Compensation Discussed for Blackberry Users

Consumer talk has turned to compensation following the Global Blackberry Blackout, but Research In Motion (RIM) have yet to comment on the speculation.

Blackberry's founder Mike Lazaridis has said services are "fully restored" following a three-day global blackout, but with millions of users affected and many turning to twitter to express their anger, is their any way back?

This is the largest crash the firm has ever experienced. Prior to the 2011 problems, the last significant blackout was in 2009.  With no answers as to why the switch failed or why the back up failed to kick in, the next priority is a "root cause analysis" of why there was a core switch failure within RIM's infrastructure.  Although, the server problems are believed to have originated at RIM's UK data centre in Slough.

When questioned on compensation for consumers following three days of disruption, Research In Motion declined to comment.  However, some operators, such as Telefonica owner of the UK's O2, are mulling whether to provide compensation for affected users.

Unsurprisingly, many corporate clients have switched to Apple iPhone after they made a concerted effort to improve its support for secure business email systems. News that couldn’t come at a worst time for RIM, who have been losing market share to Apple over the last few months.  That said; Apple’s newly-released operating system, iOS 5, has been causing problems for some users trying to download it this week!

So after a week of problems for smartphone users worldwide, it seems that all new technology comes with niggles, and unforeseen difficulties – we can either embrace new technology and understand this or stick with the tried and tested “brick” of a model that simply does the basics! 

Problems will always occur, but the test of the supplier is how they recover from them.  For the sake of competition, let’s hope RIM bounces back!

Find out more about Smartphone Security 

The Summer Forecast looks bleak for Blackberry

Research in Motion (RIM), the manufacturer behind Blackberry phones has missed even its lowered profit forecasts and lowered its fiscal predictions for the full year.  

Profits are significantly down on this time last year, and with company shares also taking a blow, it seems there are challenges ahead for RIM.  The delays in new product introductions mean that the company is losing support from customers and carriers.

According to Peter Misek at Jefferies and Co in New York, “People are not waiting.  They’re going to other platforms.”

Are you?  Which mobile operating system do you prefer:  Symbian, Android, iOS from Apple, RIM Blackberry, Windows Phone or another?

2011 Promises the introduction of Common Charger

2011 looks to be the year that the Common Charger will be introduced to the mobile phone market as technical specifications for chargers drawn up by the European Commission have won the backing of 14 phone firms.

The EU said many Europeans resented the inconvenience incompatible chargers caused and wanted to be able to use chargers for different smartphones.  The response is a design based around micro-USB technology and excitingly, could see the end of proprietary power ports on handsets.

Nokia, Research In Motion, Apple and Samsung are amongst the companies have pledged to make chargers to the common standard, and they are expected to be available early this year.

Currently, the specifications only cover chargers for smartphones because, these are likely to be the most widely used type of phone in Europe within the next two years according to the Commission.  

The UAE will not ban Blackberry

Back in August we reported that The United Arab Emirates were planning to restrict the use of Blackberry’s because of National Security. Following talks with Blackberry maker, Research in Motion, they have confirmed that they will not be going ahead with any ban to Blackberry services.

The UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority felt the service posed a risk to National Security because the network was encrypted and then the data was stored abroad. As a result they had threatened to suspend all Blackberry services from 11th October.


However, after collaborating with Research in Motion, the Regulatory Authority said this in a statement: "All Blackberry services in the UAE will continue to operate as normal and no suspension of service will occur on October 11, 2010".