(Update) As Expected: UAE Unbans BlackBerry Services

Update: RIM replied to our question whether its agreement with TRA offers UAE authorities ways to monitor the service in the country, with the following statement:

RIM cannot discuss the details of confidential regulatory matters that occur in specific countries, but RIM confirms that it continues to approach lawful access matters internationally within the framework of core principles that were publicly communicated by RIM on August 12 -

As our sources close to 3 regional Telecom companies revealed in August that UAE will reach a deal with RIM the owner of Blackberry to continue the service, Today telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) of United Arab Emirates announced officially that BlackBerry (BB) services will not be discounted and wont be banned on the 11th of October. In August a decision by TRA was made to ban BlackBerry Messenger, Blackberry E-mail and Blackberry Web-Browsing Services making the device ineffective was made due to what TRA called security concerns. In his part, Dubai Chief Police called the ban due to “Israeli” & US Spying On The Country. Saudi Arabia followed UAE’s step and announced plans to ban the service but revoked the decision as our sources said that authorities in KSA will have some hand in “monitoring” BB services. TRA statement (Arabic) said that all BlackBerry services are not in compliance with Telecom regulations in UAE. Which most probably is a confirmation to our sources leak that now UAE authorities have access and can monitor BB beams in UAE.

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