makes me believe there is an exclusivity clause in place.

[skyman84]

Originally Posted by makedonce

Im not talking about phone models only, but for Blackberry service as well. Vodafone first infroduced BB service in macedonia a year ago and no other provider has offered the product in the mean time, which makes me believe there is an exclusivity clause in place.

I can't say that I've ever heard of that, and it wouldn't make business sence for RIM to sign that kind of agreement.

Taking an educated guess, I would assume that it more that likely that the other network providors in your country/area don't have the resources to impliment the RIM services at the moment, and I'm sure it would be very costly for them to.

Even when you look at courties like the UK and the US, there are some networks that don't offer BlackBerry services.

[skyman84]

A quick google search shows that the carriers I've found don't have the technology or bandwidth to provide data services, making the use of a BlackBerry impossible.

[makedonce]

Originally Posted by skyman84

I can't say that I've ever heard of that, and it wouldn't make business sence for RIM to sign that kind of agreement.

Taking an educated guess, I would assume that it more that likely that the other network providors in your country/area don't have the resources to impliment the RIM services at the moment, and I'm sure it would be very costly for them to.

Even when you look at courties like the UK and the US, there are some networks that don't offer BlackBerry services.

The other two carriers in the country are T-mobile and Cosmofon, which is also owned by Deutsche telekom, which owns T-mobile. When I traveled here with a US phone number I would roam no problem on T-mobile.

Thats what makes me think that they have some sort of exclusivity issues..

[djm2]

The other question would be market demand. Is there sufficient demand in Macedonia to justify the investment by more carriers?

[southwestcomm]

RIM can only make devices for carriers who support it. Roaming can only take place on carriers who have a data network to support BlackBerry data.

[bertiebassett]

Originally Posted by southwestcomm

RIM can only make devices for carriers who support it. Roaming can only take place on carriers who have a data network to support BlackBerry data.

and erm the small matter of some physical data connections to/from the carriers network to the SRP.