News: Blackberry services banned in UAE

The United Arab Emirates shocked the technology community this weekend with the announcement that it would be blocking certain key features on Blackberry smartphones within the region.

According to Sky News the UAE government will ban internet access, email and Blackberry Messenger, citing security concerns as the reason for the clampdown.

This means that, from October, all Blackberry users in the UAE will be locked out of key Blackberry handset features. It is estimated that up to 80% of the country’s cellular users own a Blackberry device.

Compressed and encrypted data which is shared via Blackberry’s global network can reportedly be moved overseas without being monitored by the UAE for illegal activity.

In more simple terms, the UAE has objected to the fact that all data sent or recieved by Blackberry users internationally is sent to holding company Research in Motion (RIM) server farms in other countries.

In response to the announcement, neighboring Islamic country Saudi Arabia announced that it too would lock local Blackberry users from internet, email and Blackberry Messenger access within the same timeframe.

RIM has yet to release an official statement regarding the matter.

Blackberry services banned in UAE

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