BlackBerry must give access to BES, too

Even as mobile phone maker BlackBerry agreeed to provide a solution to its messenger services, the government today maintained its deadline of August 31 still holds good if the company does not provide mail interception facilities, too.

Official sources said Research In Motion (RIM), makers of the phones, had been conveyed in no uncertain terms that they have to provide interception to its BlackBerry Enterprise Service (BES) by August 31 or face shutdown of its operations.

Asked whether some concession would be given as RIM, a Canada-based firm, had agreed to provide manual interception facilities for its messenger services, the sources said the phone makers will have to provide a solution to BES as well by August 31, failing which the plug will be pulled.

Home ministry officials today began “technical discussion” with representatives of RIM to sort out the differences and some more meetings will take place in the next few days.