<A HREF="http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1040_22-6045880.html?tag=nl.e589">The long-running BlackBerry saga appears to be over.</A> Research In Motion and NTP have agreed to settle the patent dispute over the BlackBerry device for $612.5 million, the companies announced in a press release on Friday. Under the agreement, RIM will receive a license to NTP's patents going forward, they said. The agreement involves a one-time payment to NTP, said RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie in a Friday afternoon conference call. Even if the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office eventually overturns NTP's patents, NTP will not have to repay the $612.5 million. "There is no provision for the PTO re-exam. This is a full and final settlement," he said. RIM was feeling the effects of enterprise customers that were waiting for some resolution in the case before expanding their current BlackBerry usage or upgrading to new hardware and software, said Dennis Kavelman, RIM's chief financial officer. The agreement comes one week after the companies argued over whether Judge Spencer should impose an injunction on the sale and support of BlackBerry devices in the U.S. During that hearing, Spencer expressed his frustration that the companies hadn't settled their dispute, and promised to rule promptly on the injunction. Patent lawyers agreed that strong words from Judge Spencer last week hinted at an injunction in RIM's future and played a major role in the speedy resolution.