BlackBerry, other services under DoT scanner

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Department of Telecom (DoT) on Tuesday said BlackBerry and all similar services offering encrypted messages are under its scanner and the matter is also being discussed with the home ministry.

"We are in dialogue with the home ministry separately, so it will be between the two departments to do whatever is necessary as far as the interception is concerned," said Telecom Secretary R. Chandrasekhar.

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) so far has been sticking to its point that there was no possibility of providing India access to corporate emails as its technological make-up did not allow it to provide keys to accounts of customers using such services.

"We cannot give solution to the enterprise services, it's not possible to do so because the keys of that service are in the possession of the corporate enterprises," Research in Motion vice-president (industry and government relations), Robert E. Crow told reporters here on his recent visit to the country.

Chandrasekhar also said that a separate set of discussions is going on not just on the BlackBerry but on various kinds of messengers services, various kinds of communications with reference to amenability to interception and that is being addressed and the department will take a view on the whole class.

However denying that there has been any deadline of March 31 set for RIM, he said DoT is yet to send any communication to the operators.

The Indian government has asked RIM for access to all BlackBerry services, expressing concern over possible use of its services by terrorists and anti-social elements. The government had also threatened RIM that it will ban its services if the company denied access to its messenger and corporate communication services.

The Canadian firm, which earlier this month had given India access to its messenger service, had also said that it was confident that it met the requirements of the government.

RIM has over 1 million customers in India.