The Kingdom's telecoms regulator, the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), has ordered local operators to freeze the Messenger function for BlackBerry users this month. Earlier on Sunday, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) was hit with its first major ban after the United Arab Emirates, citing security risks, said all BlackBerry services would be barred in October. Official sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the local mobile phone network providers have known for five months that the messaging service would be banned in the Kingdom. However, the three service providers in the Kingdom made it clear that the ban does not apply to the e-mail service. The three phone companies have asked the RIM to modify the messaging service so it meets official, private, social and educational requirements. Sources said the RIM has informed the Saudi companies that it is modifying the service to meet requests made by officials in countries including the Kingdom and France. Earlier, the United Arab Emirates outlined plans Sunday to block BlackBerry e-mail, messaging and Web browsing services. The government cited a potential security threat because encrypted data sent on the devices is moved abroad, where it cannot be monitored for illegal activity. BlackBerry phones have a strong following in the region. Regulators in the UAE say BlackBerry devices operate outside a set of national security and safety laws enacted in 2007, the year after the BlackBerry debuted in the UAE. They say they are concerned some BlackBerry services “allow users to act without any legal accountability, causing judicial, social and national security concerns.” The government said it is singling out the BlackBerry, and not other smart phones such as Apple Inc.'s iPhone and Nokia Corp. handsets, because the Blackberry is the only one that automatically sends users' data to servers overseas. Lamenting the ban on the messaging service, some Jeddah-based BlackBerry users said the device is worthless without the BBM. Smart phones dealers at Palestine street and other malls in Jeddah alone are going to lose about 90 percent of their investment on the most wanted device. Interestingly, there are some people who are happy with this decision like Wesam Al-Dhaheri, a teacher at King Abdulaziz University. He said that people are using the service carelessly that they use it even when driving. “I'm happy with the decision and I think that it will save more lives when implemented,” said Al-Dhaheri. “This is the irony, that it's the device with the highest security features. These same security features that corporations like have become an issue of national security for the government,” said Simon Simonian, an analyst at Dubai-based investment bank Shuaa Capital. “The UAE doesn't want to take any chances and they want to monitor what is going on in the country.” - Okaz/ SG with agenciesBlackBerry in Saudi Arabia u Service started three years ago u 750,000 users u Over SR1.2 billion in revenues generated u SR700 million annual loss related to ban u Sales dropped in Jeddah by 50 percent Sunday __
