India turns up the heat on BlackBerry ban

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.