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After banning VoIP, Morocco's largest ISP blocks online gaming
- Thread starter Madouu
- Start date
PodcastFips
Member
As hard as it sounds, but you probably live in the wrong country to get anything solved about this.
Visualante2
Member
Cancel in writing explaining why and change ISP. Reward the one who is slightly less shit. It's the most powerful tool you have. Encourage everyone you know to do the same.
Wowfunhappy
Member
The problem is that any type of technical measure you employ (such as a VPN) is going to add a ton of latency--way too much for online gaming.
This type of thing could work for voip though.
Iva Demilcol
Member
This is crazy!
Shit like this is unacceptable.
Shit like this is unacceptable.
Laughing Banana
Weeping Pickle
Netflix is not known by many in here so virtually no fuss is raised over its blocking *but* you can bet your ass Indonesians would raise HELL if stuff like Whatsapp is blocked. Indonesians breathe and eat these kinds of apps for their life, lol.
LurkerPrime
Member
Holy cow, this is insane.
Net Neutrality needs to be a global right. It's too important to allow stuff like this slide, let alone happen to begin with. Canada's seen a bunch of garbage like this, though related more to pricing than access (which the telecoms are working on). It's always about getting their foot in the door, and moving from there.
I hope y'all can figure this out, MoroccoGAF.
Net Neutrality needs to be a global right. It's too important to allow stuff like this slide, let alone happen to begin with. Canada's seen a bunch of garbage like this, though related more to pricing than access (which the telecoms are working on). It's always about getting their foot in the door, and moving from there.
I hope y'all can figure this out, MoroccoGAF.
TatteredHat
Member
It's ridiculous that ISP can get away with this shit, every country needs to get strong Net Neutrality laws in place.
shotgunbob04
Member
Terribly sorry to hear about your situation, OP.
I'm truly disgusted with the people behind all of this. I wonder how long this will be allowed to go on before something changes.
I don't know much about the Moroccan government, but it certainly seems like they're allowing this. I would not be surprised if those at the top of these companies and those in the government are still using VoIP and gaming services.
I'm truly disgusted with the people behind all of this. I wonder how long this will be allowed to go on before something changes.
I don't know much about the Moroccan government, but it certainly seems like they're allowing this. I would not be surprised if those at the top of these companies and those in the government are still using VoIP and gaming services.
Chû Totoro
Member
People keep saying ISP but this is the "government" who's behind this (ANRT is public). And still, most of the big national companies there are owned by people working hand in hand with authorities.
Morocco's biggest problem is its leaders (like in many countries in Africa). People need to stand up for real progress in their society (I know it's easy to say and I'm happy not to have to fight for such things even if there are still inequalities here too).
So yeah, sad for you OP but it's not like freedom is something that's granted to the people in Morocco (actually, and sadly, I'm not surprised at all hearing your example).
Morocco's biggest problem is its leaders (like in many countries in Africa). People need to stand up for real progress in their society (I know it's easy to say and I'm happy not to have to fight for such things even if there are still inequalities here too).
So yeah, sad for you OP but it's not like freedom is something that's granted to the people in Morocco (actually, and sadly, I'm not surprised at all hearing your example).
SilentFlyer
Member
I don't think its Morocco only. Saudi Arabia has banned lot of apps or related features within apps this week including Whatsapp, Viber, Imo, FB Messenger.
A collective effort by Telecom companies to ban such apps because of them having loss.
http://www.arabnews.com/news/messenger-call-outage-leaves-users-baffled
A collective effort by Telecom companies to ban such apps because of them having loss.
http://www.arabnews.com/news/messenger-call-outage-leaves-users-baffled
PotionBleue
Member
Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U do have built-in voice chat but only in lobbies with registered friends and only between matches.
This is almost 100% what is happening and why you guys aren't able to connect to any online games. It really isn't clear what the motivation for blocking online games but my guess would be that it is a result of expanding the block of VoIP services. Blocking online games is probably a side effect of the VoIP block and not the goal.
Be careful with how you use nmap, it is a very effective and powerful tool that can give you some very good information but if used incorrectly can set off some alarms at the ISP and potentially cause you some headaches depending on their policies. Network admins don't usually appreciate their networks being mapped.
Also try checking out wireshark here. Fire up wireshark when trying to connect to DOTA 2 or any other online game and see whats happening to the TCP/UDP packets and where they are going.
Mr. Giggles
Member
Shit happened in Dubai too, Telecom companies are afraid of their profits as more and more people use VOIP instead of paying long distance fees and shit
Muppet of a Man
Member
Guys, but the ISPs said net neutrality didn't matter and that free, unfettered capitalism would solve all our problems and tuck our children in at night.
Breakfast at Noon
Member
Why is no one aloud to talk over there? I assume blocking online gaming is just to stop online chat (Skype etc)
I think the pressure has paid off enough that the ISP has finally decided to comment, just some PR talk, they do not aknowledge the issue and say that there was no ban on online gaming to their knowledge, which in my opinion validates the theory of the expansion of the VoIP ban being the real cause. At the end of the day, it doesn't change much for the people that are not able to play.
Morocco is extremely sensitive to its international reputation and has changed policies in the past just because of outside scrutiny.
All three ISPs here block VoIP, the decision comes from a government regulatory agency. There is no alternative. Well, the alternative is what we are doing now, educate people about the issue and gather support so things change. Morocco may not be an advanced democracy but it is a place where policies can change with enough support.
Thanks, now that the ISP has come out to deny any direct ban, we will have to collect as much proof as possible so to establish what is going on exactly and force them to respond accordingly.
There are no local branches for Google/Facebook and Microsoft didn't even react. It was mostly small telecom startups and tech-savvy citizens that led the charge versus the VoIP ban.
Morocco is extremely sensitive to its international reputation and has changed policies in the past just because of outside scrutiny.
All three ISPs here block VoIP, the decision comes from a government regulatory agency. There is no alternative. Well, the alternative is what we are doing now, educate people about the issue and gather support so things change. Morocco may not be an advanced democracy but it is a place where policies can change with enough support.
Thanks, now that the ISP has come out to deny any direct ban, we will have to collect as much proof as possible so to establish what is going on exactly and force them to respond accordingly.
There are no local branches for Google/Facebook and Microsoft didn't even react. It was mostly small telecom startups and tech-savvy citizens that led the charge versus the VoIP ban.
It would be my assumption that games that allow you to have user-defined servers (with a server browser or better an ip search) should be able to get around this as I expect them to be able to use a different port than the default one to connect and play.
Thinking something like Quake 3 (sorry been a while since Ive gamed on PC) could be a good way to test as you should be able to change the default ports (27960 on TCP/UDP) to something above 33000 - in theory that should be above the RTP port range and should work (honestly Im guessing but verify against a control setup outside of your country) but obviously guessing the extent of your ISP block.
Not a solution but maybe a method to understand the extent of the problem and adequately illustrate the issue. Hopefully someone comes up with a better idea as its not an eloquent one...
ps3ud0 8)
Thinking something like Quake 3 (sorry been a while since Ive gamed on PC) could be a good way to test as you should be able to change the default ports (27960 on TCP/UDP) to something above 33000 - in theory that should be above the RTP port range and should work (honestly Im guessing but verify against a control setup outside of your country) but obviously guessing the extent of your ISP block.
Not a solution but maybe a method to understand the extent of the problem and adequately illustrate the issue. Hopefully someone comes up with a better idea as its not an eloquent one...
Yeah I should have emphasised the tread lightly when it comes to nmap - hopefully a pattern emerges without having to test too many ports used for the more popular games.
ps3ud0 8)