Calling all globetrotters - I need your advice net restrictions in the Mid East

[pctech]

I know a few of you are well travelled whether it be business or leisure.

Had an interesting question today from a customer who is travelling to Qatar and wanted to know whether they will have any problems logging in.

The sites I support use a mixture of the SSL and TLS encryption methods to protect username and password information along with of course the customer's personal information.

I answered that I didn't think there would be an issue apart from using audio conferencing as I know from experience of trying to get it to work for customers in those countries as well as using the limited info on the net that their filtering regime does not like VoIP and audio conferencing as it would allow people to circumvent the high call charges as well as protecting the populace from what the Government considers objectionable material.

So my question is, have any of you had trouble connecting to secure sites from any of the Gulf States?

[DarkStar]

Cannot give you a detailed answer Mitch but when I have been in Dubai staying with my son I have always been able to log into web sites and use the net as normal but of course I only visit socially acceptable sites and never go to the dark side  . However, Skype is a non starter out there and probably so throughout the Emirates. There is a way round using Skype though and it involves using a UK based internet provider  a bit complicated and I'm not into the finer detail.
A pity you didn't post this question a week or so ago as he was home to see us for a few days and could have answered your queries. I know a lot of residents out there buy laptops and ipads when they are out of the Emirates because those on sale out there are 'crippled' so to speak.
Sorry I cannot be of more help.

[pctech]

I work for a Uni so no questionable stuff there.

I just wondered what their attitude was to encryption as all the pages handling personal information are encrypted as are the sign in pages.