Some local businessmen have expressed disappointment and complained that the blackout has affected their ability to communicate with their clients. "BlackBerry has disappointed me more than once. Ever since Monday, I could not chat on BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), Twitter, Facebook and the Internet. That has drastically affected my web-based business", said a bookstore owner in Gaborone. Some BlackBerry users explained that they initially blamed their network service providers for the faulty service until they learnt that the problem emanated from the Canadian-based Research In Motion (RIM) - the company that supplies BlackBerry smart phones.
"I started experiencing technical problems on Sunday. I could not retrieve e-mails from my boss and I went to Orange offices to complain, only to be told that the problem came from RIM. I was disappointed and frustrated at the same time," explained an independent salesman who preferred to remain anonymous. He said that BlackBerry need to upgrade its system as soon as possible to avoid more business losses.Mpho Katse, legal manager at Oseg Capital, said that her social life went completely "dead' from the time BBM services were shut off.
