CITC had earlier asked Canada-based Research In Motion (RIM), the company behind BlackBerry phones, to provide it with such a server.  RIM rejected the CITC’s request to provide a BBM managing server from within the Kingdom.  “The service is provided in all countries around the world according to the standards of each country; it’s not a difficult process,” said a source at the CITC. The source pointed out that the commission would not stand in the way of technology that is rapidly appearing around the world.

The only objection the CITC has is that the BBM needs to be organized and monitored and they are asking the telecommunication companies in the Kingdom to ensure the service for security reasons. “It is legally and technically impossible for us to get a monitoring server without the help of the RIM,” a source at Mobily said.  “The RIM has rejected CITC’s request and we as a mobile company cannot get one until we get an approval from the RIM.” The CITC source said that it was not in their interest to deny BBM subscribers and the commission was only standing for the interests of participants in the mobile communication services in the Kingdom as long as their services do not affect the economy and security.

“Proceeding with CITC’s request would be a violation of the rights of the RIM and would lead to legal questioning,” a source at the STC mobile company said.