Vonage not active in Dubai, U.A.E. Probable ISP block.

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 21, 2006 Posts: 11

I live in a Freezone and use DIC which is blocked since last week.I gave up on the Tecom reply of it is a 2 to 20 days fix and contacted Etisalat and they (for the first time) pointed the fingure at the so called Telecom Regulatory Authroity. I also contacted Tecom and they said it is not us, it is beyond our reach!!!! as if the Authority is independant.

Today, it was the first time I hear that the block is here to stay.

The issue now is far beyond Vonage! it is everything voice, Yahoo, MSN, Skype, Vonage. The Etisalat guy even said in reply to my concern that Yahoo is not working, he said, the chat and video is working fine, it is only the voice server that is blocked!!!!!

I don't believe that Du will do anything to solve it. After all, we are talking extra big $$$

Posts: 20 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 14, 2006 Posts: 20

i agree with stufried, a credible source would be appreciated... I just called DIC support again and the guy there sounded a bit intimidated discussing this issue, and most of what he said was definetly being read from a paper/screen in front of him:
"uh sorry sir for the inconvinience...i can not drop names, but the big picture is that we rent our services from etisalat...so um i can't say much but we're doing our absolute best to resolve this issue"
he also mentioned how almost everyone in DIC/DMC offices were fed up because of this also... A part of me is honestly convinced that given the fury from all these resedential/commercial customers, they would have no choice but restore all Voip services...but then again, maybe i'm finding my peace in being overly optimisitic

Posts: 36 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jun 04, 2006 Posts: 36

To Mr. Conner,

We don't have a free press here. While you wouldn't catch it on a day to day basis (e.g. the paper doesn't read like a Communist era propaganda sheet), they won't criticize the Government. The Kajleeb Times is a little better in that regard than the Gulf News, but the press exists at the sufferance of the monarchy.

Earlier this year, it it was clear that the UAE was mad at Tecom for not blocking access to the British tabloid -- the Sun -- because it published an article critical of a member of the royal family. Despite the promises of uncensored internet to attract foreign companies (including the regional hubs for CNN and Reuters), a Minister said that the freedom of the press didn't carry the right to insult a member of the royal family.

The story will get covered in the papers. They may do a touchy feely piece on people who can no longer talk to their family, but then the story will die. They will not report on the 1500% mark up on calls to the US or the UK that the providers are charging. Last I checked, I was paying $0.70 a minute to call the US. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

The local papers will soft peddle it by saying that Etisilat will be rolling out its own Voip service and how Tecom already uses Voip technology to get the connections out to the homes (voice over fiber actually). State run Voip will not change anything here. This Voip setup merely changes the last mile delivery mechanism to the homes.

The IHT will cover the story, but big deal. I suspect it will hit the UK papers, but again The Guardian can write editorials until it is blue in the face. It will not change anything.

I'm not sure that we are getting a third provider in 2008. Last I heard it was 2014 unless the US gave up some serious consideration at the last free trade talks.

Remember also that the people complaining are ex pats. Non-citizens are generally not given all that much respect by the Government.

While I think publicilty will help, I think the UAE is a very odd market.

Stu

Posts: 24 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 15, 2006 Posts: 24

its a disgrace they rent their services from etisalat. they should be have an alternative to connecting to the backbone in the US - via undersea cable

this is what they boast on ther website - that they peer directly in to the network access points in north america

its just bs and complete fabrication

they are in the freezone for god sake and they are running a shambolic internet service

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 21, 2006 Posts: 11

Okay, it is not just personal. Business is hurting now. We are based in the DIFC (Dubai International Financial Center). We pay well over 10,000 a month for 512 kb (yes, a month) for internet connectivity and use it to communicate between our offices in Dubai, UK, USA. Now, it is affecting my bottom line (we employee 45 employees in Dubai)

I have 2 employees calling every hour and will write an official complain to DIFC as well as Tecom on this issue.

Tecom said again that it is outside their control and that they hope (hope) to solve it.

This will hurt business big time!! Not only are we paying crazy monthly fees for slow connections, yet, we have now to pay much more for international calls!!!!!! Why come to Dubai then? We already pay top dollars for Rent, resources, Fees, etc.

I hope this is resolved soon.

Posts: 86 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Aug 14, 2006 Posts: 86

i am glad more people that were lurking this site are now geting involved and posting their frustrations..

i hope everyone is keeping up with the calls.. you all know that i am Wink

Posts: 86 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Aug 14, 2006 Posts: 86

the tech said he is still hopeful the issue will be resolved... and they are still working on it.. again he informed me that they are getting a ton of complaints (good job!) and [customer relations] that they are doing their best to keep their customers happy [/end customer relations mumbo jumbo]

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 14, 2006 Posts: 10

We must keep the pressure on - DIC 04 390 5555.

All those who use Voip as an active part of their business, MUST write into DIC or DFSA. Dubai projects itself as a place to do international business. It makes no sense therefore to charge the highest telecom rates in the world! It is cheaper to call from Pakistan to the US or UK, than it is to call from Dubai. This is pretty medieval

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 18, 2006 Posts: 11

Just called the DIC technical support number and instead of telling me it'll take a week to fix the problem (like they have been doing), the rep. said the Regulatory Agency had blocked all Voip and that the management from both sides (the Agency and DIC/Etisalat) was under negotiations currently.

I would love to be optimisitic about this...but I can't anymore...as time passes, this seems more and more impossible.

If these guys had family/friends anywhere outside of the UAE - this would probably not be happening! They should try and put themselves into our shoes.

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Aug 14, 2006 Posts: 10

Everybody using this website should call at least 3 times daily at 390 5555. We cannot stop the pressure. If the pressure persists, DIC's management will have to raise the pressure themselves.