Saudi Arabia’s mobile phone operators intend to ignore a ban on BlackBerry’s Messaging (BBM) services in an effort to buy time until the ban is lifted by the end of the year, a Saudi newspaper reported Tuesday.
Okaz said mobile phone service providers in the world’s largest oil exporter are not serious about enforcing the ban as was the case with roaming calls.
“When roaming calls were banned, they preferred to pay a fine which cannot exceed SR five million,” the paper said, quoting telecommunication sources.
Research In Motion (RIM), the Canadian company that manufactures BlackBerry devices and provides communication services, will address the problem in no more than two months by using local data servers, along the lines of moves it has made in Russia and India, the paper said.
”BlackBerry’s messaging service will be legally restored before the end of year, although the service is continuing despite the decision to ban it.”
RIM will provide data servers in the Gulf, as per official requests made by the authorities in the region, because it is determined to maintain its market share in the fast-growing market, according to the paper.
Mobile network providers in the Gulf Kingdom were informed Sunday of a decision to ban the BlackBerry’s messaging service, but the ban does not apply to all BlackBerrry services, it added.
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