BlackBerry lands deal for crisis communications system at U.S. Capitol

NEW YORK — BlackBerry says it has received a multimillion-dollar order for secure software that would used in the U.S. Capitol complex in times of crisis.

The order was awarded by the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms Office in Washington, D.C. BlackBerry said Tuesday its AtHoc system will be fully implemented for the Capitol complex over the coming months.

The Waterloo-based company didn’t say how many millions of dollars the Senate contract will be worth over five years.

Once running, the system will provide secure notification and communication for up to 50,000 individuals at the complex.

BlackBerry chief executive John Chen has positioned BlackBerry to get more of its revenue from software sales — rather than its handsets, which have lost most of their market share to Apple iPhones and Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

BlackBerry also announced that its AtHoc division will extend the capability of the U.S. Coast Guard’s warning system to allow staff members in the National Capitol Region to receive and respond to emergency alerts through their computers.