diff --git a/mobile/android/base/android-services-files.mk b/mobile/android/base/android-services-files.mk
index 375fab4a220..47d814f44a1 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/android-services-files.mk
+++ b/mobile/android/base/android-services-files.mk
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ SYNC_JAVA_FILES := \
   background/announcements/AnnouncementsService.java \
   background/announcements/AnnouncementsStartReceiver.java \
   background/BackgroundConstants.java \
+  background/BackgroundService.java \
   sync/AlreadySyncingException.java \
   sync/CollectionKeys.java \
   sync/CommandProcessor.java \
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/background/BackgroundService.java b/mobile/android/base/background/BackgroundService.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5391b4ec60e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mobile/android/base/background/BackgroundService.java
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+/* This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
+
+package org.mozilla.gecko.background;
+
+import org.mozilla.gecko.sync.Logger;
+
+import android.app.AlarmManager;
+import android.app.IntentService;
+import android.app.PendingIntent;
+import android.content.BroadcastReceiver;
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.Intent;
+import android.net.ConnectivityManager;
+import android.net.NetworkInfo;
+import android.os.Build;
+
+public abstract class BackgroundService extends IntentService {
+  private static final String LOG_TAG = BackgroundService.class.getSimpleName();
+
+  protected BackgroundService() {
+    super(LOG_TAG);
+  }
+
+  protected BackgroundService(String threadName) {
+    super(threadName);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns true if the OS will allow us to perform background
+   * data operations. This logic varies by OS version.
+   */
+  protected boolean backgroundDataIsEnabled() {
+    ConnectivityManager connectivity = (ConnectivityManager) this.getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
+    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < Build.VERSION_CODES.ICE_CREAM_SANDWICH) {
+      return connectivity.getBackgroundDataSetting();
+    }
+    NetworkInfo networkInfo = connectivity.getActiveNetworkInfo();
+    if (networkInfo == null) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    return networkInfo.isAvailable();
+  }
+
+  protected static PendingIntent createPendingIntent(Context context, Class<? extends BroadcastReceiver> broadcastReceiverClass) {
+    final Intent service = new Intent(context, broadcastReceiverClass);
+    return PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, service, PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT);
+  }
+
+  protected AlarmManager getAlarmManager() {
+    return getAlarmManager(this.getApplicationContext());
+  }
+
+  protected static AlarmManager getAlarmManager(Context context) {
+    return (AlarmManager) context.getSystemService(Context.ALARM_SERVICE);
+  }
+
+  protected void scheduleAlarm(long pollInterval, PendingIntent pendingIntent) {
+    Logger.info(LOG_TAG, "Setting inexact repeating alarm for interval " + pollInterval);
+    if (pollInterval <= 0) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("pollInterval " + pollInterval + " must be positive");
+    }
+    final AlarmManager alarm = getAlarmManager();
+    final long firstEvent = System.currentTimeMillis();
+    alarm.setInexactRepeating(AlarmManager.RTC, firstEvent, pollInterval, pendingIntent);
+  }
+
+  protected void cancelAlarm(PendingIntent pendingIntent) {
+    final AlarmManager alarm = getAlarmManager();
+    alarm.cancel(pendingIntent);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/background/announcements/AnnouncementsBroadcastService.java b/mobile/android/base/background/announcements/AnnouncementsBroadcastService.java
index 1e5786df7af..5ad6d49d70f 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/background/announcements/AnnouncementsBroadcastService.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/background/announcements/AnnouncementsBroadcastService.java
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 
 import org.mozilla.gecko.background.BackgroundConstants;
+import org.mozilla.gecko.background.BackgroundService;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.sync.GlobalConstants;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.sync.Logger;
 
 import android.app.AlarmManager;
-import android.app.IntentService;
 import android.app.PendingIntent;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.Intent;
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import android.content.SharedPreferences.Editor;
  * browser, registering or unregistering the main
  * {@link AnnouncementsStartReceiver} with the {@link AlarmManager}.
  */
-public class AnnouncementsBroadcastService extends IntentService {
+public class AnnouncementsBroadcastService extends BackgroundService {
   private static final String WORKER_THREAD_NAME = "AnnouncementsBroadcastServiceWorker";
   private static final String LOG_TAG = "AnnounceBrSvc";
 
