subject: United Arab Emirates RIM suggested setting up a server BlackBerry traffic management [print this page] More than 700,000 Saudis subscribe to BlackBerry, with most reports, the purchase of the smart phone for personal use.
But Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden, has expressed concern that the handheld device could jeopardize their safety.
The threat of a Saudi ban came hot on the heels of an announcement by the Telecommunications Authority in the United Arab Emirates to ban the BlackBerry Messenger, email and web browsing, October 11, for similar reasons.
Outside the Arab world, India is considering a ban and Indonesia do not rule out option, but denied Thursday that the world's largest Muslim nation was considering a suspension of BlackBerry services.
India plans to set a deadline later this week for operators and security access to allow agencies BlackBerry or disconnection encrypted messages over the other, the Hindustan Times quoted an Interior Ministry official said on Tuesday.
Sources told Reuters that the government of the United Arab Emirates RIM has also suggested setting up a server BlackBerry traffic management in the country.
The United Arab Emirates could access the data required either through a local server or a master key encryption technology used in BlackBerry, said Shardul Shrimani, Middle East and North Africa analyst at IHS Global Insight.
"BlackBerry is not likely to offer a master key and, essentially, a server installed in the country would like to give a master key," said Shrimani.
"The main concern for the government monitors the communications business. What the government is concerned about a very small minority, who would be using BlackBerry for any type of illegal activity," he said.
RIM has stipulated that any agreement should apply to Saudi three mobile operators in the kingdom: the state-controlled Saudi Telecom, Mobily and Zain Saudi Arabia.
"RIM will not engage in one-on-one conversations with operators about any solution adopted.'ll Have to understand them all," the source said.
The Canadian company said Wednesday it has never provided something unique to the government of a country and can not accommodate any request for a copy of the encryption key for a client.
United Arab Emirates RIM suggested setting up a server BlackBerry traffic management
