India has told telecom service providers to make sure security agencies can monitor messages sent on BlackBerry phones through their networks, a domestic mobile phone company executive said Monday. Telecom operators have a responsibility under Indian law to ensure security agencies can access all services carried on their networks.
India last month said it had given the Canadian makers of the BlackBerry smartphone a 60-day reprieve on a threat to ban its messaging services after the firm agreed to give security forces "lawful access" to data. The Department of Telecommunications has told mobile operators to give a "compliance report" by Wednesday that their networks have been "upgraded" to allow law enforcers to intercept BlackBerry data, the Press Trust of India said.