Here's the problem from ictQatar's point of view. From what I've heard and read, Government policy is that censorship does not exist. If there's a filter blocking political content, ictQatar can say: "Well, it's up to Qtel what they block. There is no official policy to censor political dissent. Censorship does not exist in Qatar."
However, when Qtel's monopoly ends on providing internet services, the lack of a filter would be a huge selling point for any new entrant into the market. Many of my friends would sign up to a service that offered an unfiltered internet connection. The telecoms regulator, ictQatar, would be stuck between having an uncensored ISP and providing guidelines for political censorship, neither of which would be particularly palatable.
Here's the problem from ictQatar's point of view. From what I've heard and read, Government policy is that censorship does not exist. If there's a filter blocking political content, ictQatar can say: "Well, it's up to Qtel what they block. There is no official policy to censor political dissent. Censorship does not exist in Qatar."
However, when Qtel's monopoly ends on providing internet services, the lack of a filter would be a huge selling point for any new entrant into the market. Many of my friends would sign up to a service that offered an unfiltered internet connection. The telecoms regulator, ictQatar, would be stuck between having an uncensored ISP and providing guidelines for political censorship, neither of which would be particularly palatable.
--nigel