The Indonesian government has threatened to ban Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Messenger and BIS services in the country following the company’s decision to install a server in Singapore instead of in Indonesia. “Because RIM has not been cooperative, it is possible that we will soon end BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service) and BBM service,” a member of the Indonesian Telecommunication Regulatory Authority BRTI told The Jakarta Post. “BlackBerry therefore, would just be like other cellular phones.” RIM told the Indonesian government it would build a “server or data center” in the country as one of four promises it said would be completed by December 31st, The Jakarta Post explained. Read on for more.

RIM has always said that it cannot provide governments with the ability to monitor BlackBerry Messenger , but Indonesia still appears to feel its citizens would be safer it a server was built within the country. “With the condition as it is now, we warn that the country’s users to be cautious about using BlackBerry because the data exchanged is not safe or cannot be guaranteed of its safety,” Heru Sutadi of BRTI said. A RIM exec said he was surprised by Indonesia’s comments. “We were surprised by the government comments we saw in the media,” RIM’s Managing Director for Asia Gregory Wade told The Jakarta Globe. “The [December 8th] meeting was very positive. We couldn’t imagine that the government would be so hurtful as to shut down our service. A lot of Indonesians use the BB to run their businesses as well as access their community.” Wade said RIM is working closely with the government on a solution but also explained that RIM has “not been advised of any specific requirements extending beyond what it has already satisfied.”

Read [The Jakarta Post] Read [The Jakarta Globe]

RIM acknowledged that many its users have reported delayed message deliveries on Wednesday, although it remains unclear what the culprit might be. “We’re getting reports that some users are experiencing delays,” RIM said on its official Twitter account. “We’re investigating and will update you ASAP.” A BlackBerry outage affected millions worldwide for several days during October. The downtime resulted in a class-action lawsuit and could cost RIM an estimated $100 million. 

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Research In Motion co-CEO Mike Lazaridis confirmed on a conference call Thursday morning that all BlackBerry services have been restored globally. The co-chief had issued a video apology to customers earlier on Thursday, offering reassurances that the company was doing everything in its power to resolve service interruptions that had extended into their fourth day. A switch failure followed by a large backlog of emails is being blamed for the service outage, which affected millions of BlackBerry users across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, North America and South America. RIM said it is putting fixes in place to prevent a recurrence of this issue in the future, and it is currently considering how it might reimburse carriers and BlackBerry users for the disruption caused by this week’s outages.

After having initially said the issues were resolved following one day of service interruptions, millions of BlackBerry users across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and even some areas in South America still find themselves without access to the Wen or messaging services for the third consecutive day. Research In Motion confirmed earlier that a bug on a Blackberry server was responsible for knocking millions offline on Monday, and the Waterloo, Ontario-based smartphone maker elaborated on Tuesday that the continued interruption was caused by a core switch failure. RIM now says the outage has caused a large backlog of data that must be cleared before service can return to normal. No firm timeline has been issued.

UPDATE: Our inbox is starting to get hit with reports of service interruptions in the U.S. and Canada as well. Is your BlackBerry not working this morning? Leave us a comment below and let us know.

BlackBerry users across Europe, the Middle East and Africa again find themselves without service on Tuesday as a bug that knocked millions of users offline on Monday has seemingly resurfaced. Research In Motion announced early Tuesday morning that BlackBerry service across the EMEA region had been restored, but the Associated Press later reported that Internet and messaging services for users across the region are again offline. The report was later confirmed by several carriers including T-Mobile UK, Vodafone UK and Etisalat in the United Arab Emirates. The cause of the outage is unclear, however a report on Monday attributed the massive service interruption to a bug on a RIM server in England.

UPDATE: RIM has stated that Tuesday’s outage was due to a core switch failure.

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BlackBerry users in Africa, the Middle East and Europe have been without service since 11:00 a.m. Monday, The Telegraph reports. A bug on Research In Motion’s server in Slough, England is to blame and it appears to have impaired all users, independent of carrier or device. RIM has not issued a statement on the matter. “There is an issue with BlackBerry services at present,” a T-Mobile UK representative said on Twitter. “RIM [is] investigating this at present.” Additionally, Batelco, a wireless carrier in Bahrain, issued a statement that confirmed the service was out in the entire country and explained the issue is being “dealt with by BlackBerry providers in Canada.”

Thanks Adam!

