Failing to deliver a solution to the lawful interception of messages via BlackBerry as required by the government, Canada-based Research In Motion (RIM) on Thursday sought more time from the department of telecommunications (DoT). The next meeting is likely to take place in a week to 10 days.
Sources said that DoT has asked RIM officials to give a live demonstration on April 15 to illustrate that communication on the BlackBerry devices can be lawfully intercepted.
At a meeting with officials from the home ministry and the DoT along with the mobile service providers currently providing the BlackBerry service in the country, the Canadian firm tried to allay the doubts by resolving its commitment to soon finding a way out of what seems to be a ?stalemate? between the government and RIM. Thursday?s meeting was held as a follow-up of a similar meeting on March 28 in response to a letter written by RIM?s vice president, global security group, Scott Totzke to the DoT on March 26, highlighting the features BlackBerry services offered, while expressing their readiness to provide further queries along with the service providers who are offering the services.
DoT had then told the RIM representative very clearly that the letter did not deal with the issues raised and that by the first week of April, a solution has to be provided by the company on how to legally intercept messages on BlackBerry.
According to sources, on Thursday, the firm appeared to be reluctant in sharing its technological capabilities and wants to find more time to find an alternative route rather than setting up servers in the country as had earlier been suggested by DoT.
However, DoT in a sharp tone has reiterated that the issue cannot be procrastinated and a solution must be found soon. Service providers too have been supporting the government on the issue of finding a way out to legally intercept messages between BlackBerry devices. BlackBerry services provide access to e-mail through push technology on mobile phones and is currently being offered by Bhart Airtel, Vodafone Essar, BPL, and Reliance Communication.
Communication on a BlackBerry device can be intercepted on a mobile network since the communication passes through a mobile network in a reformatted manner. However, in cases where such communication is between BlackBerry devices, interception is not possible.
Though service providers such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, BPL, and Reliance Communications currently offer the BlackBerry services in India, it was Tata Teleservice Ltd?s application for commencing BlackBerry services in the country, which kicked the storm. The home ministry had refused to grant TTSL permission to provide the service on the grounds that it could not be legally intercepted.
