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Agence France-Presse
First Posted 14:42:00 08/01/2010

Filed Under: Laws, mobile phones, Technology (general)
DUBAI – (UPDATE) Gulf business hub the United Arab Emirates is to suspend BlackBerry services including messenger, email and web browsing from October because they are currently incompatible with local laws.

The suspension will kick in on October 11 and last until a solution compatible with local laws is reached, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) said on Sunday in a statement on its website.

"In the public interest, we have today informed the providers of telecommunications services in the country of our decision to suspend the BlackBerry services of messenger, email and electronic browsing," TRA chief Mohammed al-Ghanem said in the statement.

He said the suspension will remain in effect "until a solution compatible with the telecommunications laws in the country is reached."

In anticipation of the communication problems that would arise from cutting the service, Ghanem said that providers Etisalat and Du were told that they should provide alternatives.

"Providing alternative offers that would guarantee the continuity of messenger, email and web browsing to personal and business clients is at the top of our priorities," he said.

The UAE's largest provider of telecommunications services, Etisalat, acknowledged the decision and pledged to provide solutions for users.

"Etisalat's focus at the current time is to make sure its valued customers experience continuity of mobility services," it said in a statement.

"In line with its commitment towards its customers, Etisalat will soon be announcing a range of alternative mobility products and services for its existing BlackBerry customers," it added.

The debate over controlling BlackBerry services in the oil-rich state became heated last week amid complaints that data belonging to local users was stored abroad by the BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM).

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said last week that the BlackBerry service could allow people to use some of its applications "inappropriately."