@@ -34,24 +34,16 @@ public class AnnouncementsBroadcastService extends IntentService {
 
   private void toggleAlarm(final Context context, boolean enabled) {
     Logger.info(LOG_TAG, (enabled ? "R" : "Unr") + "egistering announcements broadcast receiver...");
-    final AlarmManager alarm = getAlarmManager(context);
 
-    final Intent service = new Intent(context, AnnouncementsStartReceiver.class);
-    final PendingIntent pending = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, service, PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT);
+    final PendingIntent pending = createPendingIntent(context, AnnouncementsStartReceiver.class);
 
     if (!enabled) {
-      alarm.cancel(pending);
+      cancelAlarm(pending);
       return;
     }
 
-    final long firstEvent = System.currentTimeMillis();
     final long pollInterval = getPollInterval(context);
-    Logger.info(LOG_TAG, "Setting inexact repeating alarm for interval " + pollInterval);
-    alarm.setInexactRepeating(AlarmManager.RTC, firstEvent, pollInterval, pending);
-  }
-
-  private static AlarmManager getAlarmManager(Context context) {
-    return (AlarmManager) context.getSystemService(Context.ALARM_SERVICE);
+    scheduleAlarm(pollInterval, pending);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -198,4 +190,4 @@ public class AnnouncementsBroadcastService extends IntentService {
       editor.commit();
     }
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/mobile/android/base/background/announcements/AnnouncementsService.java b/mobile/android/base/background/announcements/AnnouncementsService.java
index d15fd9b487c..5b60c1f335d 100644
--- a/mobile/android/base/background/announcements/AnnouncementsService.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/background/announcements/AnnouncementsService.java
@@ -11,15 +11,11 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Locale;
 
 import org.mozilla.gecko.background.BackgroundConstants;
+import org.mozilla.gecko.background.BackgroundService;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.sync.Logger;
 
-import android.app.IntentService;
-import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.Intent;
 import android.content.SharedPreferences;
-import android.net.ConnectivityManager;
-import android.net.NetworkInfo;
-import android.os.Build;
 import android.os.IBinder;
 
 /**
@@ -52,7 +48,7 @@ import android.os.IBinder;
  * * Persisting of multiple announcements.
  * * Prioritization.
  */
-public class AnnouncementsService extends IntentService implements AnnouncementsFetchDelegate {
+public class AnnouncementsService extends BackgroundService implements AnnouncementsFetchDelegate {
   private static final String WORKER_THREAD_NAME = "AnnouncementsServiceWorker";
   private static final String LOG_TAG = "AnnounceService";
 
@@ -141,22 +137,6 @@ public class AnnouncementsService extends IntentService implements Announcements
     return null;
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Returns true if the OS will allow us to perform background
-   * data operations. This logic varies by OS version.
-   */
-  protected boolean backgroundDataIsEnabled() {
-    ConnectivityManager connectivity = (ConnectivityManager) this.getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
-    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < Build.VERSION_CODES.ICE_CREAM_SANDWICH) {
-      return connectivity.getBackgroundDataSetting();
-    }
-    NetworkInfo networkInfo = connectivity.getActiveNetworkInfo();
-    if (networkInfo == null) {
-      return false;
-    }
-    return networkInfo.isAvailable();
-  }
-
   protected long getLastLaunch() {
     return getSharedPreferences().getLong(AnnouncementsConstants.PREF_LAST_LAUNCH, 0);
   }
diff --git a/mobile/android/services/java-sources.mn b/mobile/android/services/java-sources.mn
index 80d883b45c3..9688169e07a 100644
--- a/mobile/android/services/java-sources.mn
+++ b/mobile/android/services/java-sources.mn
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ background/announcements/AnnouncementsFetchResourceDelegate.java
 background/announcements/AnnouncementsService.java
 background/announcements/AnnouncementsStartReceiver.java
 background/BackgroundConstants.java
+background/BackgroundService.java
 sync/AlreadySyncingException.java
 sync/CollectionKeys.java
 sync/CommandProcessor.java