Research In Motion (RIM) said on Wednesday that it has begun carrier testing of its BlackBerry 10 devices, which will be released next year.

Testing with carriers lets mobile makers test the compatibility of the new devices with their networks.

"In the last week, BlackBerry 10 achieved lab entry with more than 50 carriers, a key step in our preparedness for the launch of BlackBerry 10 in the first quarter of 2013," Chief Executive Thorsten Heins said in a statement.

RIM is trying to reinvent itself through the new smartphones that will run on the BlackBerry 10 operating system. The Canadian company has lost ground to Apple's iPhone and Samsung's line of Galaxy products, especially in North American and European markets.

RIM claims that the BlackBerry 10 devices offer a faster and smoother user interface and a better platform for the apps that are critical to a smartphone's success.