ie8 fix
madison
Home / News & Blogs

India turns up the heat on BlackBerry ban

Marguerite Reardon CNET News | August 18, 2010 4:37 AM PDT

Summary

The Indian government told its major wireless service providers that if RIM doesn't comply with the country's demands by August 31, then the ISPs must block all BlackBerry e-mail and instant messaging services.

Topics

India, Research In Motion Ltd., RIM BlackBerry, Wireless Service, Wireless, Indian Government, E-mail, Government, Handhelds, Wi-Fi, Wireless And Mobility, Online Communications, Hardware

The Indian government has sent letters to the country's major wireless service providers informing them that if BlackBerry maker Research In Motion does not meet its demands to loosen security by August 31, then they must block e-mail and instant messaging services.

The government informed RIM last week that if it was not given access to users' e-mail, IM, and Web browsing that it would have the service shut down on the final day of the month.

Now it looks like the country is starting to make good on its threat. Tata Teleservices, one of India's largest cell phone operators, confirmed in a statement Tuesday that it had been contacted by government officials and instructed to shut off the service August 31, according to a Reuters report.

For more on this story, read India prods wireless providers on BlackBerry ban on CNET News.

8
Comments
Add Your Opinion

Join the conversation!

Just In

RE: India turns up the heat on BlackBerry ban
AppTest 27th Aug 2010
Don't talk rubbish. If you do not know how the Indian Government works you do not have the rights to criticize the govt. According to my knowledge Indian Government is doing right. If Countries like US, CHINA can get access to blackberry servers why can't India. China has very strict laws and Blackberry has obliged the same and whole worlds know this fact. If they can provide it to China why not to India. India is an emerging power and it has all rights to protect his people and also the law for the third country services to run if only they oblige it its laws.
View in thread
0 Votes
+ -
RE: India turns up the heat on BlackBerry ban
john.angel@... 18th Aug 2010
India claims to be world's largest DEMOCRACY. Funny way to show it.The truth is that most of the world is under dictatorship and ruled by elites who do no trust the serfs under them.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: India turns up the heat on BlackBerry ban
sarkar.abhimanyu@... 20th Aug 2010
@john.angel@... largest democracy doesn't make India the better democratic nation.....
0 Votes
+ -
RE: India turns up the heat on BlackBerry ban
PINASCOPY 18th Aug 2010
not that any of the western countries, specifically the US, are in quite a few violations of privacy acts.
Take a preregistering to fly from Europe to the US. If you don't require a Visa, you have to register a few weeks in advance to be able to travel. Why?
Duh, i want to know who you are so i can check if you are or are not a bad guy or a good guy who has a name similar to a bad guy and therefore i can detain you without you getting any kind of legal representation and i can call it a threat to National Security.
Other countries are just more open about that kind of stuff than our wonderful government
0 Votes
+ -
Two cents
p.vinnie@... 19th Aug 2010
1) Its ego factor. If Blackberry and all other communication technologies allow US government to spoof into any communication why Indian government should not be allowed same?
2) Some of communication media (especially Blackberry messaging) is used by high profile political entities, especially opposition parties. The ruling party would like to know their strategy and tactics.
0 Votes
+ -
Reason : Security against Terrorism & Money Laundering
tejasmodi@... 19th Aug 2010
If US and other Govts of the West can do it ...... Why cant the Indian Govt.?
0 Votes
+ -
RE: India turns up the heat on BlackBerry ban
nasiralisher@... 19th Aug 2010
nobody has the right to violate the privacy rights of the people.. this is wrong and all of us should condemn it. i wonder why BB users are not protesting against it
0 Votes
+ -
RE: India turns up the heat on BlackBerry ban
sarkar.abhimanyu@... 20th Aug 2010
@nasiralisher@... well on one hand you are right,no one has the right to violate the privacy rights of the people.....but on the other hand,if I plan to blow up a certain area,or plan to mass murder people and for the people's safeguard if the government doesn't know of it how would it really help the people anyways.......but then again.....governments do use this for political gain...what a mess!!!
0 Votes
+ -
RE: India turns up the heat on BlackBerry ban
AppTest 27th Aug 2010
Don't talk rubbish. If you do not know how the Indian Government works you do not have the rights to criticize the govt. According to my knowledge Indian Government is doing right. If Countries like US, CHINA can get access to blackberry servers why can't India. China has very strict laws and Blackberry has obliged the same and whole worlds know this fact. If they can provide it to China why not to India. India is an emerging power and it has all rights to protect his people and also the law for the third country services to run if only they oblige it its laws.

Join the conversation!

Formatting +
BB Codes - Note: HTML is not supported in forums
  • [b] Bold [/b]
  • [i] Italic [/i]
  • [u] Underline [/u]
  • [s] Strikethrough [/s]
  • [q] "Quote" [/q]
  • [ol][*] 1. Ordered List [/ol]
  • [ul][*] · Unordered List [/ul]
  • [pre] Preformat [/pre]
  • [quote] "Blockquote" [/quote]
ie8 fix

The best of ZDNet, delivered

ZDNet Newsletters

Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox

Facebook Activity

ie8 fix