Nokia Takes License on RIM Patent to Spawn Blackberry-Enabled Products: Research in Motion (RIM), the maker of the BlackBerry e-mail service, hailed on Tuesday a licensing deal that will help Nokia launch a BlackBerry-enabled phone in the United States.

Finland's Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone maker, signed a deal with NTP Inc. on Monday for five patents at the center of a bitter legal dispute between RIM and NTP, a radio communications company based in Arlington, Virginia.

Nokia signed an agreement with Ontario-based RIM in 2002 to license its popular e-mail service, but it has not launched its BlackBerry-powered 6820 handset in the United States, citing concerns over litigation between RIM and NTP.

"We're thrilled beyond thrilled. There's a very big backlog of orders for the BlackBerry-enabled 6820," RIM Chairman and Co-CEO Jim Balsillie told reporters in Toronto.

"We're thrilled to have a partnership with Nokia, we've worked on it for two years. We've wanted this product in market as soon as possible."

Analysts said on Tuesday RIM stood to benefit from the "bittersweet" Nokia/NTP deal.