It seems that RIM must have cut some sort of deal with the UAE. Or the UAE caved. Either way, a Blackberry ban in the Middle Eastern federation has been averted days before it was to take effect:
The last-minute decision ended more than two months of brinksmanship with Research In Motion company that makes the smart phones, a tool popular both with businesspeople and gadget-loving consumers in this Gulf federation.
The ban on e-mail, messaging and Web services — which the government threatened to impose over security concerns — was due to take effect Monday.
So the question is what sort of deal did RIM cut? Or was the pressure too great on the UAE? Either way, 500,000 Blackberry addicts in the UAE and visitors to the federation will still have Blackberry service.
Anybody want to guess what happened?