(AOF) – The group specializing in software and services to manage and secure mobile networks, BlackBerry, reported a better-than-expected quarterly performance. In the third quarter, ended at the end of November, the Canadian group generated a net profit of 74 million dollars, or 13 cents per share, against a net loss of 130 million dollars, or 23 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding exceptional items, earnings per share came out at breakeven, against -7 cents expected.
Turnover for its part fell 15.6% to 184 million while the market was targeting 177.25 million dollars.
In the current quarter, it is targeting revenues of between $ 125 million and $ 135 million for its cybersecurity business.
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New equipment manufacturers are on the rise
After two decades of concentration, which had led to the domination of the market by three players -Huawei, Ericsson and Nokia-, new competitors are appearing. Small players have emerged with Open RAN (for “open radio access networks”), such as Mavenir, Parallel Wireless, Airspan, while large groups want to return or diversify into telecoms (such as Samsung, NEC, Fujitsu ) with these solutions.
Some professionals estimate that the turnover of Open RAN solutions should be doubled in 2021 and should represent 10% of the mobile equipment market in 2025. The largest European operators (Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone) have signed a memorandum of understanding, by which they commit to rapidly deploying Open RAN solutions in Europe. The second largest operator in the world, Vodafone, recently confirmed this commitment.