5.41 PM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

India confirms August 31 BlackBerry ban deadline

Operators will have to shut services if RIM failed to meet demands. (REUTERS)

Published
By Reuters

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) has been given until August 31 to address security concerns or face a ban for the smartphone maker's popular email and instant messaging services, the government said on Thursday.

The government also said in a statement that mobile phone operators would by law have to shut these services if RIM failed to meet their demands.

Worried about security, India's interior ministry held the meeting with at least one operator on Thursday to look at how security services could access encryption details for the smartphone, the latest global headache for maker RIM.

State-run BSNL attended the meeting, but it was not clear whether any of the major private carriers attended.

A senior government official said on Wednesday that the government could ask mobile phone operators to block BlackBerry messaging and e-mail until RIM provides access to data transmitted over the handset.

Bharti Airtel and Vodafone's India unit are the largest providers of BlackBerry services in India, the world's fastest growing market.

A shutdown would affect one million of the smartphone's 41 million users.

India is one of RIM's fastest growing markets.

If a shutdown takes effect, BlackBerry users in India would only be able to use the devices for phone calls and internet browsing.

In a matter of a few weeks the BlackBerry device - long the darling of the world's CEOs and politicians, including US President Barack Obama - has become the target for its encrypted email and messaging services.