Internet Phones Blocked in Kuwait
Watching the news lately, I became more and more uneasy as Indian telephone service providers – evidently clandestine – were raided with frequency and shut down. All these men want is a few minutes chatting with their families, without paying an arm and a leg.
We’re all in the same boat.
In a tiny little article in the Kuwait Times yesterday, they announced that ALL internet calling services would be blocked. Those that are not already blocked soon will be.
I had heard rumblings from friends, phones not working, etc. We all subscribe to Vonage, or Skype, or one of the myriad internet phone services; it’s part of what makes living and working in Kuwait DO-ABLE.
This last year, with my father dying, the phone was my lifeline. Because it has the same area code as my family, my Mom felt free to call me anytime and give me an update on how Dad was doing. When I know we are going back for a visit, I can get on that phone and make dental appointments, schedule a doctor’s appointment, harangue my bank when they have made a mistake.
I don’t even have a private land line into our dwelling. There is a phone, but it goes through the desk where the guard doesn’t really understand English that well. All my calls come through my cell phone . . . OR the internet phone. The price of the service was well worth it in terms of my peace of mind, and my mother’s, and my sisters. Our son feels free to call us when he chooses – it is a Godsend.
The land lines here are notorious. I am outraged. The international call rates are extortionate, and the call quality is horrorific.
When we lived Qatar and the internet phone services were blocked, the major international companies in town all went to their ambassadors and had them formally protest to the government. The ambassadors made the case. And the ban was reversed.
Please. If you are Kuwaiti, use your wasta. If you are a guest-worker here in this country, protest to your Ambassador, and ask her or him to get involved, to take this to the highest levels. This ban on internet phone services hurts the morale of ALL people here in Kuwait who have family in other parts of the world. It makes Kuwait look greedy and mean-spirited, and we all know that is not the true nature of Kuwaitis.
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Why has it been banned?!
You mean we wont be able to use skype?
Thats how we stay in touch with my bro and sister?
I dont get it.
This is an outrage!!! WTF?! Unfortunately, some people here ARE GREEDY and they give us all a bad name. I am against blocking ANYTHING from the internet, especially something like this. It’s not porn for God’s sake!
Delicate and Enigma: Skype is one of the ones banned. Vonage. IConnectHere. Every internet phone service. They are working to ban them all due, I can’t remember the exact words, but to “wastage of government funds.”
I saw this done in Qatar. It can be turned around, but everyone has to express their outrage appropriately – to people who can make a difference. Ambassadors. Ministers. And it has to be stated how this will hurt the productivity and morale of the work force, as well as citizens.
It’s not porn. Kuwait has some of the highest phone rates in the world, and some of the very worst phone service. They want to eliminate their only – and costly – competition.
Internet phones are not legal in Lebanon yet, although I do know several people who have them, and use them. Skype can be blocked by the internet provider, but my understanding is that internet phones can only be detected in physical searches. Hence the corporate world and those who cannot afford a high speed home connection are more likely to suffer than those who can (and who do not mind the moral pangs of a little law-breaking).
On the other hand DSL is not legal in Lebanon yet either so perhaps taking advice from someone living here is a poor idea :-).
Thanks Little Diamond, you provided a very important piece of information. Many people here are already blocked. The goal is to close all the loopholes. It isn’t possible, but it can make life annoyingly complicated while the work-arounds are being researched.
No, this sucks.
Tell me is “Vitamin W(for Wasta)” now officially become ” an essential Fatty acid” for growth and survival in Kuwait?
Unlike in Qatar, I have my doubts if there’s any going back with the RULES for what they are worth, happening in Kuwait
There is a “wasta” horror in kuwait. Use this word to solve the problem in kuwait. That is a fck.
skype, deltathree, phoneseve, and others are blocked in kuwait. But i suggest all to open these site using ip no, not “word/phrase address”. Hoping you all will enjoy.
Hobson – so far, you seem to be right. There doesn’t seem to be any spot to apply leverage.
Pandawa – I am guessing that there are people who will understand what you told them – and I hope I find one of them to explain it to me! thanks for your input.
You can still use skype and access all blocked sites using a VPN Services to Unblock Skype and sites
Thank you, Jim. And a word to those who use other than Skype – when you are blocked, go to your service provider and tell them, and they will provide you with another internet address through which you can connect.
In the Arab Times yesterday they had a big announcement to make International calls cheaper.
What a joke.
I’m using skype with my Mom and to chat. Everything else is just ridiculous 😦
In Korea I could make calls on my mobile for 2 hours for 10 Dollars or less :S
For now, skype still works. If they really block it, I’m gonna write to whatever places there are in this wonderful country! Grrrrrr…greedy people 😦
Most of the VOIP providers provide us with continual updates on access, Rainmountain, so I don’t believe it is going to be a problem. 🙂
Checked Arab Times from yesterday – they didn’t mention Internet at all.
They just mentioned illegal phone things.
And they gave a web address where you can check for the new prices:
http://www.moc.kw
Haven’t checked it though, I just use skype 🙂
I don’t see how they can block that one. ’cause it’s a software, no? Not like a webiste….but I dunno nothing about that stuff, so I’m just guessing 😛
You are right, RM, mostly it’s software. Mine has a way I can check messages online, and the original is blocked, but they sent me a work-around.
Hello All,
I have developed a product that will allow you to access SKYPE (and make phone calls through it) from Kuwait, or any other country that has blocked it!
It is called “Hosted VPN”. It creates a secure (2048bit encrypted) tunnel from your machine to our server in the US and because the tunnel is encrypted, all your traffic goes straight through to our US Server and allows you full access to SKYPE and all other telephony programs.
The cost is $8AUD per month (which is approximately 2KD per month).
If you would like more information or to signup, just go here: http://www.commoncents.net.au/skype-in-kuwait.php
i would love to see a massive price drop on internet phones coz i like to buy lots of em `”‘