DoT can146;t make up its mind on Blackberry

On granting permission to telecom operators for providing Blackberry services, Behura, 8220;There is no permission needed for starting value added services. We have not given permission to anybody, we have not disallowed anybody.8221;

Interestingly, Tata Teleservices had earlier claimed that it had not been granted permission to offer services by the government. DoT officials have been insisting that RIM should install servers in India and the requisite equipment to tap emails sent through Blackberry.

Four services are currently possible through Blackberry handsets. These services are: voice telephony, SMS, email from Blackberry to Blackberry and email from Blackberry to emails in other ISPs or non-Blackberry phones. The problem is only with the Blackberry-to-Blackberry emails. In all other cases, it is possible to tap voice or message.

RIM has defended its action, saying : 8220;RIM understands and respects the concerns of governments. RIM operates in over 135 countries today and provides a security architecture that has been widely scrutinised over the past nine years and has been accepted and embraced by security-conscious corporations and governments around the world. Governments have a wide range of resources and methodologies to satisfy national security and law enforcement needs without compromising commercial security requirements,8221; it said.