An Indonesian Govt. Minister has threatened Blackberry services to shutdown if device maker ‘Research In Motion’ declines to block pornographic content.
According to Communication and Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring, banning digital content deemed pornographic is in line with a law Indonesia enacted in 2008. If they do not respond to the request, the country will have to close them down. RIM violates the law if its service in Indonesia continues providing pornographic content. According to reports, Sembiring summoned RIM management to a meeting at which he demanded they help filter offensive material accessible by about 1 million BlackBerry users in Indonesia.On 09.04.10, In Mobile, By Editor
On 08.31.10, In Mobile, By Editor
Indian government has averted the ban on BlackBerry services for two more months after the device's maker, Research In Motion, proclaimed that it would give security agencies greater access to corporate e-mail and instant messaging.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, it would review the situation in 60 days after the DoT studies the likelihood of routing BlackBerry services through a server in India. RIM has made certain plans for legal access by law enforcement agencies and these would start operating instantaneously. The possibility of the solutions offered would be reviewed later.
If this ban takes place about 1 million BlackBerry users would have been affected in the country.
RIM has unwillingly agreed to New Delhi's demands for instantaneous access to encrypted corporate e-mail, telling previously it is technically impossible to provide.
According Nokia India Managing Director D. Shivakumar, the decision by Nokia Corp. — Research In Motion's major competitor in India — to set up a server in the country to facilitate government monitoring may have damaged RIM's dealing position. The company will now install a server in India in November to ensure government access to the data.
This problem which extended all round the globe, made Research In Motion's stock price to a 16-month.
Indian officials stated that they are not eager to ban the BlackBerry but they won't compromise on national security.
Security concerns flared after the terrorist attack on Mumbai in November 2008, which was coordinated using mobile phones, satellite phones and voice-over Internet phone calls. And the security agencies feel that Commonwealth games can be the major target.
Indian officials have also raised anxiety about Skype and Google, though both companies yet to receive formal notice of an inquiry.
On 08.30.10, In Mobile, By Editor
The smartphone companies can now hope of profits as Indian companies are considering other options that include leaving Research in Motion (RIM) for other smartphone makers as they face a helpless ban on BlackBerry services that could disturb business.
If India blocks BlackBerry services, Apple Inc and Nokia would be among the biggest gainers as they stand next to RIM’s Blackberry Smartphones. Both the companies are in the offing.
BlackBerry faces Aug 31 deadline for giving Indian security agencies access to its corporate email and messenger services, if failed in giving the solution the government would block the services.
According to RIM, singling out BlackBerry would be counter-productive for India, as it would limit the competence and efficiency of local firms.
The rival companies of Blackberry reveal that they had started getting queries from cautious corporate BlackBerry users asking if they could be a substitute for BlackBerry.
Nine mobile operators offer BlackBerry services in India, of which Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar are estimated to have the maximum number of BlackBerry users in India.
According to Vodafone Essar, there is a chance that Vodafone could receive further orders from the government requiring the company to shut down certain services available on the BlackBerry platform for an uncertain time-span. The company will be in a clearer position after September 1 to advice on the likely outcomes and whether it is necessary to engage in any detailed contingency planning.
India may extend the deadline in its argument with RIM if the company tells that it has a solution and asks for more time. India wants to track and read BlackBerry's secure email and instant messaging services that officials fear could be misused by militants trying to create instability
India is one of a number of countries putting pressure on RIM, which has built its reputation around confidentiality.
On 08.20.10, In Mobile, By Editor
If sources are to be believed, RIM is anticipating acquiring a mobile advertising network. In fact, the company was recently in discussion with US-based mobile ad network Millennial Media about a prospective acquisition.
However, the concessions ended due to differences in the value of Millennial. Millennial also brokers ad sales to a group of other mobile ad networks.
According to sources, the recent sale prices carried by competitors AdMob and Quattro Wireless have encouraged Millennial to demand for US$ 400 million to US$ 500 million. RIM has been reluctant to pay such a price.
RIM executives are unwilling to pay up for Millennial, stating that Apple and Google overpaid for their mobile-advertising acquisitions.
On 08.19.10, In Mobile, By Editor
After increasing pressure from the Indian government on RIM, Indian telecom minister has suggested a formula that can help in monitoring the device’s encrypted mails. The suggestion came in the middle of a meeting between the Home Ministry, security agencies and Canadian firm Research in Motion, maker of BlackBerry that operates on networks of other telecom service providers.
