Dubai: The secure BlackBerry network has also caused concern with governments around the world.
The Indian Government warned Research in Motion (RIM), the maker of BlackBerry, last week said that if BlackBerry doesn't allow it to monitor emails and SMSs for security reasons then it would have to close its operation in the country, affecting more than one million users, The Times of India reported on July 29.
"BlackBerry has assured the Ministry of Home Affairs that the issue of monitoring… will be sorted out soon... I am sure we will soon be on the same page and our concerns will be addressed," Special Security (Internal Security) in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Utthan Kumar Bansal told the newspaper.
India wants a BlackBerry server to be set up in the country, after reports that RIM were going to be doing the same in China. The BlackBerry data servers are based in Canada.
Radio 2 reports on the suspension of Blackberry services in UAE
The Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) temporarily blocked BlackBerry services this May – along with Facebook and Twitter – after controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) were posted.
In Kuwait, the Ministry of Interior planned to ban instant message service BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), as the users of BB handsets "were taking advantage to spread rumours and call for strikes", according to Al Shahid daily.
Saudi Arabia's Communication and Information Technology Commission (CITC) apparently asked RIM for permission to monitor messages on the BBM network and threatened to shut down the service for non-compliance, ITP reported.
Bahrain became the first to take legal action against BBM users, who engaged in sharing local news.
Abdullah Yateem, Assistant Undersecretary for Press and Publication at the Ministry of Culture and Information, told the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) that the decision had been made because of the "chaos and confusion" of unauthorised news postings".
A look at what governments are doing about BlackBerry services
UAE: Suspension of BBM, web and email from October 11, 2010, according to TRA.
India: Threat of suspension; in talks with RIM.
Pakistan: Temporarily blocked along with Facebook and Twitter after controversial cartoons released.
China: Reports of RIM hosting a server in the country.
Kuwait: Threat of suspension because BBM used to "spread rumours"
Saudi Arabia: Apparently asked RIM for permission to intercept messages
Bahrain: First legal action against BBM users
