BlackBerry users faced a second disruption in less than a week last night, prompting the device’s maker, Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM), to release new software to restore e- mail service, Bloomberg reported.

The breakdown may stem from flaws in two recent versions of the BlackBerry Messenger program, the Waterloo, Ontario-based company said in an e-mailed statement today. RIM said it has taken action to fix the glitch, which didn’t affect phone or text-messaging service.

The breakdown affected customers in North America, the source of about two-thirds of RIM’s revenues. The previous disruption occurred Dec. 17. Suffering two disruptions so close together may frustrate consumers, one of RIM’s biggest growth areas, said Jeff Fidacaro, an analyst at Susquehanna Financial Group in New York.

“They’re vulnerable to something like this, because the perception of BlackBerry is that it’s a superior messaging device,” said Fidacaro, who has a “neutral” rating on the RIM stock and doesn’t own any of the company’s shares. “RIM has to be very careful that they can offer reliability and uninterrupted service — if it becomes frequent, then their reputation could be at risk.”

Businesses and governments worldwide rely on BlackBerrys to communicate with mobile workers. RIM had about 36 million subscribers globally at the end of its third quarter, which ended Nov. 28.