Govt. to ban blackberry?

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I think the encryption thing is not the real issue. The real issue is the fact that all these emails go all the way to RIM's US-based servers to get pushed onto the blackberry device in your hand.

I manage a email plant and that plant does not route emails through RIM's servers for BB users.

There are two ways of deploying BB, you can buy and deploy your own server and in that case RIM will not be involved in traffic in any way. End user's BB device will directly talk to your own server through telecom provider's GRPS network.

Other way is "hosted" deployment and in this case traffic does get routed through RIM servers.

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Obviously you need to have done something seriously wrong to warrant such an action here in India.

There was a news items last year where a reporter was able to get ALL bank account and call details for Barkha Dutt (another reporter in same channel) by paying few thousand rupees.

And another news item in Rediff where someone in law enforcement casually asked for email records of bunch of people and most of machinery (including HC judge) encouraged Rediff to comply.

[deepug]

As I know Black Berry never had any propreitary encryption technology. The older versions ie < 4.0 used to support the Triple DES and the newer ones > 4.0 supports both Triple DES and AES encryption technologies.

I dont think the ban has enything to do with either the encryption technologies or with mails goin to US based RIM servers.

Deepu

[spadival]

OT: Another thing I can confirm is that if you lose your mobile SIM card (prepaid or postpaid), you will have to file an FIR with the Police and show it to the service provider before he can give you a replacement SIM.

I dunno how can producing a bunch of papers (which can be faked easily anyway) and some twisty procedures can deter a terrorist from getting a SIM card!! These Govt babus are crazy .

[Samurai]

But look at the upside to this guys. You don't have to be permanently chained to you office email wherever you go.

Recently a blackberry carrying relative tells me that his health has really suffered ever since blackberry. Before he only had to respond to emails at work, but now people expect instant response anytime to emails, even midnight.

Remember the good old times when mobile service didn't exist and most of us didn't have land lines? Once out of office, we were completely disconnected until next day. Ah, Bliss.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Samurai

But look at the upside to this guys. You don't have to be permanently chained to you office email wherever you go.

Recently a blackberry carrying relative tells me that his health has really suffered ever since blackberry. Before he only had to respond to emails at work, but now people expect instant response anytime to emails, even midnight.

Remember the good old times when mobile service didn't exist and most of us didn't have land lines? Once out of office, we were completely disconnected until next day. Ah, Bliss.

There is a solution for you if you use Airtel.
You can make any tune your caller tune. So record that tune "This mobile is out of coverage area" and make that your caller tune.
Voila, change caller tune after office, and you are out of coverage area

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

There is a solution for you if you use Airtel.
You can make any tune your caller tune. So record that tune "This mobile is out of coverage area" and make that your caller tune.
Voila, change caller tune after office, and you are out of coverage area

So that would mean one would need to change their caller tunes almost every day of the week (okie, leaving out weekends)? Assuming that a caller tune change costs Rs.15/- (or was it 30/-?), one needs to spend so much every month?!

[Samurai]

Phone calls are OK, but responding to email during non-office hours is a pain. Therefore, I am happy with a simple phone.

[hydrashok]

====== Somewhat OT ======

Originally Posted by benbsb29

So that would mean one would need to change their caller tunes almost every day of the week (okie, leaving out weekends)? Assuming that a caller tune change costs Rs.15/- (or was it 30/-?), one needs to spend so much every month?!

There are many software-based solutions also. I use one called Advanced Call Manager on my E90: Advanced Call Manager - WebGate JSC. The complete and reliable call management application!

It has an Answering Machine service that lets you do mostly the same as what tsk1979 mentioned. Even otherwise, you can filter calls by Blacklists and Whitelists to give a busy signal depending on the number calling in.

Other SW are also available that do mostly the same.

======================

[whatcanthisbe]

here are some more news links on the blackberry ban

Blackberry dubbed a security threat. Will govt ban it next? - Sify.com
Oh No….Blackberry Ban In India? - GigaOM
Tech Ticker Blog Archive BlackBerry to face ban in India?
Tech2.com India > BlackBerry Blackout By Indian Govt? > News on Smart Mobile

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

one would need to change their caller tunes almost every day of the week (okie, leaving out weekends)? Assuming that a caller tune change costs Rs.15/- (or was it 30/-?), one needs to spend so much every month?!

Isn't BB bill paid for by office

[whatcanthisbe]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

Isn't BB bill paid for by office

it is but some offices take the detailed / itemized bill and dont pay for extras

[Raja]

Slightly off topic, Research In Motion (Blackberry) is a Canadian company, not US.
Are there servers in US or Canada? How do US privacy laws differ from Canadian?

[Rotorhead]

This is absurd..just because the govt is unable to do a lawful interception of the blackberry's security algorithm they want to go ahead and ban blackberry device itself rather than find out ways to get around these algo's .,unless the blackberry is using any other more advanced algorithm other than the traditional DES, or AES or SHA1 and such algos. At this rate i guess they need to ban most VOIP applications coz they too end up using protocols such as IPSEC and TLS. So the world is going ahead with technology and our babu's are hell bent on sending us back to nomadic era.

Guess our babu's believe in removing the problem itself rather than spend time on finding a solution to the problem. Typical gunda raj way of working

[whatcanthisbe]

Mor over lets say they ban the BlackBerry services from being provided by indian carriers, what are they going to do when a travelling exec comes to india from the US and has international roaming on his / her BB device... ??

Indeed, the last thing the increasingly tech-savvy terrorist is likely to use is a BlackBerry. After all, he will either have to use corporate email or operator-provided mail (@blackberry.airtel.in, for example) both of which are easily traceable – it's not like RIM is a company that's going to disappear overnight.


Update: Security risks prompt French BlackBerry ban | InfoWorld | News | 2007-06-20 | By Peter Sayer, IDG News Service