UAE - In a blow to business travellers in the emirates, the United Arab Emirates authorities have banned Blackberry mobile phone customers from using email, instant messaging or web browsing services while in the region.
The UAE officials are reportedly concerned with monitoring consumers’ internet use via the encrypted handset, which is currently difficult to monitor and transmits its data offshore. The regulator says the decision does not concern censorship but regulatory compliance.
"We are not asking for RIM (Blackberry creator) to do anything that is not apparently being done in developed nations or so-called open countries around the world," says director-general of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Mohammed al-Ghanim.
Saudi Arabia is expected to follow suit.
