The Sunday Times reports that RIM is planning to split its handset and messaging network into two separate companies. And then, it plans to sell off the ill fated BlackBerry hardware business.

The newspaper suggests that RIM would keep its messaging and data networks including BBM, BIS and BES. And then, license them out to third parties.

The news comes on the back of a strategic review by RBC and JP Morgan. The Sunday Times does not explicitly cite a source in its report but suggests that Facebook or Amazon might be potential buyers of the hardware wing.

[Sunday Times via Reuters via The Verge]