BlackBerry in International Markets: Balancing Business Interests and Host Nations' Security Concerns

Respective governments of these countries considered the phone to be a national security threat due to strong encryption of the BlackBerry system that guaranteed customers privacy. Analysts raised questions such as why RIM faced so much controversy in Asian countries, especially in the Middle East and not anywhere else in the world; what were the options available for RIM to avoid a ban in these countries; and would RIM be successful in addressing the security concerns of these nations and its business interests effectively. Some observers felt that the dilemma was hard to solve as demand of governments (for access to communications) and expectations of customers (privacy) were mutually exclusive...