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With Research In Motion’s annual shareholder meeting scheduled to take place later today, one popular RIM-focused analyst is calling for the company to split its handset and network businesses into two separate companies. “RIM’s organization, like its handsets, needs modernization. By acting now, splitting RIM into network and handset businesses may target opportunities and unlock significant shareholder value,” RBC Capital Markets Managing Director Mike Abramsky wrote in a note to investors on Tuesday. “RIM’s end-to-end solution was conceived when data devices and networks were nascent — but times have changed,” the analyst continued. Abramsky believes the standalone network business can target a market of roughly 400 million Android devices, Windows Phones, tablets and other devices with “affordable, efficient, cross-platform mobile push messaging, social networking, cloud and business data services (and software)” that is already interconnected with 595 carriers around the globe. On the other end, splitting off RIM’s devices business could accelerate handset innovation, strengthen developer relationships and help the company prioritize its customers and developers over its carrier partners — a sentiment thought by some to be paramount to RIM’s success moving forward. Abramsky reiterated his price target of $35 for RIM stock, noting above-average risk.

We have been getting tips all morning that RIM’s BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) has been down for a number of hours nationwide, for all carriers. Unfortunately this outage looks like it’s not just the email portion of the BIS service, but all data as well, which is quite frustrating. Is your BlackBerry data not working? Hit us in the comments with your carrier and approximate location, alright?

Thanks to everyone that sent this in!

At an event last week in Boston, RIM VP Pete Devenyi said the company is exploring the possibility of introducing cross-platform solutions that would allow IT professionals to manage smartphones made by companies other than RIM. “BlackBerry is and will continue to be dominant in most corporations,” Devenyi said in an interview. “It’s not going to be the only device, given the fact that consumers have the choice to bring in their own devices, and IT departments are often letting them in. So there’s a question there: do those corporations have to manage those devices differently or is there the possibility that RIM might extend capabilities to make it easier for those corporations to manage those devices as well?” This is hardly the first time RIM has explored its competitors’ platforms as a possible way to widen its net. For years, RIM has been experimenting with a variety of cross-platform tools that might help the company develop new revenue channels. The most well-known example is likely RIM’s BlackBerry Application Suite, which we showed off exclusively two years ago. BAS would have allowed BlackBerry software to be installed on platforms like Windows Mobile and Symbian so that companies could deploy BlackBerry services on a variety of popular smartphone operating systems. The current state of RIM’s BAS software solution is unknown.

[Via Electronista]

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Polish site bbnews.pl has published what looks to be the release notes for RIM’s BlackBerry Internet Services version 3.2. Some of the highlights in the new version include: synchronization with Google Calendar, Improved BIS password security, corrected automatic login, improved WAP interface, re-validation of Windows Live accounts, and added Administration Tool functionality for carrier administrators. We’ve got the detailed list ready for your scrutiny after the break. Let us know what you think.

Google Calendar Synchronization

Wireless calendar synchronization with Google Calendar is a feature developed by RIM that allows users to synchronize their device Calendar with their Google webmail Calendar. Synchronization is two-way, meaning users can add, edit, or delete information on the desktop or the device and the info is wirelessly updated respectively. Synchronization with Google Calendar is done wirelessly over the air, meaning users will not have to physically connect their devices to their computers.

If the BlackBerry smartphone is also associated with an email account that uses a BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, the Calendar application on the device will contain entries from both the Google Calendar account and Calendar entries from the email account that uses the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Users cannot synchronize Calendar entries from the account that uses the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and their Google webmail Calendar.

Additionally, Field and Status mapping differences exist between what appears on the device calendar vs. what will appear on the Google Calendar, such as pop-up reminders, which the only reminder type supported with sync (Google Calendar allows for additional options such as SMS reminders). If there are multiple reminders scheduled (which is a Google Calendar option), the reminder closest to the event is the only reminder synchronized with the device.

Enhanced Security

For increased user security, users will now be required to follow a more stringent password policy when setting up (or changing) their BIS account password. With the BIS 3.2 release user passwords are required to be 8-16 characters in place and contain a mix of upper and lower case characters as well as numbers. Previously the policy was that passwords only had to be a minimum of 6 characters.

These new password requirements will help to ensure that email user accounts are not compromised, particularly when an account is being set-up by a carrier representative that may use very basic passwords when setting up a user’s account that, for obvious reasons, may be accidentally duplicated (i.e. password).

Automatic Login Improvements

As part of BIS 3.2, the existing Automatic Login functionality will be updated for an improved experience for users who have a username and password. Previously, BIS users who had a username and password were prompted to enter their credentials whenever they accessed their BIS account from their device. Customers often forgot their credentials, which drove support calls. In BIS 3.2, users who access their BIS account using a username and password on their device without the email setup application (devices running 4.6 handheld software or earlier) will be automatically logged into their BIS account, thus eliminating the need for a user to enter their credentials. This will provide an improved experience for BIS users, and help reduce calls related to forgotten BIS account credentials by extending the Automatic Login behaviour to username/password users.

Note: Users who have a BlackBerry hosted email address (@.blackberry.com), and currently do not have a password assigned to this email address will use their BIS account password for validation actions.

Once BIS 3.2 is released, the user will have to enter their BIS account password (justinBB123) when they make changes to their hosted email address from their device.

