PC to Phone is illegal (UPDATE: no it isn't)
I'm just sharing to all QLers an important forwarded message... I'm posting this in advice and help because I have seen some questions about it. I hope this helps.
The message went like this:
Dear All,
As you may be aware, a couple of days ago the Gulf Times reported news about two Bangladeshi expatriates who were charged with criminal offences for using their computer to make international calls. The Gulf Times reported that this was a violation of the Information and Communications Technology (“ICT”) regulation Decree Law No. (34) of 2006 on the promulgation of the Telecommunications Law which prohibits using any computer based software to call a telephone (either local or global). The expatriates charged are facing a one year jail term plus a fine of up to QAR 50,000.
As a responsible organisation we have contacted the ICT Regulatory Authority for an accurate interpretation of the law. Their answer was to confirm that calling PC-to-PC is legal but calling PC-to-Phone is illegal. This means that using Skype or any similar kind of software to make international calls is illegal.
The link to the Gulf Times News is:
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=225631...
German, MagicDragon: Ich spreche kein Deutsch, aber du bist auch lustig! Ich liebe Google!!
German, Dein Deutsch ist total vorn' Arsch!
VOIP is not illegal but it IS illegal to sell phone calls using VOIP.
better use yahoo massager
Mannhaltung bleibt Hunde, wie wir herum schrauben mögen
http://www.ict.gov.qa/output/NewsPage.aspx?PageID=781
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"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
You can't teach experience
thanks, baldrick2dogs....
Now I don't see anything in there that bans the USE of internet telephony.
You could make the case of no reselling, since you're not licensed by ict.
I've posted the decree on my web site: http://www.hasher.net/elaw.pdf
if you are using a personal call then you will never have problem with this....what really makes the difference is other people using it for business. Go to industrial area and you will find flats there with a pc inside and several phone kits...outside of the flats or building corridors, you can find people using line free phones making call to their countries...those i supposed are illegal....because aside from doing a business without permits, they are creating obstruction at the buildings hallway. and most of the one running this business are bangladesh and indian nationals...i also seen nepals doing it in those cootage houses where construction is on going...
ROBIN!!! To The Batcave!!!
Even in the 3rd world countries in Africa has VOIP on their ladfone itself. You can dial the normal international by 00 or the VOIP 88 . Its your choice, the rates are damn cheap for VOIP but clarity will be less.
Qatar gota grow
I wonder when will Vodafone be in force - cant wait to see what they can offer ....
This Q-Tel really sucks, they lick even the last penny from your pocket just by making some rules....and by not reaching it for the needed...they hide the rules and simply keep tracing the IP addresses for a surprise arrest?? cannot understand guys.....anyway let Vodafone come and make some changes, I hope all will throw the Qtel connection soon....
Yeha sure dude the link is broken right now, but if u PM me i can send u it.
but this is where u would get it from.
http://www.ict.gov.qa/output/page36.asp?docid={AE7FA876-87B9-4ACF-8EA4-D9E6DCA60FB5}
any links to the law ?thanks
and the law states that u only go to jail for selling it on.
or providing it to someone as a service.
You can see the decree law at ictQatar........of which the law is very open and therefore if they wanted to jail u, they would make the law suit ur crime
==================STRANGE NEWS===============
Crass. Qtel is weak. They monopolize the big companies and say they're the one of the top companies or this or that. How about some stiff competition?? I bet they wouldn't be able to handle the pressure.
read between the lines of the gulftimes article:
the 31 year old denied having “sold” the service to his friend.
I'll have to read that decree law to be sure, but I think the thing that you cannot do is provide telecom services to third parties (so you can use it for your personal uses, but not give access to others for a fee - and maybe even if it's without a fee).
good to see they are going after the real crime instead of fighting inflation and giving the poor people some relief...goddamn idiots
===================================== http://www.qatarliving.com/node/58409
These guys were not charged because they were making pc to phone calls, but because they were not authorized to provide these kinda services for public. And like others have mentioned if they were illegal, qtel would have blocked them.
IT'S REALLY A BAD NEWS FOR ALL OF US, BECAUSE MOST OF THE EXPARTIES IN QATAR ARE USING INTERNET TO CALL THEIR OWN COUNTRY, BECAUSE TO CALL FROM MOBILE OR LAND PHONE IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
BUT THE PROBLEMS OF THIS COUNTRY IS THAT, THEY MAKES MANY RULES BUT THEY DON'T SPREAD IT TO NORMAL PEOPLE.
THAN, WHAT IS THE MEANS OF THESE LAWS???
@SHR@F
Hey guys
How come qtel do not advertise this as being illegal ?
When you look on their website there is nothing.
When you try to access the skype page they dont even block it so gives the impresssion you can use it.
Therefore if you were to get arrested, you wouldnt know why u were being jailed, and feel ill treated for not being informed. Its really unfair that this happens , and for that guy who juyst arrived in the country for 2 days, how was he meant to know, therefore so many ppl visiting qatar who would assume u can use skype from a friends house or even ur hotels internet, so I dont under stand this.
and again how is pc to pc calls legal, and pc to landline illegal.
I feel with qatars internet its very hard to find the do's and don't and u only really fidn out when some poor person has to suffer the jail time in order to find out.
Is there anywhere we can find the laws? I read tonight the degree from the ICT authority and to be honest the document doesnt make sense or specifically tells u whatu can and cant do :(
Anyone have any perspective of this?
thats really bad.. but who cares... every one using
This is a big loss for the people....
How can PC-PC be ok and PC-Phone be illegal...?...both work on the same principle.....Voice Over Internet Protocol!
...and PC and Phone are both electronic gadgets ....duh!
thanks my friend...this is really baad. Qtel should lower the international call rates and stop the monopoly.
Poverty is not for the sake of hardship. No, it is there because nothing exists but God. Poverty unlocks the door -- what a blessed key!
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi