BlackBerry Z10 Could Launch in U.S. Sooner than Scheduled

T-Mobile USA has said that the Z10 smartphone from BlackBerry, previously known as Research In Motion, may launch ahead of its expected mid-March debut in America.

The former said it’s hoping to be the first American carrier "out of the gate" with the device next month. "The device is more stable than we anticipated," said Frank Sickinger, head of business sales at T-Mobile USA. "If we are able to speed up the launch date, we will do that. Right now it’s looking like mid-March."

His comments come after BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins stressed that the device's late launch in the U.S., its largest single market, is disappointing, which is due to the region's phone carriers' rigid testing system.

Sickinger said the $199 price for the BlackBerry Z10 announced on January 30 at the platform's launch event is in line with what T-Mobile USA has considered. The smartphone itself is already available in the U.K., where it's performing well in the market, as well as in Canada, where BlackBerry is based. For more on the handset, check out our hands-on preview.

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