/ 8 October 2010

BlackBerry threat on hold by UAE

The United Arab Emirates rescinded a threat to suspend BlackBerry services after resolving a dispute with Canada’s Research in Motion (RIM), maker of the devices, the state news agency (WAM) said on Friday.

The UAE had said it would suspend BlackBerry Messenger, e-mail and web browser services next month unless RIM works out a way to locate encrypted servers in the country, so that the government can seek access to e-mail and other data.

“The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has confirmed that BlackBerry services are now compliant with the UAE’s telecommunications regulatory framework,” it said.

“Therefore all BlackBerry services in the UAE will continue to operate as normal and no suspension of service will occur on October 11, 2010,” it said.

However it did not give any details on the agreement.

Saudi Arabia and India also threatened to cut off services but reached an agreement with RIM. A UAE official had said in September the country was optimistic about reaching a deal before the October 11 deadline.

RIM has come under scrutiny from other countries in the region, including Lebanon, Algeria and Kuwait, regarding access to its encrypted network which governments want monitored to avert possible threats to national security.

Before the dispute, information sent to and from BlackBerries had been encrypted and handled by servers outside the UAE.

Security issues
The UAE had voiced concerns over its inability to access the information through legal means, citing security and sovereignty issues, and had emphasised it was not able to reach a deal since new telecoms regulations took effect three years ago.

WAM and the TRA gave no details on the agreement reached but their statements implied RIM and UAE authorities had reached an in-country technological agreement similar to what the US and other countries have.

“The TRA also acknowledged ‘the positive engagement and collaboration of Research In Motion (RIM) in reaching this regulatory compliant outcome’,” WAM said.

Etisalat and du, the two mobile operators in the UAE, issued statements confirming all BlackBerry services would continue to operate as normal.

Etisalat, which says it is the service provider to over 80% of BlackBerry users in the UAE, said its alternative mobility packages announced in August for existing BlackBerry customers were no longer applicable.

The disputes between Gulf Arab states and the maker of the BlackBerry smartphone have highlighted a growing nervousness over regional security threats, ranging from al Qaeda militancy to a potential conflict over Iran’s nuclear energy programme.

The US and Israel have not ruled out military action against Tehran over a programme it fears will make Iran a nuclear weapons state. Iran denies having any such intention.

The assassination of a figure from Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Dubai in January also focused attention on Gulf security fears.

Saudi Arabia is concerned about the threat of militancy from a Yemen-based al Qaeda arm that last year tried to assassinate a Saudi prince who ran the kingdom’s anti-terror campaign.

But analysts say RIM concessions could help authorities keep an eye on communications of domestic political and human rights activists in a region where ruling dynasties have little tolerance for political opposition and activism. – Reuters