RIM Blackberry coming to Korea
2008/05/14 03:16Research in Motion is finalizing plans to bring their popular Blackberry to South Korea using a loophole to avoid Korean rules on mobile phone middleware:
Korean carriers have so far been unable to import the Blackberry, because it uses RIM's proprietary wireless Internet platform. Cell phones in Korea are required to use the Wireless Internet Platform for Interoperability (WIPI). However, some Blackberry phones are sold in Korea through trunk radio system operator KT Powertel.
A KCC official said that PDAs are not required to use WIPI so the Blackberry would be able to enter the Korean market if it is categorized as a PDA.
Update: The Korea Times reports that the upcoming OECD Ministerial Meeting in Seoul next month is the reason behind the decision to market the Blackberry in Seoul:
SK Telecom, the largest mobile operator, said Tuesday that the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) approved sales of Canadian-made BlackBerry phones on May 1, for business users only.
The sudden acceptance was revealed ahead of the Research In Motion (RIM) CEO's visit to the OECD meeting of Internet ministers scheduled for June 17-18, where Jim Balsillie, the head of RIM, is invited as a guest speaker.
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