U A E not fond of MumsNet?

[anna26anna]

We've lived in Dubai for 6 months now, and today is the first day I've been able to connect to MN (yay!). I haven't been getting the standard UAE censorship message, but when I type the URL into my browser it just doesn't connect, I get a server error message. This is on home broadband and also via VPN in work. But... today I tried to get in via a Google search, and tada... it worked. It still rejects some pages that I click on, but at least there's a workaround now. Anyone else? (I'm sorry for being suspicious, but seriously, this country does its best to ensure we can't use Skype, and removes FaceTime from iPhones before selling them, so I believe them capable of blocking Mumsnet if they wanted to).

Anna

I live in Dubai too and have no problems getting on MN. Who are you with?

I have FaceTime on my Dubai bought iPad and have never had a problem connecting to Mn either. Skype is also fine.

Are you Etislat or du ?

I'm Du for iPhone and home broadband. Skype works only half the time (we're on the middle Du broadband bandwidth, perhaps the higher one would help?) and Skype Outbound calls to landlines only work on the iPhone - a Telecoms guy in my work said the the mobile providers are prepared to let it go, because they get revenue for your data usage, but the landline/broadband providers block it.

The FaceTime thing really ticked me off - you pay almost £500 for an iPhone, you expect all the features to be intact. Had I known that Du reloads the iPhone with a modified client, I would have waited and bought it back in the UK. It's great that your iPad has it, must be one of the grey-market models, as I understand that it's also removed from most iPads. Where did you get yours?

Reading this back, I sound like I have a big chip on my shoulder. I do feel that my communications with home are hampered at every turn, it's the one black spot on what's been a terrific first six months here. Great to learn more about how others have made it work for them.

Anna

I could never live somewhere with so little freedom....

Sorry mid post.....

my parents lived in China and had similar things, ex pats managed to get around most things and knew locals that could help. Perhaps ask someone you trust nearby.

Thanks for your reply, PosieParker. Dubai is a terrific place to live, and actually we'll be extending the initial 2 years we committed to, but you got the little bit of dark side which I've encountered - I do miss open (and inexpensive/free of charge) communication with family.

Anna

Ooh have never used FaceTime so i just assumed it worked but when I clicked on it it asked for mynlocation and on the scroll down there's no option for uae.

Am currently in London for the summer so can use it here though

How bizarre !

Re where it was bought it was a birthday present but I know dh got it in festival city as that was the only place with it in stock at the time.

I'm with Etislat and because we re in al safa it's sooooo slow and expensive I nearly cried when I saw the du adverts for cheap whizzy fibre optics

never had any trouble getting mumsnet either in Dubai or here in Muscat thank god, we were with etisalat in Dubai don't know if it made any difference

Mumsnet definitely not blocked by the UAE.

The Skype/Facetime thing is nothing to do with censorship and everything to do with wanting to maximise international call revenues.