BlackBerry Controversy
In July 2009, Etisalat pushed an update to BlackBerry devices operating on the telecom's national network, citing performance improvements. However, it was later discovered that the update contained eavesdropping software, developed by the US-based software development company SS8, which specializes in electronic surveillance. It is reported that the software enabled the company to monitor and forward communications on BlackBerry devices to their servers.
Research in Motion, BlackBerry's developer, acknowledged that the patch was a form of spyware, and issued a removal patch on 20 July.
On 27 December 2009, both Etisalat and Du (telco) have been mandated by the UAE telecom regulator to start filtering BlackBerry users' web access and block illegal content.
Due to concerns with the security and the provisioning of legal interception for Blackberry non-voice services, on 1 Aug 2010, the Telecommunication Regularity Authority of the UAE instructed Etisalat that all Blackberry e-mail, internet and messenger functions must be suspended on 1 Oct 2010. However, an agreement between Blackberry's developer Research In Motion and UAE's telecom regulator has been reached, and the announced BlackBerry services suspension has been canceled.
Blackberry Services currently do not work over WIFI and have been blocked by Etisalat. There is no clarification from the provider on this. Web Services using the browser function but blackberry messenger and email does not connect to blackberry servers over WIFI connections
Read more about this topic: Emirates Telecommunications Corporation
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