Can\’t provide access to corporate e-mails BlackBerry maker

NEW DELHI - BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) Thursday said there was no possibility of providing India access to corporate emails as its technological make-up did not allow it to provide keys to accounts of customers using such services.

We cannot give solution to the enterprise services, its not possible to do so because the keys of that service are in the possession of the corporate enterprises, Research in Motion vice-president (industry and government relations) Robert E. Crow told reporters here.

Crow also said that the service was not exclusive to Blackberry and that the company accounted for a very small segment of the market.

BlackBerry represents a very small fraction of other VPN (virtual private network) used in India. Certainly my perception is there is a broader recognition and appreciation that this is not an issue unique to BlackBerry. BlackBerry represents a very small fraction of VPN, said Crow.

The Indian government has asked RIM for access to all BlackBerry services, expressing concerns over possible use of its services by terrorists and anti-social elements. The government had also threatened RIM that it will ban its services if the company denied access to its messenger and corporate communication services.

Crow, however, said that the company\’s inability to provide access to its corporate mailing service would not translate into a ban as it expects the government to consider it as a wider issue.

The Canadian firm, which earlier this month had given India access to its messenger service, also said that it was confident that it met the requirements of the government.

Crow will be meeting government officials during the course of his current visit to India.

Blackberry has over one million customers in India.