Archive for Saudi Arabia

RIM Gives Saudi Arabia Access To BlackBerry Messenger Messages

Posted in Commentary with tags , on August 10, 2010 by itnerd

I guess folding up like a cheap suit in the name of the almighty dollar worked. According tho Reuters, the Saudis are going to get a really sweet deal from RIM:

The source said RIM would share with Saudi Arabia the unique pin number and code for each BlackBerry registered there. That will allow authorities to read encrypted text sent via Messenger, an instant messaging service that’s distinct from email sent on the BlackBerry.

The arrangement would effectively give Saudi Arabia access to RIM’s main server for Messenger, but only for communications to and from Saudi users, the source said.

Well, that sounds delightful. The Saudis seem to like this development:

“In light of the positive developments in completing part of the regulatory requirements from the service providers, the regulatory authority has decided to allow the continuation of the BlackBerry Messenger services,”

Great. Now you can expect other countries to be lining up for similar treatment. Anyone want to place bets on who’s next?

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RIM Caves To Saudia Arabia…. Sad…. [UPDATED]

Posted in Commentary with tags , on August 7, 2010 by itnerd

This is a sad day for BlackBerry users. According to The Globe And Mail, RIM and Saudia Arabia have a deal:

The agreement, involving placing a BlackBerry server inside the kingdom, would allow the government to monitor users’ messages and allay official fears the service could be used for criminal purposes, the official said.

The deal could have wide-ranging implications for several other countries, including India and the United Arab Emirates, which have expressed similar concerns over how BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd., handles data.

The Saudi regulatory official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the details of the deal with the media, said tests were now underway to determine how to install a BlackBerry server inside the country.

I guess this explains why BlackBerry Messenger services came back so quickly after being cut yesterday. I expect that other countries will be lining up to get similar treatment. Which means there’s little point in having a BlackBerry as the security that has made them so popular is no longer there. But at the end of the day, they’re there to make money. So I guess you can’t be surprised that they folded up like cheap suits.

But it is sad.

UPDATE: A report has surfaced claiming that the three cell carriers in Saudi Arabia have until Monday to test out the proposed solution, or the BlackBerry messaging ban will take effect as originally planned.

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BlackBerry Messenger Is Apparently Down In Saudi Arabia [UPDATED]

Posted in Commentary with tags , , on August 6, 2010 by itnerd

The news is hitting the wires that Saudi Arabia has appeared to have shut down BlackBerry Messenger:

“It has stopped,” said a BlackBerry user in the western port of Jeddah, adding that his friends also noticed that the services were being phased out on their devices.

Now people will actually have to call their friends rather than type messages to them. But so far no other BlackBerry services seem to be affected. That may have something to do with talks between RIM and the Saudis according to The Globe And Mail:

Talks between maker Research In Motion and the Saudi telecom regulator have made progress, a source with direct knowledge of the negotiations said Thursday night.

“RIM showed on Thursday a degree of flexibility that has not been there over the past three months. Progress is being made. We started debating the technicalities of new setups,” the source said.

Hopefully RIM doesn’t fold up like a cheap suit. Not that they could even if they wanted to provided these governments the ability to snoop into the BlackBerry usage of their citizens. Security and the fact that e-mail is bulletproof are the main reasons to have a BlackBerry. Dumb down the security part and RIM might has well fold up shop and go home.

Either way, I suspect the end game is near and this will get sorted out in the next few days.

UPDATE: The BBC posted a story at 11:51 EST that everything is back to normal. I’m not sure what that means.  Any ideas?

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Saudia Arabia Confrirms Blackberry Ban Starting This Week… And India Joins The Fray Again…

Posted in Commentary with tags , , on August 3, 2010 by itnerd

Saudia Arabia has announced through it’s telecom regulator that Blackberry services will be banned as of this week:

The regulator, known as the Communications and Information Technology Commission, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment to provide details of the ban or say how it would be enforced.

It said the suspension of service was being implemented because BlackBerry service “in its present state does not meet regulatory requirements,” according to the SPA report.

To add to the fun, India has joined the mix…. Again:

India is also in talks with RIM over how information is managed on the devices. Like the UAE, it has cited security concerns in pushing for greater access to encrypted information sent by the phones that gets routed through the Canadian company’s computers overseas.

And:

India’s internal security chief U.K. Bansal told reporters last week he hoped the issue of BlackBerry monitoring would be sorted out soon, after widespread reports that the government had threatened to ban the devices.

Don’t these guys ever quit?

I don’t expect RIM to fold in this battle, and nor should they. After all, the whole point to buying a Blackberry is the security. If they water that down, then I should just get one of those iDevices or an Android phone. Right?

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