Etisalat, Skype, UAE telecom issues
 

Just wondering if anyone uses either of these services while in the ME to call back home and do you have any comments or helpful info on them?
thanks:O

The software works in the UAE but since Etisalat (Telecommunications) is owned by the governement they've banned the software downloads on the internet and you can not upgrade with local Credit cards as VOIP is not allowed with the Etisalat internet. But if you have a non local creditcard and you've the software installed on computer it works...

Skype in the UAE
 

Hi All,
To clarify Coastrider's comments.... To my knowledge the way Etisalat has blocked Skype is by blocking access to any Skype Internet pages. If you have already downloaded the program then your only problem is putting credit on your account for SkypeOut. This can be done either by bypassing the proxy or from overseas when on a layover. There is no 'block' on UAE local credit cards being used for this purpose. Open to correction as always,
Fly safe
QF

Well mate, that can be accomplished even in DXB w/o any probs ...

Take Your computer i.e. Laptop, equipped with a LAN-Card, take it with you
to the InterNet-City (close to DXB-Marina), look for the COLORS Cafe (IneterNet-Cafe) Close to the CNN building, order a Coffee, a bagel or two, whilst your laptop can download ANYTHING available in the net, 'cause there is a "free Connection" w/o any restrictions on the pages ...
just don't surf the redlight pages, whilst the secretaries flock in to order their coffee to go for their lunch break :) - easy like that !!!

Are things the same in Bahrain with regards to the blocking of sites and the credit card issue?

I can confirm that there is no issue with locally issued credit cards, as I top up my account with a local credit card.

Then again I don't use SKYPE but a similair program that is basically the same but less well known and the site hasn't been blocked (yet!), and so you can happily download the software still. For that reason I won't give you the name of the program here, but if anyone wants it PM me.

Just run a ghostsurf programme in the back ground and you can download what you like, i've just down loaded Skype 2, it work fine.

Make the most of it....the Etisilat press statement and subsequent media releases through all the Middle East IT mags claim that a new program being to be installed by the "UAE sole telecommunications provider " called "Sniper" will be shutting down Skype and numerous other VOIP sites.

You cannot credit card recharge or download Skype from their primary sites now on the domestic Etisilat connection. The Internet city and layover options are the most commonly used. If you are a real hack though the firewall bypass would be the way ahead....and if you are able to do that PM the way to do it and great rewards will be in the post! :ok:

Relaaaaax - just met a top-notch IT-Pro from Cisco at the Media-City ..
he assured that SNIPER - or whatsoever - if it might be installed at all,
just CAN'T by ANY MEANS stop the VOIP Protocols if run via an "Anonymizer",
Ghostsurfer etc. pp .
So - Keep Skypin' - the interNet stays free fot the smart ones around ;)

What is a ghostsurfer and how do I get my hands on one?

Thanks very much for any info.

Buy ghostsurf online. I think their website is just www.ghostsurf.com or try a search through google

I wouldn't recommend running VOIP via an anonymiser. Latency issues would make it impractical.

But if you want an anonymiser, a good one is Tor (the onion router). Both powerful and more importantly... FREE!

In Doha a lot of people are having problems with the quality of the connection.

A minute or so after having started a perfectly OK conversation the quality goes down untii being almost unreadable after 5 minutes ( skype)

Any ideas how this is possible and what maybe the sollutions to this problem could be?

Thanks a lot,
Gnadirs

Heres another site https://www.megaproxy.com/ the free version lets you check out the basic concept and let you look at "banned" web sites but no downloading.

Paid version $10 for 90 days lets you download plus some other features

IN Limbo
As far as I can tell the internet here in Bahrain is completely free from any of the hangups they have in the UAE, so you should be able to download anything you want...say no more..

Anyone using satellite?
 

Using Orbit SatNet here. Advertised as "256/128", but although the download is at least as fast as claimed, the upload make a piss-poor copper connection look good:uhoh:

So Skype is useless on Orbit

Whilst it is good to be able to surf quickly (25kb/s for upload is fine for surfing) it is hopeless trying to use Skype on the Orbit connection. Works fine from the office (Saudi regular "copper" connection at about 50kb/s) it's "I can hear you but you can't hear me" if using the satellite connection.

Anyone else got the same experience? or solutions?

ExSim

do any of you use msn messenger? if u have headphones, you can chat - just like skype and it's free...

EK - Yes, you can do that with MSN or Skype - both free.

But the main thrust of Skype is that the person at the other end doesn't have to have a computer, just a phone line. (My dear Mum is getting a bit long in the tooth to work either Skype or MSN!)

As for the cost - cost me about 50 cents yesterday for a half-hour chat with my daughter - not much eh! (Her MSN isn't working, and she's waiting for The Old Man to come visit next vacation so I can fix it for her!)

I'm having same problems calling DOH from UK - sounds like the person that end is like a twanging guitar, it's such a shame.

Anyone else got the same problem in DOH?

cheers ;)
FF

I am having the same problem from doha.If I wanna talk msn to msn or skype to skype it is impossible that other person can understand you,If I try to call land line at europe via skype,also it is impossible to have good,healthy coversation.Any help?I think thats another restriction done by qatar to us,anyway we earn tax free so we can pay back our tax to them with their dirty games.I feel like in a prison:(

Internet calls
 

Yahoo also has a mesenger which I find better than msn. There is also another service for phones...which I`m sure is the same one Air No Services is referring to.....but to keep it secret...pm if you want the name...it does work here.

Some of the "symptoms" posted above are not too clear.

First of all, is the problem one-way, or does one party (at which end?) hear clearly and one does not?

What connections to the internet are being used?

A dial-up line needs to be of good quality (say 36kb/s or better).

