BlackBerry to secure operations centers for G7 Summit

1 min readUpdated May 28, 2025Jun 18, 201812:27 AM

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BlackBerry is collaborating with the government of Canada to modernize their operations centers during international ministerial meetings and the 2018 G7 Summit.

Using BlackBerry AtHoc, a crisis communication platform that includes AtHoc Alert for mass notification and AtHoc Collect for field reports, the operations centers are able to efficiently mobilize and secure the flow of critical information by delivering updates to targeted lists of recipients in real-time.

“We are honored that the government of Canada has chosen BlackBerry to support their operations,” BlackBerry AtHoc SVP and GM Sanjay Saini said.

“Whether in times of crisis or during a high-profile event like the G7 Summit, reliable and secure communications are crucial. BlackBerry AtHoc technology enables real-time information exchange across organizations, their people and devices, providing them with the necessary details to make informed and safety-critical decisions.”

Additionally, BlackBerry is one of the companies that has been selected to demonstrate its innovative solutions at the 2018 G7 Innovation Showcase.

Many G7 government departments and agencies, including the Parliament of Canada, US Department of Homeland Security, US Department of Defense and New Zealand Parliamentary Service, use BlackBerry security software.

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What this means

BlackBerry's engagement with the Canadian government for the G7 Summit shows a pivot towards high-value enterprise and government security solutions. Unlike consumer device battles, this move uses its heritage in secure communications, positioning it against rivals in a niche yet lucrative market. Its previous presence in Asian government departments, such as the Parliament of Canada and US Department of Homeland Security, suggests a proven track record relevant to regional security concerns. The risk lies in scaling this specific solution beyond political events to broader commercial applications. This strategy pressures general IT security providers to demonstrate similar high-stakes credentials. Keep an eye on BlackBerry's quarterly enterprise software revenue figures.

Wei Zhang · Retail News Asia newsroom

Questions & Answers

Which specific G7 Summit will BlackBerry be securing operations centers for?

BlackBerry will be securing operations centers for the 2018 G7 Summit. This involves modernising centres during international ministerial meetings and the summit itself for the Canadian government.

What are the names of the specific BlackBerry crisis communication tools being used?

The specific BlackBerry crisis communication platform being used is BlackBerry AtHoc. This platform includes AtHoc Alert for mass notification and AtHoc Collect for gathering field reports efficiently.

Which other government bodies already use BlackBerry security software?

Several G7 government departments and agencies use BlackBerry security software. These include the Parliament of Canada, the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Department of Defense, and the New Zealand Parliamentary Service.

What is BlackBerry's additional involvement in the 2018 G7 Summit beyond securing operations centers?

BlackBerry has also been selected as one of the companies to demonstrate its innovative solutions. This will take place at the 2018 G7 Innovation show, highlighting their technology.

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