Deprived of internet connection Thread poster: Noni Gilbert Riley
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Reading about what is going on in Egypt today, I am put in mind of the fact that many colleagues are being deprived of their ability to receive work and deliver work. Perhaps we should pause for a moment and think how we would fare without access to this means of communication - we spend plenty of time complaining about failures or deficiencies in the service, but always presume it'll be back soon.
I'm also remembering a colleague in Cuba who spoke of losing her connection and whom ... See more Reading about what is going on in Egypt today, I am put in mind of the fact that many colleagues are being deprived of their ability to receive work and deliver work. Perhaps we should pause for a moment and think how we would fare without access to this means of communication - we spend plenty of time complaining about failures or deficiencies in the service, but always presume it'll be back soon.
I'm also remembering a colleague in Cuba who spoke of losing her connection and whom I don't think I've seen active on ProZ since. I checked her profile and saw that it hasn't been updated since 2007 - I have no idea about whether she has simply decided not to carry on using the site (no contributions since then), but it does make me wonder. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I absolutely agree | Jan 29, 2011 |
It is simply outrageous that a country can switch off Internet. It speaks lots about the government.
| | | | Henry Hinds 
United States
Local time: 15:57
English to Spanish
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In memoriam
I just wonder if there might be other ways of circumventing governments cutting off or restricting people's Internet connection, which nowadays can be held to be one of our basic freedoms or human rights. I'm no techie, so I ask those of you out there:
Is there some way a person could hit a satelite or some other way to get a connection that cannot be stopped?
| | | | LEXpert
United States
Local time: 16:57
Member (2008)
Croatian to English
+ ...
| @Henry: Sure, but it would be very slow and/or expensive | Jan 29, 2011 |
Henry Hinds wrote:
Is there some way a person could hit a satelite or some other way to get a connection that cannot be stopped?
Well, Egypt can only pull the plug on ISPs it controls. I don't see why somebody couldn't use a phone line to directly dial the dial-up access number of an ISP outside of the country (assuming one had an account with them, and Egypt didn't block calls to that number), and get dial-up access that way. I'd hate to see that long-distance bill though! Presumably something similar could be achieved through a satellite phone as well (again, the cost would be very high).
[Edited at 2011-01-29 21:59 GMT]
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Jenn Mercer
United States
Local time: 17:57
Member (2009)
French to English
| Dial-up modems | Jan 29, 2011 |
Rudolf Vedo CT wrote: Henry Hinds wrote:
Is there some way a person could hit a satelite or some other way to get a connection that cannot be stopped? Well, Egypt can only pull the plug on ISPs it controls. I don't see why somebody couldn't use a phone line to directly dial the dial-up access number of an ISP outside of the country (assuming one had an account with them, and Egypt didn't block calls to that number), and get dial-up access that way. I'd hate to see that long-distance bill though! Presumably something similar could be achieved through a satellite phone as well (again, the cost would be very high). [Edited at 2011-01-29 21:59 GMT]
Some people who are trying to help are providing dial-up modems, but they are not as common these days - and understandably jammed. The blockage is not complete, but if you can't get online to find information on the workarounds, well... you can see how a simple call to the ISPs would be effective.
For what it is worth, here is one number to a dial-up modem (unverified):
Egypt can use this number for dial up: +33172890150 (login 'toto' password 'toto') - thks to a French ISP (FDN)
| | | | | Very practical information Jenn | Jan 30, 2011 |
Thank you.
I know that some people may have thought I've posted in a strange place, but, as HH comments, I think we now take access as a basic right, and I wanted people to consider this in the context of not being allowed access to sth they consider to be a technical right, and not a question of politics or the like.
Thanks also to those who have passed me comments about other regimes, privately, sensitively taking into account possible problems for users with their r... See more Thank you.
I know that some people may have thought I've posted in a strange place, but, as HH comments, I think we now take access as a basic right, and I wanted people to consider this in the context of not being allowed access to sth they consider to be a technical right, and not a question of politics or the like.
Thanks also to those who have passed me comments about other regimes, privately, sensitively taking into account possible problems for users with their regimes.
Edited for typo
[Edited at 2011-01-30 08:21 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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