The United Arab Emirates said it would suspend roaming on BlackBerry messenger, email and web browsing services, a day after announcing that these services would be blocked domestically.
"Roaming on messenger, email and web browsing will be suspended on October 11," the same date the domestic ban, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said.
Roaming is a function whereby mobile telephone subscribers can access domestic services while travelling abroad.
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On Sunday, the TRA said it would halt key BlackBerry services that breach laws and raise security concerns.
Saudi Arabia announced a similar action.
The UAE suspension kicks in on October 11 and will last until a legal solution is reached, the TRA said.
US and UAE clash over ban
The United States criticized the decision by the United Arab Emirates to halt key BlackBerry messaging services, triggering an immediate rebuke from the UAE.
"We are disappointed at this announcement," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters, adding the United States will ask the UAE authorities to clarify the reasons for their decision.
The UAE, a Gulf business hub, said it will halt key BlackBerry services that breach laws and raise security concerns.
The suspension would start on October 11 and last until a legal solution was reached.
Crowley said the UAE move "sets a dangerous precedent" in limiting basic freedoms and rights.
"It's about what we think is an important element of democracy, human rights, and freedom of information and the flow of information in the 21st century," Crowley said.
He said the issue goes to the essence of a speech US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave earlier this year on Internet freedom, which criticized countries like Iran and China.
"It's an argument that we make to countries like Iran and China. And it's also an argument that we make to friends and allies of ours like the UAE," Crowley said.
Yousef Al-Otaiba, the UAE ambassador to Washington, issued a quick e-mail reply to the news media.
"The State Department's comments today on the UAE's announcement to suspend certain Blackberry services from October 11 are disappointing and contradict the US government's own approach to telecommunications regulation," he said.
"In fact, the UAE is asking for exactly the same regulatory compliance, and with the same principles of judicial and regulatory oversight, that Blackberry grants the US and other governments and nothing more."
Otaiba said the UAE needed the compliance for the same reasons of national security and law enforcement as the US.
"It is regrettable that after several years of discussions, Blackberry is still not compliant with UAE regulatory requirements even as it complies with similar policies in other countries," he added.