If it's DSL/ ADSL, there should be no problem.

If there's a problem with DSL/ADSL or a good dial-up, then suspect your ISP or the "National service". Of course, if you are sharing an internet with neighbours and they are downloading (or uploading) heavily, your quality is going to be all over the place!

As per my post on page one, I suspect there is something very wrong with Orbit Satnet (satellite connection) as it appears to be nowhere near its claimed 128kb/s "uplink", which means I can hear the party at the other end clearly, but they can't hear me! Anyone else using Orbit satellite connection?

Voip
 

If you are from the US I would recomend Packet8 for your VOIP needs. I have been using it for about 3 years on a DSL link in the UAE with very good results. If you have a better connection so much the better. $19.95 a month for unlimited calls to N. America and reasonable calls to the rest of the world. Plus you can register the phone to most area codes in the US. So your friends and family can just make a local phone call and it rings in the UAE. I personally like it better then Skype and less expensive then Vonage with (I think) better quality of service.

WWW.packet8.net

Well I replied to one person with PM about who i use, and abracadabra www.callserve.com is blocked, and I don't know how, but the program won't even connect anymore. Ah well, it was good while it lasted. I just wish Etisilat would quit the whole BS about blocking a site due to moral or cultural reasons. Pigs bum, it should say, "This site is blocked because it is eating into our massive profits":yuk:

You can download the latest Skype without fear of being blocked at:

http://www.filehippo.com/

Callserve now blocked. :{

Skype but FREE
 

not sure if it works in the ME, but try www.voipstunt.com
Put a credit on it and you can call for free to quite a few countries....as long as it stays free.....

Folks, try to use FireFox browser instead of internet explorer. You will be amazed how much securer it is and which sites you can visit. Skype should be working fine with FireFox as the site and the program. Anyway the whole windows stuff is just crap. Linux is the best. Switch over to Mandriva.
Cheers.:8

Buggers!
 

Just installed and bought prepaid talk time on callserve, and now its blocked! Made one call :-(

Sat internet
 

Do you guys use any Satelite(sp?) internet server like Direcway. I think upload speeds are much slower than download speeds, and like all things sat it will be subject to wx issues/sand storms and cloud cover.The skyscrapper between you and it won't help either.
But, it completely bypasses any copper or DSL and goes straight out to the mother ship somewhere. That seems to me to be unblockable unless the local gov starts emitting some serious ECM. I think in Singapore its illegal, but do not know the rules in Dubai or the mid east.

TMA guide use megaproxy to access the callserve website and send them a message that you are in UAE and that callserve is now blocked and that program no longer works, and they will send you an email with a tiny little attachment that when ran will make callserve work again. Still won't be able to access website unless through proxy but the calling will work again. :ok:

Nobody else here talking about satellite, but yes, as I mentioned earlier, I'm using a sat.

"Direc" used to be out here but they were "phone up, sat down". Don't know if they are still around as I did a search a while ago and couldn't find them, or anything competitive with Orbit's pricing. The Orbit Satnet system is the one that seems to be most easily available and reasonably (for here) priced. Don't know about the other countries but it's available in Saudi, and at the moment there's no more modems available from the local distributor and I know peeps are going over to Bahrain where it's sold as well.

Their published speed is 256 down, 128 up - BUT - although testing here shows the 256 is rock solid, but the uplink is around 20 to 30k, which is useless for VoIP:mad: (and a pain for maintaining the company internet site too!)

Cost works out around US$600 for 6 months. There is also a package with higher "claimed" uplink (512/512), but that's about twice the price.

If I want to use Skype, I have to do it from the office, where we have a decent speed "conventional" phone - and no, it's not blocked here.

Has anyone tried an "internet accellerator"?? These are the guys who claim to "boost your speed up to 10 times" on a phone line. One of the side-effects of this is that the web site address is "tunnelled" so the blocking software doesn't see it. The ones I have seen cost around US$50 a year, and would certainly allow you to getonto the callserve web site if that's the problem. And they DO make a big improvement in download times for web pages and text (email), not so good for executable file download or zip files.

VOIP in Dubai
 

Has anyone had problems with Skype or Vonage in the last 3 days? Vonage has been off since Monday and I am afraid that our wonderful Etisilat has finally blocked it. ( I am sure that it still works for those in internet city so it can't be illegal right?) Perfect timing, when all of the families are leaving for the summer. If Skype still works I will try to set up an account.
Regards,
330 Man

Yes..Skype is working properly....:ok:

Skype was acting up few days back....but now its ok! I hope Etisilat are
not back to their old tricks!

No Skype for me for about 3 days now.. Very unusual, I can log in, but can't see any of my friends online, and neither can they see me...

MR8

skype
 

I am glad that i am not going insane.I have not been able to log into skype for 2 days.I have uninstalled and re-installed skype AND my new Linksys phone which was working fine but still no joy.I even got someone to set up a new acc for me from SA but that did not work either.
For info the cd that i was provided with by Linksys has the Skype program on it .So #%@ to Etisalat......TAKE THAT :\ :\

BB, without seeming to state the obvious it would look like they are making you take it?:E :E :E

skype
 

Could anyone please give me a link to get around etislut for skype?:ugh: Thanks

skpe
 

Hey Rat
You are quite correct but it made me feel better.I really do not look forward to paying 600-700 pm again for the pleasure of phoning my kids in SA.I do not quite understand how skype etc etc is working in some ares in DXB as i called some of my friends who have it and they have no problems.
Maybe buy a villa and inherit a server.NOT:\

I believe VOIP is available without interruption at all FEZ (Jebel Ali, SAIF, etc.) throughout UAE. Other areas at mercy of Etislut.