Blackberry Stirs: Gobbles Up U.K.-based Mobile Start-up

The struggling mobile company Blackberry recently took possession of U.K. based start-up Movirtu. The start-up is the maker of technology that allows smartphones to use multiple phone numbers simultaneously with the use of only one SIM.

The acquisition of this start-up and subsequent technology could give the troubled mobile company the ability to expand its capability. This could give Blackberry its much needed edge in the ever-evolving market.

Movirtu’s multi-number, virtual SIM technology may help Blackberry cater to their core base of corporate and government clients. The technology eliminates the need for separate work and personal mobile devices or SIM cards. An individual may have both their personal and business numbers on a single device.

The technology is said to support separate billing for voice, data and messaging usage per number, drawing a fine line between personal and business usage for the phone. John Sims of Blackberry also confirmed that Movirtu’s technology would allow IT administrators the capability to restrict and control e-mail access to the work phone number, without compromising access to personal calls and e-mails to the personal number.

During a press-release, Blackberry had stated that Movirtu’s technology will work hand-in-hand with Blackberry’s own partitioning and security systems such as Secure Work Space and Blackberry Balance. Movirtu, which holds patents for its Virtual SIM Platform allows Blackberry to further improve the technology.

Amongst other recent changes, Blackberry has moved to stabilize itself through other small acquisitions, selling assets, and attempts to reduce costs in their manufacturing and supply chain. Such changes are close to home, with the sale of the Blackberry’s buildings to the University of Waterloo this past year.

The acquisition of Movirtu, and the recent shift in Blackberry activities stems from Blackberry’s current Interim CEO John Chen. Turnaround artist John Chen, known for saving Sybase in 1990s, is now attempting to reverse Blackberry’s downward spiral.