The Indonesian telecommunication regulation body (BRTI) has threatened to block BlackBerry data services in Indonesia. The block is a response to the heavy traffic that the country's service providers have experienced and RIM's inability to provide adequate data centers to lighten the load. The service block would include BBM and BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service), essentially forcing the BlackBerry device to operate as a generic cell phone. BRTI member Heru Sutadi told The Jakarta Post on Friday that, “Because RIM has not been cooperative, it is possible that we will soon end BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service) and BBM service. BlackBerry therefore, would just be like other cellular phones,”.
However, the real cause of tension seems to be that RIM has decided to strategically place its servers in nearby Singapore. The Indonesian government seems to think that RIM should make Indonesia a higher priority as it is home to the most BlackBerry users in Southeast Asia. Sutadi, also stated that the governments reasoning was based on security reasons, currently all data has to be routed to Canada. That's a far trip for data and it according to Sutadi makes it impossible for the government to monitor and protect data sent by users.
Indonesia, is one of RIM's largest markets and is the first choice for a smart phone among the people there. A few weeks ago it was reported that people were trampled and injured at a RIM promotional event that gave the first 1000 people 50% percent off people purchasing the latest Blackberry smart phone. The end results were dozens of people trampled and in the hospital with broken bones. Four RIM executive's have been named as suspects.
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