Congress To Ditch Blackberry Phones At Long Last

While the global affinity toward BlackBerry Ltd BBRY devices dwindled in favor of Android or iPhone devices probably half a dozen years ago, the U.S. Senate has been a tad behind the times.

However, things are finally changing on the heels of news that BlackBerry will discontinue production of its BlackBerry Classic device. Members of the Senate and their staffers with work-issued phones will be making the leap into future, effectively catching up to current trends.

According to an article in USA Today, the Senate Sergeant at Arms sent a memo last week advising everyone from administrative managers to system administrators in the legislative body that Senate staff will no longer receive new BlackBerry phones.

Related Link: Say Goodbye To BlackBerry Classic

Senate staff can use up the remaining stock of phones on hand, but can also transition to new-ish Apple Inc. AAPL and Android devices, although some restrictions will apply.

The House of Representatives has not yet announced a similar switch. BlackBerry devices were long the preferred employer-issued device for government employees, due in large part to its reputation for being one of the most secure products available (it’s been fully encrypted for at least ten years). USA Today reported last year that BlackBerry CEO John Chen said the company relies on governments in developed countries like the United States to stay loyal to the phone.

BlackBerry shares traded 3.11 percent lower at $6.55 an hour before Tuesday’s close.