Loss of VoIP in Qatar

Posts: 39 · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 6:40 am Post subject: Loss of VoIP in Qatar

Did any one lose their VOIP service in Qatar? If you did, we need to get to gather and figure a way to resolve this problem. I think Qtel (ADSL provider in Qatar) is blocking the VOIP protocol to stop people from using this service. We no longer can contact our families in the states, can any one help? Embarassed

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 08, 2005 Posts: 3

Dude, I lost mine also. I will check with some other expats to see if they also lost theirs.

Mike

Posts: 1422 · Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 8:26 am Post subject:

The VoIP Backlash

This article documents the specific mechanism being used to block VoIP in Saudi Arabia. The technology is also being used in Egypt.

I have worked with Narus, the company mentioned in the article, previously and know how their systems work. The only way that I can think of that you are going to bypass their semantic traffic analyzer is to establish an encrypted VPN to an offshore site and route your traffic over that VPN.

In certain countries doing this would be illegal.

Your first step, if VoIP is legal in your country, would be to contact Vonage and see if they can change the ports you are using. This would allow you to bypass simple port blocking.

This post previously mentioned this article above.

I mentioned Narus back in September.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Dec 08, 2005 Posts: 1

Yes, this is confirmed with QTEL call 125 and listen to one of there half brained helpdesk operators talk about disabling VOIP traffic. Well I guess it's time to start setting up the old sat shot in the backyard and building our own ISP within Qatar.

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

No more calls back home and now it looks like no more Everquest. Ever since the loss of VOiP, I've lost EQ also. Perhaps a coincidence?

Posts: 19 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Dec 09, 2005 Posts: 19

Per the customer disservice droids at QHell, they had a cable break that reduced their bandwidth. Tomorrow they should have the cable repaired and full bandwidth restored. THEN they will unblock the SIP ports/services.
For some reason they tended to be more inclined to answer questions when cancellation was mentioned.

Posts: 39 · Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 5:37 am Post subject: fight Qtel

Maybe we should give Qtell sometime to resolve this technical problem. If Qtel does not, all American in Qatar should contact the American embassy and ask them to put some pressure on the Qatari government to open VOIP ports.

All American should unite together and contact the American ambassador in Qatar.

What do you all think?

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

I spoke with our friendly customer service reps yesterday regarding the onling gaming service. He had a different story, so once again my theory of it all depends on who you talk to holds true.

He admitted that their activation of the VoIP block did indeed block other ports used by many applications, not only gaming and online chat. His response was they hope to have this resolved by Sunday. Yeah, we'll see.

Perhaps time to investigate setting up a VPN solution? Then again, probably shouldn't discuss it online. They're watching us Smile

Shoot, even if they met us halfway and said for an additional fee, they would provide us the port service to re-establish the Vonage connection, I'd be willing to pay.

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

Same problem. Did this begin about two or three days ago for you guys?

Anyway, contacting the ambassador seems like a good idea.

But "this is how they repay us?" It's not like American companies "building up this country" are offering a charity service here. Need I remind folks about the enormous donation given by Qatar to the Katrina victims? But let's keep personal politics out of this and stay focused on the issue at hand. You get more flies with honey than with vinegar.

I was told the same thing about Sunday reconnection.

Has this happened before with Vonage in Qatar, and has Qtel responded?

Posts: 39 · Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 1:31 pm Post subject: Qtel and VOIP

Dear Colleagues,

I can go along with any solution that can return VOIP service to us, for this my only contact to the States with reasonable rates, especially my parents. They are too old to use chat on the web. I also agree with the comment stating that we should keep our personal opinion of the web, and I do like the openness Qatar is attempting (this is a new concept in the Middle East).

My understanding for our options is:
1- Ask Vonage to continuously change their ports.
2- Qtel charges a nominal fee to open this port.
3- If all fails and many people contact the American Embassy, we hope our ambassador will contact the Qatari Government and hope they pressure Qtel to stop blocking this port. I personally know about 10 families that are using this service, and I can count on their support if we start an email and contact campaign to the American Embassy.

We need to get a strong consensus from every one and move accordingly.

Thanks for all your participations.