According to the DoT, Enterprise mail services offered on BlackBerry platform and other services provided on Virtual Private Network (VPN) can possibly be monitored by providing a clear email from the enterprise email server to the monitoring system located at each of the Internet Service Provider's premises. The possibility of the solution will be discovered after having discussion with the intelligence bureau and ISPs.
RIM, DoT officials’ confirmed that, it is vague to the possibility of locating a server or servers at ISP premises on the ground of technical non-feasibility of such a solution.
BlackBerry has a million of subscribers in India and the services are mounting. BlackBerry service are provided by nine telecom operators including government owned BSNL and MTNL, Airtel, Vodafone, RCom and Tata .
The DoT has commanded the Ministry of Home Affairs to check the place as stated by RIM with respect to interception and monitoring of various services provided on BlackBerry platform. In case the solution doesn’t work out, DoT would have no option but to ask the operators not to offer the enterprise email services on BlackBerry platform.
According to a source close to this deal, the technology being offered by Canadian firm RIM is likely to be put under test by the security agencies tomorrow.
On 08.16.10, In Mobile, By Editor
Armenian mobile operator VivaCell-MTS has launched BlackBerry solutions with Emitac Mobile Solutions Research In Motion (RIM) in Armenia. VivaCell-MTS will launch the BlackBerry Bold 9700, BlackBerry Bold 9000 and BlackBerry Storm2 9520 in Armenian market.
The solution will allow easy access to email, messaging, social networking, phone, calendar, web, multimedia and other business and lifestyle applications on smartphones.
According to VivaCell-MTS, launching BlackBerry smartphones in Armenia for both personal and professional use will allow VivaCell-MTS subscribers to stay ahead of technology. Offering high-speed quality mobile Internet experience is a main objective for VivaCell-MTS. With the growing popularity of data-intensive services, the company will enable its customers to use VivaCell-MTS’ 3G network with the latest smartphone launch. Whereas, According to EMS, the launch of BlackBerry smartphones in Armenia is an important step for EMS adding to their commitment of establishing and expanding the BlackBerry services to unreachable markets.
On 08.11.10, In Mobile, By Editor
Visa Europe and Turkey’s retail bank Akbank have launched a memory card-based mobile payment system, with the help of which consumers can make use of mobile payments solutions at any Visa point around the world.
The task will demonstrate how the memory card slot can help in mobile payments solutions to more consumers. The solution in question will allow current mobile devices to gain contactless mobile payment features. [Contactless is a card containing electronic information that can be read from a distance with special equipment that uses radio waves].
According to the company, one of the key challenges to the success of mobile payments is the supply and availability of NFC handsets. Until a majority of mobile handsets offered in the market are supplied with integrated NFC, Visa is proactively working with innovators like DeviceFidelity and pioneers such as Akbank to harness the potential of new technologies.
The project will begin with Blackberry handsets and will increase eventually to include a range of devices from manufacturers.
On 08.11.10, In Mobile, By Editor
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has asked all mobile phone companies to reveal whether or not their 3G services can be audited, checked and barred before starting to offer start high-end services. This could delay the roll-out of 3G, which involves services such as video conferencing on mobiles, high speed Internet and interactive gaming.
As instructed by security agencies, DoT had directed state owned telecos BSNL and MTNL to present legal interception mechanisms for all 3G voice and data services on their networks within 15 days.
The home ministry has also organized a meeting with all telecom operators offering BlackBerry services to address security concerns associated with encrypted data sent on such devices. The home ministry has repeatedly warned BlackBerry’s manufacturer—Canada’s Research In Motion (RIM)—that services on these handsets that cannot be monitored will be shut down.
A negotiation offered by RIM, however, allows security agencies to track emails without sharing encryption details, which is currently being tested by the IB. If these tests allow interception of services, an argument will be warded off.
The Intelligence Bureau had recently ordered the telecom department to stop Nokia’s popular messaging services in India until they are monitored.
On 08.09.10, In Mobile, By Editor
The RIM deadlock continues with the government planning to shut BlackBerry services in the country. According to a source, India can possibly set a deadline for the country's telecom operators to either talk to Research In Motion Ltd to provide security agencies access to monitor BlackBerry communications or shut down its services.
Reportedly the telecom operators may have to pay penalties for violating and withdrawing the two popular services - messenger and enterprise server, which will affect email ,that the security agencies aren't able to monitor. The ministry of home affairs will hold a meeting this week with DOT and mobile providers which offer Blackberry services.