I can confirm that I was able to access the Skype.com domain again this morning. The story of the TRC’s attempted ban of Skype today made it to the Jordan Times, who ran a big story on the matter on page 2 (pasted in full below).

UNBELIEVABLY, the TRC is insisting on the security/terrorist threat issue. They say that the security issue has now been ‘resolved’ and that why the service is back in Jordan.

The TRC should have a lot of explaining to do if they want to insist on the security claim. Here’s why:

* During the ‘ban’ the service continued to be available, at least for me as a Wanadoo user. It was just the site that was inaccessible. What kind of a security ban was that?? * If security was really the matter, why weren’t other services blocked? Or is it just Skype that has security issues AND is being used by outlaws. * What exactly was the ‘encryption’ problem and how was it ‘resolved’.

As for our beloved ISPs, here’s some explaining they have to do?

* What do you fail to inform customers that interruptions to certain services are about to occur? * Did you or didn’t you know that the ‘ban’ was temporary? If you did know, why didn’t you customer service geniuses tell us?

Amazing!

Companies and organizations like the TRC should respect customers and citizens more. After all, we are paying them to serve us, not to sit in an ivory tower and hand down draconian ban orders (or whatever that whole fiasco was about).

I am glad this episode is over. But I suspect we have not seen the end of this issue.

Here’s the JT article from Friday 13, 2006:

Skype services back on track By Ramsey Tesdell

AMMAN — The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission has decided to allow Skype services to resume a month after they were blocked.

Director of the commission’s regulatory department, Al Ansari Al Mashaqbah, confirmed yesterday that the recent decision to block Skype had been reversed.

The official told The Jordan Times that the security issues, cited as the reason for the block, had been resolved.

Skype is a software programme that allows users to make cheap phone calls over the Internet using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, which has grown in popularity in recent years.

The commission had sent a fax to all Internet service providers in the Kingdom on September 13 to notifiy them of the decision to block the use of Skype.

Technical support representatives at Batelco and Wanado confirmed that they had received word from the commission ordering them to block the Skype website and that all Internet service providers in the country had been asked to abide by this new policy.

The fax said Skype had been blocked because of security reasons.

The popular software programme uses an encryption method that came under attack recently. Technical support representatives at Wanado said the reasons Skype was being targeted was because of possible terrorist activity, and the inability to monitor Skype conversations.

A similar instance in China’s Shenzhen Province saw Skype services blocked for a short time until it abided by local laws. China Telecom, which ordered it blocked, reversed its decision after security issues were resolved.

Meanwhile, Skype users in the country reacted to the order to block VoIP services with dismay.

David DeBartolo uses Skype to communicate with colleagues around the world while living in Amman. DeBartolo, a Fulbright researcher with the Binational Fulbright Commission, was one of the first to discover that Skype services had been suspended.

Upon contacting the commission, he received a response that Skype services had been blocked for security reasons.

“Justification that it was blocked for security reasons is unfounded and absolute nonsense,” said Omar Qawas, a professional in the IT business, who has been using Skype for two years to stay in contact with friends and colleagues around the world.

Qawas told The Jordan Times that Skype was “a reliable alternative to using regular phones or mobiles, and much more cost-effective.”


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12 responses to “Skype.com unblocked in Jordan! What was that all about?”

  1. Qwaiderقويدر Avatar
    Qwaiderقويدر

    It’s going to be VERY VERY hard to block skype with their encrypted protocol, rotating server/port model and unpredictable connections. It was designed that way from the ground up.
    Now ISP’s MAY get successful in blocking the Domain, but they will fail blocking the actual protocol …
    I say, way to go Skype

  2. Isam Bayazidi Avatar
    Isam Bayazidi

    I was able to access it as a TeDATA user, I am not sure if it is the case for all ISPs.. I hope it is..
    Yesterday we were planing for the online/offline protests for the block policy, it seems that we will spare them our flame :)

  3. Khalidah Avatar
    Khalidah

    I could access the site too although the service was always availavle through my ISP as they did not block the log in server …

    Hmmmmm
    Security reasons??? why do I find that hard to absorb??

  4. Moey Avatar
    Moey

    Man, it finally works without proxy. this is sooooo amazing

  5. Khalaf Avatar
    Khalaf

    The TRC still uses the FAX? What does that tell you?

  6. Zafer Avatar
    Zafer

    Even though I have never used Skype, I am glad the TRC listened to reason and reversed its decision. But I hope they will not stick it to us by hiking or freezing for the long term other rates, be it long distance, ADSL, or whatever. But I kid you not, whatever jo telecom and the gov believe will lose in terms of revenues because of Skype, we will pay for it some other way, but that’s better than stifling progress.

    On a related note, did anyone hear rumors that email will be banned in Jordan to shore up Jordan’s Postal Service revenues and of course for security reasons? :)

  7. Moey Avatar
    Moey

    # Khalaf Says:
    October 13th, 2006 at 2:22 pm

    The TRC still uses the FAX? What does that tell you?

    hahahahahaha

  8. nasimjo Avatar
    nasimjo

    2ento fekerkoo hek yalla benna NEFTA7O fata7oo?!

    hai gathie ra7 fiha gotala w jahat w sharaf!

    nasimjo has been working in the background!

  9. Zeid Nasser Avatar
    Zeid Nasser

    You’ve been quoted on ITP.net ….. funnily they put 365east.com.

    Seems to me the concept of a circle is wasted on some people.

  10. Alaa Abdelhaq Avatar
    Alaa Abdelhaq

    I called wanadoo twice regarding this issue, and their reply was \”We are sure we have no problems from our side and its not blocked sir, its skype problem!!!\”
    I dunno till when these companies will keep this kind of attitude!
    from my side skype still not working, and I am wondering how other ppl here got to the service?

  11. Humeid Avatar
    Humeid

    Alaa!

    My friend, you are commenting on a post from last year..

    Anyway..

    This time, the problem is not from the Jordanian side. Skype had a global crash. Do a Google News search and read all about it.

  12. Donald Avatar
    Donald

    Hello,

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    I hope we will see you back soon on Skype …

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