Govt asks BlackBerry to provide access to services by Dec 31

Extending the deadline for the second time in six weeks, the government has asked Research in Motion (RIM), makers of BlackBerry phone, to come up with a final solution by December 31 on giving access to security agencies to the company’s popular messenger and enterprise services.

The decision to give some more time was taken by the home ministry after a meeting with representatives of RIM and the communication ministry.

There are about a million BlackBerry subscribers in India.

The Canadian phone maker has sought more time on the access issue as it continues technical discussions on the BlackBerry Messenger Service (BMS) and BlackBerry Enterprise Service with the security agencies.

The government first extended the original August 31 deadline to October 31.

“We are satisfied with the solution provided for the lawful interception of BMS. We want to test it for some more time while discussions on BES are still on, hence RIM has been given a fresh deadline,” an official said today.

According to the licensing norm, service providers are liable to put in a mechanism allowing security agencies to intercept any conversation or message of any subscriber.