Research In Motion Ltd. has snagged an agreement with Microsoft Corporation, becoming the official web browser for RIM’s BlackBerry handsets and further hoisting its flag on the highest selling e-mail enabled cell phone in the US.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of AT&T choosing Yahoo as its default search engine for its handsets.

Microsoft''s Live Search will be available on BlackBerrys this year, the companies said in an e-mailed statement. BlackBerry customers can use the search engine to find nearby businesses and attractions.

The deal may help Microsoft prevent competitors Google Inc. and Yahoo! Inc. from dominating the market of mobile-phone searches, a market expected to increase by tenfold over the next three years.