HELP! Skype blocked!!!

[vanya]

Could I please request assistance from a knowledgeable member of the PH massive?!

Here in Paradise, AKA Dubai, the state telecomms company in colaboration with the UAE government have seen fit to block the miracle (to us overseas types) that is Skype.

I had heard there were issues but I understood if I was already up and running there'd be no probs. WRONG!


I can't even communicate with their support through the Skype website, blocked.
One kind member, XJSJohn, already sent me the VOIPBuster, it fell at the 1st fence!!!


What I need most is if someone knows "the fix/work around", failing that if I could just get the Skype help/support email addy to see if I can message them from Outlook!!!

TIA for any help chaps.

V.

[GreenV8S]

Can't you use a web proxy to access their web site?

[hut49]

can you get through to http://forum.skype.com/ - I'm sure there's someone there who can help - a world without Skype? Scarey thought!

[Mr E]

VPN to somewhere else.

[malman]

The tesco voip stuff still works from there as of a couple of weeks ago so sign up for that temporarily if you're stuck. Not sure if skype support is going to be much use as its deliberately blocked not just "not working". If the ISP is any good you won't get round it unless you can tunnel your traffic to somewhere friendly to proxy it for you

[Vanya]

Thanks for the replies guys.

GreenV8S: I'm not exactly up to speed on proxies but from what I've gathered this evening I have a better understanding. However following Hut49's tip (many thanks Hut) I found a couple threads in the $kype forums (can you believe I have to disguise the word!!!) each time a usable proxy is discovered it gets blocked!

Their blocking system is so strong I can't login to the forum to relpy or even ask a question.

At the end of one thread a guy posted a VPN on May 3rd, it's blocked already!

Complete mother bastids!!!

Malman, is the Tesco's voip stuff pay to subscribe?
Reason I ask is a bunch of $kypers subscribed to witopia.net (40 bucks) then shortly after Etisalat plugged the hole!!!

I'm wondering why the actual $kype people aren't offering more support.

Anyway chaps, thanks again.

[Vanya]

FWIW, when you access the main $kype webpage from here, this is what you'll see:

We apologize the site you are attempting to visit has been blocked due to its content being inconsistent with the religious, cultural, political and moral values of the United Arab Emirates.

If you think this site should not be blocked, please visit the Feedback Form available on our website.

And when you click on the Feedback Form clicky... dead end!!!

[malman]

Don't use it myself but one of our guys was out there and used it.

www.tescointernetphone.com/
www.tescointernetphone.com/about/rates/
www.tescointernetphone.com/about/

mentions pay as you go on one of the pages. I think you just put credit on your account. You would need to check out the registration pages.

Software download here
www.tescointernetphone.com/download/

[Vanya]

Many thanks Malman, will give it a whirl.

[roop]

My brother's in Dubai with the same issues. He uses something called Babble...

[Vanya]

Hi Roop, thanks.

Do you think you could get the website from your brother please?

Trying all the options.

All advice most gratefully received.

[miniman]

Vanya said:

Hi Roop, thanks.

Do you think you could get the website from your brother please?

Trying all the options.

All advice most gratefully received.

www.babble.net

[Vanya]

miniman said:

www.babble.net

Site Blocked.

Thanks anyway Roop and Miniman.

[Mr E]

If they allow SIP;

www.sipgate.co.uk

I'm not affilated with them at all, but I use them personally. Free registration, PAYG...

[vanya]

Nice one Mr E,



I'll take a closer look tonight.
What a great and wonderful place PH is.

[Mr E]

vanya said:

Nice one Mr E,

No worries mate - my only concern is that if they've blocked Skype (closed propriatory format), they will have almost certainly blocked SIP (open protocol that the rest of the world uses).

At which point you're back to the VPN to sort the problem.
The only other alternative would be to run your own SIP server (asterisk) somewhere outside the firewall, and configure it and your client to use non standard ports. Then you simply configure the server to talk to the rest of the world on standard ports and Robert is your mothers brother. VPN is, however, easier.

[Marki]

vanya said:

Nice one Mr E,



I'll take a closer look tonight.
What a great and wonderful place PH is.

What about the voice calls you can do on MSN ?

[vanya]

Mr E said:

No worries mate - my only concern is that if they've blocked Skype (closed propriatory format), they will have almost certainly blocked SIP (open protocol that the rest of the world uses).

If it's any indication, the clicky you put up worked fine whereas $kype's site just gets the equivalent of a hairy @rsed moon.

(I haven't got the mooner smiley!)

I just haven't had the chance get into SIP yet!

[vanya]

Marki said:

What about the voice calls you can do on MSN ?

I didn't know that was available!

Last time I used IM that's all it was!!!

We shall have to investigate Watson!

Cheers Marki.