*At this time, users who have a username and password and access their BIS account from their BlackBerry using the email setup application will not be affected. The email setup application allows a BIS user to remember their credentials, which also helps eliminate the need for users to remember their credentials

User Interface Changes

Previously, WAP users were not able to view the password for their integrated accounts when switching to a new BlackBerry handheld. In BIS 3.2, WAP users can now display the password, which will help users ensure they are typing the correct password when validating the email address prior to completing the device change process.
1) After insert the SIM card into the new device and selecting ‘Email Settings’, the user is prompted to move their email accounts over to their new device:
2) Selecting ‘Show Password’ will display the password for all the accounts to be validated.

Windows Live Hotmail Revalidation

Currently, users who have integrated a Windows Live Hotmail email address (and are using the MSN/MSP protocol) are required to revalidate their email account every 360 days. Currently, users receive a direct email from BIS 3 days prior to their token expiration, informing them of the need to revalidate their account (and providing instructions).

In BIS 3.2 an additional email will be sent to users 1 day prior to their token expiration with the same message that will link to a KB article with written and video instructions for how to revalidate their account

*Does not apply to users who have integrated a Windows Live Hotmail email address and use the POP protocol

BlackBerry Email Administration Tool

As part of BIS 3.2, carrier administrators will now be able to perform BlackBerry Protect remote administration commands from within the BlackBerry Email Administration console. The four BlackBerry Protect functions that carrier administrators will be able to perform on behalf of BlackBerry users (who have a BlackBerry Protect account) are: activate a loud ring on the user’s device, lock the user’s device, create a message that will be displayed on the main screen of the user’s device and backup the information on the user’s device:

• Loud Ring
  • Makes the device ring for 1 minute
  • Sets the device profile to “Loud”
• Display Message
  • Allows a carrier administrator to update the homes screen of the BlackBerry to display a message. i.e. If found, please contact me at 123-456-7890
• Lock Device
  • If a password is already set on the BlackBerry, carrier administrators will be able to lock the device using the existing password
  • If a password is not set, carrier administrators will be able to lock the device using an automatically generate a new password. The user will be able to retrieve the new password by logging in to BlackBerry Protect website.
• Back Up Device
  • Initiates a backup of all supported BlackBerry Protect data

Requirements:

• The end user must already have BlackBerry Protect installed and be logged in on their device for these features to be available in the BlackBerry Email Administration console.
• Users must have a BIS account

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It’s been a long time since we first mentioned BlackBerry Shield, but that all changed Thursday. BNews.pl managed to get a hold of a handful of screenshots of the security service which lets users remotely locate, lock and wipe their misplaced and/or stolen BlackBerry just like iPhone users can do Find My iPhone. When it’s released — and it’s not clear when this is going to happen, other than it’s going to enter testing “very soon” — BlackBerry Shield will be free to BIS users.Read

A five-month old ITC patent dispute between Research In Motion and Omaha-based Prism Technologies has been settled. Back in December of 2009, Prism had asked the ITC to block the importation of BlackBerry smartphones, servers and sofrware into the U.S. on the grounds that RIM was violating one of Prism’s patents. At the heart of the dispute was a Prism patent described as providing an “innovative way of controlling access to protected electronically stored data and information requested by a device using an Internet Protocol network.” The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but documents filed with the ITC reveal that the companies have entered into a “license and settlement agreement.”

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Hot on the heels of the release of BlackBerry Internet Service 3.0, RIM has just posted the details for BIS 3.1 in the BlackBerry Technical Solutions Center. The main enhancement to be brought forth in BIS 3.1 is wireless contact synchronization support — something which Gmail users have been enjoying for a while now — but for Alt-N, Windows Live Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail accounts, things get a little murky (the latter two require OS 6.0). Synchronizations will be scheduled to occur every four hours. Less noteworthy but something that people who constantly swap ‘Berries should take note of, is that you’ll no longer be able to log into your BIS account through a computer, swap your PIN and then use a different device. From BIS 3.1 onwards, you’ll first need to insert the SIM card currently tied to your BIS account into the new phone, log into BIS, swap the PIN and then proceed as normal. CDMA users will have to contact their carrier. Happy? Sad? Wondering when you’ll be able to wirelessly sync your calendars? Let us know your thoughts!

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Virgin Mobile fired shots across the bow of its pre-paid competition this morning as it officially launched the Beyond Talk plans that we told you about just under a week ago. Starting at $25, the main selling point of the Beyond Talk service offerings is that they all feature unlimited text, email, data and web. The reason for the difference in price between the plans is the number of minutes you get. The $25 and $40 plans are good for 300 and 1,200 minutes respectively, while the $60 plan offers unlimited voice. For an extra $10, you can add BlackBerry data. Of course you won’t be able to use a BlackBerry on Virgin until the end of this month when it launches the Curve 8530 for $299.99, but the prospect of a pre-paid BlackBerry plan for $35 is worth waiting a few weeks for, right?

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