Wireless Carriers Push for RIM Settlement

Several wireless carriers have begun to pressure BlackBerry maker Research in Motion to settle its patent dispute with NTP, fearing a potential shutdown could cause trouble for their customers using the service.

Over four million of BlackBerry's customers are jointly served by U.S. carriers, and any shutdown of the service would not only affect RIM but consequently those wireless carriers as well, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

Alltel was the first to speak out publicly, with its group president of operations telling the paper "the right answer is a settlement." But, according to the article's sources, several providers have approached RIM privately urging the company to negotiate.

RIM may not be listening, however. Last Tuesday the company scored a major victory in its fight against NTP when the US Patent Office declared all of the company's patents invalid in preliminary judgments. These wins could be enough for District Judge James Spencer to further stay the injunction.

Also, the company says it has a workaround in the event of a court loss, however there has been no public demonstration nor is it clear that implementing the workaround would be legal.

RIM was not commenting publicly on the story.