Operators upgrade network partially for BlackBerry services

New Delhi, Sep 22 (PTI) Directed by the Indian goverment,
telecom companies are understood to have partially upgraded
their networks for lawful interception of BlackBerry Messenger
(BBM) services only.
The solution for encrypting enterprise mails, however,
remains elusive. This has been a major cause of concern which
has prompted the government to ask BlackBerry service proivder
RIM to enable monitoring or face termination of service.
Some of the operators have submitted compliance report
for BBM to the Department of Telecom (DoT) which had asked the
service providers to upgrade their technical capability for
lawful interception facility of BlackBerry services, if not
upgraded.
"A compliance report that the network has been
technically upgraded to intercept all BlackBerry services by
legal enforcement agencies (LEAs) for lawful interception,
must be provided to this office by September 22, 2010," DoT
had said in its communication to the operators.
According to sources, one of the leading operators
offering BlackBerry services, has said that the matter was
taken up with the Canadian firm Research in Motion (RIM) and
it has suitably upgraded technical capability for lawful
interception of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) services alone.
Another operator, who did not wish to be named, said they
are working with the RIM and intelligence agencies to address
the issues, indicating there was some progress in BBM services
but no headway made in the enterprise mail.
When contacted an RIM spokesperson said from Mumbai, "We
are working with the operators and the Government of India to
address the issues."
RIM, which is in discussions with the government to
provide a mutually acceptable solution for interception of
encrypted data on the device, was given a 60-day reprieve till
October to come out with a solution or face a ban.
The DoT's order came within days of the company asserting
that it "cannot compromise the security architecture of its
enterprise solution."
RIM is continuing discussions with governments in India,
UAE and other countries, as well as with service providers,
and "believe we have made good progress in those discussions,"
RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie had said last week.
"I am optimistic that a positive and constructive outcome
can be achieved," he had said in a conference call with
analysts last week. Balsillie, however, stressed that while it
is "respectful of government needs and fully cooperating to
comply with lawful requirements on an industry standard basis,
we cannot compromise the security architecture of the
BlackBerry enterprise solution. MORE PTI SKB
KAB


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