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Service centers start in August
Blackberry customers in Indonesia should be able to enjoy after-sales services from the smartphone producer, Research in Motion (RIM), by the end of August, the telecommunication authority says
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lackberry customers in Indonesia should be able to enjoy after-sales services from the smartphone producer, Research in Motion (RIM), by the end of August, the telecommunication authority says.
The Post and Telecommunications Directorate on Tuesday threatened RIM that it would postpone certification of RIM products unless the company made service centers available by August 21.
"They're planning to open six service centers and another two in October," said directorate spokesman Gatot S. Dewabroto, after a meeting with RIM officials and Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia John T. Holmes.
The service centers, Gatot said, would serve as "one stop solutions" for Indonesian customers "so they won't have to go to Singapore to get their phones fixed".
BlackBerry is one of Canada's key exports to Indonesia. The total number of user of BlackBerry smartphones is expected to reach 1 million by the end of the year.
Previously, the government set a July 16 deadline for the company to open local service centers.
A failure to comply would have resulted in the rejection of any new applications for BlackBerry imports, as well as freezing any certificates already issued, meaning existing certificate holders could no longer import BlackBerry products or sell them through retailers.
The authority said the decision served to provide consumer protection and was part of efforts to give equal treatment to other mobile phone producers with operations in Indonesia.
A meeting with Holmes yielded a positive result for RIM on Tuesday as the telecommunication authority finally decided to backtrack on its decision to freeze the already-issued certificates.
"As of tomorrow we will only freeze certification of new products until RIM opens the service centers on Augt. 21.
"If they fail to do so, we will resume our initial plan," Gatot said.
He denied speculation that suggested the leniency toward RIM was a result of soft power pressure from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.
"Let me correct circulating rumors that Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda pressured us to be more lenient with the Canadians," he said.
However, Gatot admitted the directorate appreciated Holmes' courteous approach in his efforts to help the Canadian company.
