No keys to encrypted enterprise email: RIM

The government plans to stand firm on its deadline on the interception of BlackBerry's enterprise email, new agency reports said yesterday. The move could significantly impact the handset maker given its user-base largely comprises the business community, which has adopted the phone on the basis of security and productivity.
 
Meanwhile, in a repositioning exercise, the brand has recently sought to pitch itself a general smartphone, which also happens to offer these services.

Security agencies in India has long been demanding access to all BlackBerry services for a long time now on concerns of the secured email services being exploited by terror outfits as other modes of communication are easier to monitor.

Earlier this month, RIM had said it had handed over the technology to monitor contents on its messenger service (BBM) and had asked the government to issue a directive to the operators for connecting to its new automated service.

With the new service being able to be lawfully intercepted, BlackBerry Messenger messages can be rendered in a format readable by Indian agencies.

Meanwhile, noting that a decision would soon be taken on whether to allow enterprise mail, home minister P Chidambaram said he expected Research-in-Motion (RIM) to find a solution.

BlackBerry had been given time till yesterday to give a solution to the real time interception of its enterprise mail but, according to sources, an extension of the deadline by another fortnight or a month could be expected.