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Canada not happy with South Korea’s ban on the BlackBerry
Posted by Joe on December 20, 2007
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We understand the importance of the BlackBerry in the modern world, but we’d rather it not become an International Incident. It seems that the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is putting the screws to the South Korean Ministry of Information and Communication because of their practical ban on the device. The South Korean government has strict regulations on mobile phone software. Canada is not happy about this, and is saying that this could adversely affect the free trade agreement between the two countries.
Part of the problem is that South Korea already has a well-established broadband Internet. This not only limits BlackBerrys, but other smart phones. The issue is further complicated because using corporate email servers is rare in the country.
Still, Terry Tuharsky, chairman of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Korea, goes on to scold the country’s practices:
“I want to ask you how Korean politicians will act if Canada does not allow Samsung or Hyundai to sell their products,” he said, adding that “the storm is brewing” in Canada already.
It’s probably not a good idea to be issuing threats over this, we think.
There are further reasons for the ban:
The Ministry of Information and Communications enforces mobile phones to carry a Korean-made software standard called WIPI (Wireless Internet Platform for Interoperability). According to Telus International Korea, the distributor of Blackberry in Korea, it is virtually impossible for Blackberry to have WIPI because it is built on a more advanced software platform.
Okay, sot here’s a compatibility issue, too. Plus, there isn’t a guaranteed demand for the device even if the ban was lifted.
Look, we love the BlackBerry. We think it can benefit everyone, though in different ways. However, we don’t think it’s right for one country to put pressure on another to adopt the platform.
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3 Comments ↓
Joe, with respect, you are way off base.
The problem with Korea’s bullshit WIPI standard is that it is clearly crafted not so much to establish a standard for functionality, but to be a barrier to foreign competition. And it has very much been a moving target.
For example, the Korean Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) now requires that WIPI have both a Java layer and a C layer. Both languages must be available to the programmer.
As it happens, the Blackberry doesn’t have a C language implementation on the device. So WIPI-C is impossible without a complete re-engineering of the platform and its software, to get C onto the device just to “check-the-box” on MIC’s irrelevant standard.
Is it a coincidence? MIC had previously advised interested parties that WIPI-Java would be sufficient. Only after “That’s a relief, we can’t do C” was uttered in meetings did MIC come back and say “Sorry, we meant both Java and C.”
What makes this all the more frustrating is that in the case millions are spent on implementation of WIPI, it’s not at all necessary for the functioning of the Blackberry device. WIPI adds no value to Blackberry, and does nothing for the user. Aren’t standards supposed to address function?
Still think this is all a tempest in a teapot? There are no fewer than 30 non-WIPI compliant PDA-type communications devices which have been approved for sale in the market. MIC admits this, but says all of those others were “mistakes”. Well, if you make the same mistake 30 times for others and then suddenly get religion when a real competitor arrives, it smells an awful lot like the closed-market mercantilism for which Korea is deservedly well-known.
If Canada refused to allow the import of Hyundai cars because the ashtrays didn’t meet some nonsense ashtray-size specification, while not enforcing the ashtray-size rule against other manufacturers — “Oops, those were all mistakes” — would you be so forgiving?
[...] Now, if they could just get it into Korea [...]
joe,
you evidently need to do your homework on how this works in the ROK. the reasoning by the MIC for preventing the blackberry to run is simply to keep it out of korea. all the stops are pulled out to prevent competition with better technology in the global phone market whether it be blackberries or iphones. i suggest you really do your homework before scolding the canadian governments comments.
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