Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert) and Research In Motion (RIM) have announced that they have signed a strategic agreement for the distribution of BlackBerry smartphones in China. The first smartphone offered to Chinese customers through this agreement will be the 8700 model.

The announcement coincides with the first shipment of smartphones to distribution networks in China. Alcatel-Lucent stated that it achieved certification of the 8700 model for the Chinese market through partnership with TCL Communications, a major mobile device manufacturer in China that holds the Alcatel brand for mobile handsets.

“This strategic partnership perfectly matches Alcatel-Lucent's global presence and strength in the Chinese market with the global awareness and popularity of RIM's BlackBerry (News - Alert) brand,” Frederic Rose, President of Alcatel Shanghai Bell and President of Alcatel-Lucent's Asia Pacific activities, said in a statement to the press.

Rose also added that the agreement with RIM strengthens the distribution frame agreement that Alcatel-Lucent and RIM signed last year covering Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia and now extends to China.

“The BlackBerry platform offers robust and unmatched benefits for enterprise customers that wish to enhance mobile productivity and competitive advantage. We look forward to building on the early interest and momentum we are experiencing in China with both multinational and domestic corporations,” said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at RIM.

In 1999, a few months after launching its BlackBerry device in North Amera, RIM had reportedly applied to register the BlackBerry trademark in China. However, its plans to enter the Chinese market, even after an official announcement made in 2002, had been thwarted because of regulatory roadblocks.

Last year, after signing up a deal with China Mobile (News - Alert), RIM had launched its wireless service in China. However, according to reports it was given the permission to sell its handsets from the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry in June.

"Following our launch of the BlackBerry service with China Mobile, we are very pleased to now enter this smartphone distribution agreement with Alcatel-Lucent and Alcatel Shanghai Bell,” said Balsillie.

Balsillie also said, “Our partnership with Alcatel-Lucent has been very productive in other regions and has been important in our progress to import smartphones into the Chinese market.”

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Anshu Shrivastava is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To see more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.