Blackberry's RIM sees UAE as profit destination
By siliconindia   |   Tuesday, 19 October 2010, 04:33 IST
Printer Print Email Email
Bangalore: Of late maker of Blackberry was in news for potential ban on its services in Gulf state. However,after averting the ban Blackberry has come up with the new series of smartphones in Middle East market.The UAE was the first country to threaten to suspend BlackBerry services over security concerns. Saudi Arabia went on to suspend messenger services briefly in August, before lifting the ban. Co-CEO of Research in Motion (RIM), Jim Balsillie said,"I'm so excited about the progress that BlackBerry made in the UAE, and specifically in Dubai," at the annual GITEX technology show in Dubai.According to Balsillie BlackBerry controls 45 percent of the UAE's smartphones market. Balsillie showed off RIM's new model, BlackBerry Torch, as well as its new BlackBerry PlayBook, in addition to its new operating system BlackBerry 6. He also said that RIM was starting partnerships in the UAE to advance e-government services and secure online payments, adding that it was offering local academic institutions teaching materials to provide students the experience of working with BlackBerry solutions. Though, The UAE's Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) said in August that BlackBerry instant messenger, email and Web browsing would be suspended because they "allow individuals to commit violations", and cannot be monitored. However, TRA backtracked on its decision only a few days before the deadline, citing "the positive engagement and collaboration of Research In Motion in reaching this regulatory compliant outcome." On Monday, TRA director-general Mohammed al-Ghanem said "the solution reached with RIM was "final," but declined to say whether RIM made concessions."Furthermore, he said,"the solution is final... It is not a question of concessions," he told reporters following Balsillie's speech. The UAE has some 500,000 BlackBerry users, while Saudi Arabia has around 700,000. India, which has around one million subscribers, last week, extended by 90 days a 31 October deadline given to RIM to provide intelligence agencies with access to its services.