The UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has put a stop on its threat to ban BlackBerrys starting on October 11.
Stating that BlackBerry services will “continue to operate as normal and no suspension of service will occur”, TRA appears to have…
The UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has put a stop on its threat to ban BlackBerrys starting on October 11.
Stating that BlackBerry services will “continue to operate as normal and no suspension of service will occur”, TRA appears to have backtracked from its position earlier this week, when officials insisted that the ban would go ahead.
Tony Cripps, a telecoms analyst from Ovum said: “The decision by the UAE telecoms regulator to continue to allow BlackBerry service in the country implies that a pragmatic resolution to the ongoing dispute has been reached. It is certainly good news for RIM and its users in the UAE.”
He continued: “That said, it is unclear what will have changed in the nature of the RIM service that could lead the regulator to be ‘satisfied that services on the devices are now compliant with its security needs’ as has been reported when it had previously said the encryption of the BlackBerry service and the storage of data outside of the UAE’s border contravened local policy.”
Over the summer, RIM had been on the receiving end of ban threats from the governments of Saudi Arabia, India and Lebanon, which cited security concerns. The came to an arrangement with Saudi Arabia, is trialling a solution in India and is still talking to Lebanon.
RIM declined further comment.
