U.A.E.'s BlackBerry blocking to include visitors

The telecom regulator in the United Arab Emirates said Monday its looming ban on BlackBerry email, messaging and web browsing services will extend to foreign visitors, too, raising the stakes in its dispute with the maker of the popular business tools.

The U.A.E. contends some BlackBerry features operate outside the country's laws, "causing judicial, social and national security concerns."

At the heart of their concerns is the way the BlackBerry handles data, which is encrypted and routed through RIM's servers overseas, where it cannot be monitored for illegal activity.

BlackBerry device maker Research In Motion vowed that service would be unaffected by the new rules.

"RIM respects both the regulatory requirements of government, and the security and privacy needs of corporations and consumers," the Waterloo, Ont.-based company said in a release.

"RIM does not disclose confidential regulatory discussions that take place with any government. However, RIM assures its customers that it is committed to continue delivering highly secure and innovative products that satisfy the needs of both customers and governments."

Last year, RIM criticized a directive by the U.A.E. state-owned mobile operator Etisalat telling the company's BlackBerry users to install software described as a service upgrade.

Tests showed the download actually installed spy software on users' phones that could allow authorities to access private information stored on the handsets. It strongly distanced itself from Etisalat's decision and told users how to remove the software.

Critics of the crackdown said it is also a way for the country's conservative government to further control content they deem politically or morally objectionable.

The smartphones enjoy a following not only among the region's professionals, but also among tech-savvy youth who see their relatively secure communication channels as a way to avoid unwanted government attention.

The Telecommunication Regulatory Authority had left the question of phones run by foreign operators unanswered in announcing the ban, scheduled to take effect Oct. 11.

But in an emailed response to questions Monday, the regulator said the service suspension would apply to all users in the country, including visitors using roaming services on foreign BlackBerry phones.

"Roaming for BlackBerry Messenger, BlackBerry email and BlackBerry web browsing will also be suspended," the TRA said in its unsigned email. "They won't be able to use the mentioned services in [the] U.A.E. as it's suspended [in] the country."

500,000 BlackBerry subscribers in U.A.E.

That would put BlackBerry service out of reach for business travellers and others passing through the Mideast's busiest airport in the international business hub of Dubai, which averages about 100,000 passengers a day.

The U.A.E. has singled out BlackBerry devices for scrutiny before.

The TRA says there are 500,000 BlackBerry subscribers in the U.A.E.

Telecommunication officials in Saudi Arabia have also said they are planning to curtail use of the BlackBerry messaging service, but not other services on the phones.