Lebanon Considers Banning Blackberrys Too
BlackBerrys in Saudi Arabia still alive and kicking as Lebanon becomes the latest country to contemplate a ban.
It's been an eventful month for BlackBerry maker Research In Motion. Last weekend, the United Arab Emirates announced plans to ban BlackBerry phones if it could not reach an agreement with RIM regarding the company's encryption practices by October 11. Saudi Arabia followed with a similar announcement on Monday and ordered all telcos to switch off BlackBerry services by Friday, August 6. Now Lebanon is expressing concerns about RIM devices.
"This is prompted by the increase of security issues that have been found with the telecommunications networks in Lebanon," Imad Hoballah, the chair of the country's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority told AFP.
"This is related to the ability of law enforcement agencies to access the data as may be required by law," Hoballah said.
''We need to make an arrangement with BlackBerry, or come to an understanding with them, that satisfies law-enforcement concerns,'' Imad Hoballah told the French news agency.
Reuters today reports that aside, from some temporary interruptions, BlackBerry users in Saudi Arabia were still able to access the Messenger service on Friday evening. One source told Reuters that talks between maker Research In Motion and the Saudi telecom regulator are progressing.
"We are testing technical solutions with RIM ... Servers to be more exact," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The source says RIM and Saudi Arabia could decide to switch from using Canadian servers to servers inside Saudi Arabia.
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Hmmm... Ok, why is this newsworthy?
"This is prompted by the increase of security issues that have been found with the telecommunications networks in Lebanon,"
....or in other words. We can't ease drop on our citizens because of a BlackBerry's encrypted communications with it's servers outside of our country. I will always carry a BlackBerry. If I was RIM I'd tell them to go take a flying f*ck and see how many people they piss off in their country and all the business travelers they are going to lose. Bunch of morons.
Hmmm... Ok, why is this newsworthy?
You're kidding right? People scare me on here.
the reason they do this is because US government can take a peek into these devices - Worldwide.
the reason they do this is because US government can take a peek into these devices - Worldwide.
The US government can take a peek into phones from a Canadian company who does not back down when other countries try and get them to lessen security? Somehow I doubt that, these countries are wanting to ban because RIM WON'T let them have a backdoor into their phones. RIM won't jeopardize the security of their network just to please some country.
im curious dont companies have VPN's? and other form of secure communication? do these countries stop this too? I might not fully understand the technical side of the networks but i would assume there are many reasons why individuals who travel on business would never want anyone besides there company to intercept communications?
all these countries will lose once everyone stops doing business there.
Lebanon isn't a country, more like an Europe financed refuge camp.
WHO CARES.
Thank god that Islam is a solely peaceful religion with aims and aspirations of freedom for their people. I'd be pretty scared if they policed everyone in minute detail--arresting anyone they believed to be less than 100% Islamic and fully supporting the de facto governments of the Middle East which under various interpretations of Islamic law are completely uncorrupted.
the reason they do this is because US government can take a peek into these devices - Worldwide.
Please explain to me how the US Government can "take a peak" into my BlackBerry....unreal.
This article explains exactly why I will only carry a BlackBerry it's a great read as to how the BB works when it sends and recieves data.
RIM has the best security for any smartphone as far as I'm concerned which is also a double edged sword as the article explains.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/tec [...] story.html
Thank god that Islam is a solely peaceful religion with aims and aspirations of freedom for their people. I'd be pretty scared if they policed everyone in minute detail--arresting anyone they believed to be less than 100% Islamic and fully supporting the de facto governments of the Middle East which under various interpretations of Islamic law are completely uncorrupted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon
Lebanon's record is pretty poor, 5 years after getting independance from France it attacks Israel. They get their asses handed to them in an appalling defeat. The so called government is either supporting terrorists who fire rockets into Israel, or is so blindly incompetent that it has no ability to deal with terrorist operating inside it's borders. The scary thing is the insistance on attacking an obviously more powerful country who respond in kind by bombing them back to the stone age.
Someone just needs to say to them, "be a good neighbour, stop being an ass or next time Israel may just nuke you and have done with it" and no-one would give a shit because they have done nothing but be a beligerant tin-pot state since 1943.
It's a big world, if you want to be in it you have to play nicely, otherwise all I have is an image of a small boy whacking a stick against the leg of a Marine. He will stand it for so long, then just give the kid a fat back-hander he won't forget in a hurry. Stop it, behave and we all just might get along... m'kay...
Why not just ban any kind of travel to these countries, cut them off from the rest of the world and let them live however they want to live, no technology and no imports, no one to save them from dictatorship, they will soon get fed up and start asking for things again.
"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers ..."
Why not just ban any kind of travel to these countries, cut them off from the rest of the world and let them live however they want to live, no technology and no imports, no one to save them from dictatorship, they will soon get fed up and start asking for things again.
Because the US economy would collapse in two months without Saudi oil. That's why the US is pretending Saudis are allies even with their appalling human rights record and the fact that 18 out of 19 9/11 hijackers were Saudis.
Typical behavior of racist -- blame the Muslim, and Islam. European Union is also moving its employees from Blackberry to iPhone, and HTC. I guess Christian in Europe are banning as they banned Galeleo's theory.
Screw them, the Muslims want to live in the dark ages anyway so let them have their wish.
take it easy... no need for racial remarks over every little tidbit of news
Read as: "We're having security issues because your system is too secure."
Why not just ban any kind of travel to these countries, cut them off from the rest of the world and let them live however they want to live, no technology and no imports, no one to save them from dictatorship, they will soon get fed up and start asking for things again.
Because many of them buy our items. alienating ourselves will be our downfall
Why is it whenever a Middle Eastern country is involved, religion is the cause? Even if we are talking about Blackberries and iPhones.
Ignorance is not a bliss.
Racist comments will not be tolerated - hence the deleted comments.
Regulus ... lose the redneck attitude or your going on a forum free holiday.
ditto for anyone else ...
I loved my Blackberry bold ... just a bit heavy on the battery power.
-IN RIM WE TRUST-
Islam is a religion, not a race. So bashing it doesn't make you racist. You can be called a bigot, but not a racist.
I don't get why all these nations suddenly want to ban these devices. Other countries have successfully reached agreements with RIM that allows access. Why can't these countries negotiate!?
BTW these countries are USA best friends...
Islam is a religion, not a race. So bashing it doesn't make you racist. You can be called a bigot, but not a racist.
It is practically a race
Banishing it does not make you a bigot.
You have to be a non-muslim in a predominantly muslim society to see what it is all about.
Why is it whenever a Middle Eastern country is involved, religion is the cause? Even if we are talking about Blackberries and iPhones.Ignorance is not a bliss.
Because religion is so important part of society. Just as important it used to be in Europe in the Middle Ages. The Priest of the village is de facto the most important political, cultural etc figure in that community. Nothing happens without his approval.
That's debatable.
have you all forgotten that mossad used blackberrys to kill a hamas leader in a hotel maybe thats why they are getting banned
The countries mentioned in this article don't have a problem with Bitlocker encryption in Windows Vista or later (which does NOT have a backdoor) so what is the big deal about BB Messenger? Legally citizens of the mentioned countries in the article have the right to have a 100% private conversation verbally or otherwise when using a public utility for communication. The laws are the same in the USA and Canada.