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

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 19, 2006 Posts: 6

My Vonage stopped working in June - around the 25th or 26th. Skype was still working then.
The only thing we can do is keep up the pressure. Incidentally, using the cost angle may backfire, because Etisalat may reduce the rates by 10% and make a big deal about it in the press.
What will work best is to try and get lots of PR - I like StuFried's suggestions about letters, but also here are some more suggestions:
1) If anyone here is connected in anyway to the UK, US, Canadian and other embassies/consulates that have clout over UAE, should write to their trade attache's and request intervention.
2) Even if you are a citizen of any of these countries, you should write to the Trade Office C/o your Consulate or Embassy. This is clearly against free trade and against UAE's committment to join the WTO by opening up their markets.
3) If you are connected in anyway to some influential Emiratis, nothing like it - use the connection to your advantage and have them see if they can help or write a letter to TRA.

Posts: 6 · New Forum Member Joined: Aug 19, 2006 Posts: 6

Jumanji - I know this may be a dumb question, so forgive me for asking. Are you sure you are plugged into the port that says "Phone 1" and not "Phone 2" I plugged mine into the wrong port (Phone2) on the Linksys box and it kept getting a similar recording, "This telephone line has been connected to the wrong port..."
When I was messing with my box, I accidentally got the wire into the wrong port.

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

biteme.. everything is connected fine.. i have the vtech ip8100.. its a slightly different device.. it consists of a base unit that plugs into the router.. and this acts as a receiver for a vtech phone.

its actually a great unit: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=vtech%20ip8100&btnG=Google+Search&sa=N&tab=wi

anyhow.. if i did plug it into the wrong port/unit area.. it would finish the message.. why is it getting cut out at 3 seconds? maybe the packet sensing technology?

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

1830 signatures on the petition. Let's see if we can get a big wave in today. Please send the petition out to as many people as possible.

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

weird.. this site is not loading from the free zone.. i'm on right now via proxy..

intentional? or just n00bness of etisalat.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 4:44 am Post subject:

jumanji wrote:

weird.. this site is not loading from the free zone.. i'm on right now via proxy..

intentional? or just n00bness of etisalat.

What happens when you try to access this site? Screen print? Can you trace rt the url?

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

network time-out error.. its working today.. they were doing some "improvements" over at etisalat..

anyway.. it looks everyone gave up.. keep up the fight!

Posts: 59 · Full Forum Member Joined: Aug 16, 2006 Posts: 59

Jumanji they are about to launch that "speak out dubai" website, so just wait a few days and everyone will get fired up...

also interesting note:

i woke up this morning to our house cook saying the light is solid (i even trained him to monitor and reset it every few hours, then give me a report) so i checked it and it deifnatly was solid!!! unfortunately when i reset it to make sure it was working, it kept blinking...

now this means one thing, last night etisalat or the "TRA" (totally ridiculous answer) at one point had unblocked the port(s), this means our boxes were working at some point... so maybe they are coming up with a solution or trying a workaround?

or maybe im getting my hopes up?

ETISALAT -- WE WILL STILL CONTINUE TO ARGUE! We are in a freezone, and are supposed to be completely lifted of any trade restrictions including Voip!

Maybe I need to translate this into arabic or urdu?

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

Yesterday's Gulf News business section gave information about a site that helps people work around the Skype block. I don't think the information given was overly helpful, but for the Gulf News it was a start.

Posts: 59 · Full Forum Member Joined: Aug 16, 2006 Posts: 59

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/08/26/10062639.html

It is a useless article, LOL. it basically says they will send u a link to download skype, HAHAHA i will provide it for free... just email me i can send u a link to download skype (thats the easy part)

then you can use a proxy to bypass their services.. now everyones going to give into HeyU and pay 300 dhs for a free link, LOL

good way to make money i suppose (out of non technical people)