According to details of the reported plan, mobile carriers would have paid the company to run data and messaging over its network, offering non-BlackBerry (i.e Android, iPhone or Windows Phone) users access to relatively cheap plans.

Such a strategy would have separated the company's core data network and software from the BlackBerry smartphones which have been central to RIM's business. Although not an abandonment of the BlackBerry by any means - the reports do not make clear how the strategy would have affected hardware development - the move would have been seen as risky and radical.

The other half of RIM's management team, founder Mike Laziridis, and , is said to have strongly opposed the plan, which led to Balsillie stepping down as join CEO and company director, the anonymous sources claimed.

Lazaridis also stepped back from the business on the same day earlier this year, 23 January.