Research in Motion ( RIM) continuing to dodge the government

NEW RULES could be in place by the end of June 2011 for encrypted communications through BlackBerry’s Enterprise mail services, Nokia’s push mail and other similar services.

This comes in the background of the BlackBerry- maker Research in Motion ( RIM) continuing to dodge the government and refusing to offer access to corporate emails on BlackBerry devices for monitoring and interception by the security agencies.

Telecom secretary R. Chandrashekhar said the government will initiate action concerning encrypted communications on BlackBerry’s Enterprise mail services and other similar services after it receives a report from the committee looking into it.

“ We are waiting for the committee report and we will then take up the issue,” Chandrashekhar told M AIL T ODAY . However, the secretary did not provide any clear indication whether the new rules will be binding on BlackBerry- like services to share their content to the satisfaction of law enforcement agencies.

“ That will come up only after the committee gives in its report. We expect that in the next 30- 40 days,” the telecom secretary said.

In February, the telecom department had set up the committee to look into issues related to encrypted communications.

All encrypted communications will be governed by the new rules currently being framed by the committee.

Since early last year, the government of India has been in talks with Canada- based RIM to provide a solution to intercept its Enterprise mail services by security agencies. However, the government has been pushed to a tight spot as RIM has so far refused to offer access to corporate emails on BlackBerry devices for monitoring and intercepting by the security agencies.

RIM had earlier assured the government that it would provide a final solution for the lawful interception of its popular messenger and enterprise services ( corporate emails) as part of the government’s efforts to fight militancy and security threats over the Internet and through telephone communications by January 31 this year.

However, it later expressed its inability to offer access to these services. RIM had first extended the original August 31 deadline to October 31 and then to December 31.