Loss of VoIP in Qatar

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Dec 12, 2005 Posts: 10

aladin405 wrote:

I meant monthly TOTAL including DSL, we use to pay 750 QR for the 500kbps, they have dropped the price to 400 and jack the rate to 2 mbps, so the 700 or 600 might be fair enough.
I have mailed an invitation to Texas A&M staff members to join the forum.

Makes sense. I know several of my coworkers at WCMC-Q have gotten on board with this as well.

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Dec 09, 2005 Posts: 11

I'll tell you what, if the Ambassador can pull this off and decides to run for President, he's got my vote. If he's not my party, I'll change!

I do have to comment about something that has been bothering me. Looking at all the blogs and the interest this issue has brought up, I see everywhere comments about Qatar doing this to Americans and Canadians. This is not true. It's affecting everyone, so if you're involved in spreading this ideaology, please stop, it doesn't help.

Additionally, for those of you who read the Gulf Times, there was an article a few months ago that did say Q-Tel had received hardware and was implementing the VoIP block. I thought we lucked out and they missed Vonage.

According to same article, VoIP is illegal in the State of Qatar, so in addition to Q-Tel turning it back on, there may be more involved with changing the law to actually get VoIP service returned.

Just some thoughts.

This forum has been great!

Posts: 8 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 10, 2005 Posts: 8

bmardini wrote:

Dear Colleagues,

Many colleagues and I just received an email from Praveen Menon, IRC Director, and Public Affairs Section of the American Embassy. The American Ambassador signs the letter. It reads as follow:

God bless you all and God Bless America

Dear all wonderful members of this group.. I really would like to point out that yes, there are many other people and other nationalities have lost the VOIP, but the awesome reaction that was taken by our US Representative, Mr. Chase Untbrmeyer. This is why we are proud of being US Cetizens. I hope his efforts lead to our goal and get back the VOIP. My best regards to all, Merry Chrismass, Happy Eid and Happy Hunakah. Oash

Posts: 39 · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 11:51 am Post subject: Thanks for every one that helped

peanut954 wrote:

I do have to comment about something that has been bothering me. Looking at all the blogs and the interest this issue has brought up, I see everywhere comments about Qatar doing this to Americans and Canadians. This is not true. It's affecting everyone, so if you're involved in spreading this ideaology, please stop, it doesn't help.

peanut954 also said ""say Q-Tel had received hardware and was implementing the VoIP block"".........................................................

This forum has been great!

Dear peanut954,

I reviewed all my postings and I do believe that I generalized my comments to Loss of VoIP in Qatar except when the letter targeted the American Ambassador or my friends in the States and Canada. However, if I did offend any one I hope they forgive me and accept my apologies.

I also would like to mention that this was Vonage-forum (an American Company), and not to mention all the free thinking American Citizen including their representatives organized, thought, acted and hopefully Succeeded. In resolving this issue. Many other nationalities just complained about the situation but did nothing about it. I did many searches on the web and could not find any results addressing this issue except for this forum, Znet Blog and Qatar Living web site that was started by a colleague of ours Mr. Yahya.

Let us rejoice our accomplishment today; however, we need to keep vigilant until our service is restored. I do not believe that Qtel will back off this easy. As our Colleague said that Q-Tel had spent all this money, received hardware, and was implementing the VoIP block. I still think we have a long way to go.

Thanks for every one that participated in this campaign and let us keep this forum alive until we get our service back. I do want to thank Vonage for creating and maintaining this forum (again American Ingenuity).

Thanks all,

Posts: 11 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Dec 09, 2005 Posts: 11

No offense was taken. For the most part, we all have done pretty well to focus of the topic at hand. It's the sites that have been re-broadcasting and summarizing our dilemma who have "misinterpreted" things we've said. Just a word of caution, is all.

Now, since this has brought out a large number in the American community, I for one am game for us to get together sometime to meet and bring the families. PM me if you're interested. I know my wife would like to get out and meet others.

Posts: 119

bmardini wrote:

I do want to thank Vonage for creating and maintaining this forum

Just for reference, this forum is not run by Vonage. It is run out of the pocket of a Vonage fan. No one is paid to post here, and though we have a few member who are employed by Vonage [who are here on their own time and accord], the majority of us are here because we want to be.

If you want to thank anyone, thank dconnor for running this incredible forum!

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 15, 2005 Posts: 4

Hi Guys
Merry Xmas and happy holidays
really from first day that sip ports is blocked in Qatar i spent 48 hours to find out solution to use other port i wrote in this forum before about that .......in the end we succussed ( me and my VOIP provider)so i did illegal in this forum to post my SIP provider link (i apologized for that) but in that time i did that to tell everybody its not hard to get solution without write to Qtel, Agency News or Embassador just your VOIP provider will find technical solutions.( I'm not ask to change your VOIP provider).. my line is working excellent without using port 5060 I have DID number in Manila and in USA, I'm using SIPURA 3000 and Atcom, i live in Qatar if anyone need any information just ask me
in additionally i challenge QTEL to block my new port
Thanks for everybody ...

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 15, 2005 Posts: 3

I just found out about this forum through a general search on Google. I am so glad that you guys are already looking after our common interests.

God Bless You All.

P.S. I use Global Village VoIP services which are blocked since last week.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 09, 2005 Posts: 4

This appears to be the same as Vonage, unless this company changes the SIP ports they use. I would advise others here to contact them and verify that they can actually work with the current block Qtel has imposed. I would be surprized if dconner doesn't remove this link from your post since this is a Vonage forum. It would have been ok to say you switch to a different company and managed to get around the block, but post their website......

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 16, 2005 Posts: 2

I'm french and of course having the same problem as everybody.
We are paying 200 QAR for nothing....As I think QTEL will not go back to their decission, I will cancel my ADSL asap. For chating I need only land line that's all.