Millions of people in Middle East are fed up with new VOIP Providers being blocked. Every new VOIP service provider launched is blocked in these countries within 1 week. Today we most likely found a solution.
All thanks to one of the comments on another post, which forced me to check this tiny little utility called HotSpotShield.
This program adds another layer between you and your ISP which is often called as VPN. When you have hotspotshield on, you will be using USA IP address and your service provider in UAE would never be able to impose VOIP blocking feature. You should be able to use all your existing popular VOIP Providers such as Nonoh, VOIPRaider, VOIPcheap, VOIPax etc
How to use this program to unlock VOIP in Middle East?
1) Download Hotspot Shield (Mirror)
2) Click “Run Hotspot Shield”
3) The auto search VPN server, and connects
You can then try visiting some of your favorite VOIP Providers and check if they are now working properly. We do not gurantee that this method will work for you however it's worth a try. You can always discontinue using the program if its fails to work.
Good Luck unblocking VOIP in Middle East! Its time to start enjoying VOIP calls once again and make some free international calls
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Unblock VOIP in Middle East
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20 comments:
How does HotSpotShield overcome being added to the list of blocked sites?
Let me explain what I understand:
1) With hotspotshield you make a connection from your ISP to a US IP address which acts as proxy for your VPN connection.
2) Now whenever you access any site for example voipcheap website.
The request will be sent via the proxy not the host.
3) This should ideally override all settings done by ISP.
I didn't test this but this is the basic function of VPN.
I am a betamax reseller in UAE, betamax voip softwares are not blocked only there websites are blocked, softwares can b distributed through email. About hotspotshield i want to say that its not a solution as betamax blocks calls if you are using hotspotshied. I tried but always all the softwares of betamax giving error that you are not allowed to call.
I live in Dubai and using HotSpotShield since last year and it is working properly. I am able to open any blocked web site in UAE. Etisalat block the home page of HotSpotShield last month, but google will be your best partner to find the mirror download of this useful program.
Hey Vinay,
I would say people should try www.callwithus.com. They provide for a VPN connection too and I found their rates resonable.
People can try get a VPN trial service for free for a period of two weeks to checkout if it works for you.
I did not use them with VPN though but I use callwithus for my USA DID incoming (4 USD per month my local city DID with 3000 mins incoming !! ) and India calling (outgoing calls) rate is also low.
My experience with callwith us has been really great. Their support over email is also cool.
Cheers,
Priyanka.
USMAN IMRAN, could you please drop me a line at:
jgarner_at_alloymail_dot_com?
Thanks.
Please explain further, Vinay. Okay, I installed the software and I see a green icon in the system tray. Now what? VoIPCheap uses software to connect. How does that work? Now, I bring up VoIPCheap software. Then, I am lost. Is this like an anonymous IP address server? Please give clear step-by-step directions after I invoke HotSpotShield. Thanks.
hi.........
past two years ago net users using the hotspot software when first etisalat blocked skype and myspace.. also its mostly used when etisalat blocked ORKUT.COM .
now people using more proxy servers here. like kproxy.ultrasurf like . this.
regards,
uae
can you actually use a sip client through the VPN? or is this just to access signup and callback web pages?
i guess if you can not use the client you could still likely use tringme and flashphone.
Hi Vinay,
First of all let me thank you for the great job and great help to expats and non residents alike.
I had been a regular visitor to your blog and I learnt about PENNYTEL this april from your post only and used it till they removed INDIA from their "Talk till you drop" plan later.
Then I came to know about TRINGME again from your posts and till today I had been using it.
I had a bad impression about BETAMAX due to your posts as well as comments to your posts and I never actually tried it. However I was always in search of cheaper VOIP with good call quality.
Today I came across a new VOIP "Callwithus" in one of the comments in response to your "Unblock VOIP in Middle East", posted by Priyanka(Thanks to her).
I tried it out and found they are offerring India at 2.69 cents per minute which is by far the cheapest (Even cheaper than "Tringme" which offers 2.95 cents after first 15 minutes) with excellent call quality. It is a simple SIP based VOIP. I used it with "X-Lite" and it worked superbly. They offer many other features like DID which I have not tried yet.
Many thanks to you and Priyanka.
I think you can enlighten others with a detailed post on www.callwithus.com.
Cheers
Mukesh
Hi Vinay,
This Hotspotshield is great Thanks.
How can we use Hotspotshield for our voip mobile like Nokia N95.
Thanks
Hi,
Fring is blocked now in the middle east.
Is there any VPN service like Hotspot shield that works for mobile.
Thanks
Actually there is a good VPN service for VOIP origination or termination business called VPN4VOIP.COM, here is what they claimed:
* HTTP://WWW.VPN4VOIP.COM - VPN for VOIP is a low cost SSL based VPN service specially designed for VOIP applications. It helps to bypass ISP blocking on VOIP calls utilizing the VPN tunneling technology and assigns mapped static public IP to VOIP gateways for wholesale traffic origination and termination applications.
The service is QoS controlled, secure, flexible and reliable. It is claimed to be working 100% with any ISP - Only one open UDP port is needed to get the solution works. You can use their free deployed client software under Windows XP/2003 with two Ethernet cards which changes the PC into a soft VPN router, or just purchase their affordable standalone VPN4VOIP router. Client side can use any dynamic or private IP connections to use the service.
Hope it helps.
There is also a group of people experiencing the same dilema, they are operating out of Guyana, Their sole ISP GT&T blocks VoIP! But they have been working for years now, I have been using them and the service is great!
You can drop them a mail at eldoradotalk_tech@live.com
worth a try
I was also experiencing this problem, as I just arrived in Oman three days back, and shocked to find out VOIP was blocked.
Well, I tried hotspotshield, but problem in Oman is of low bandwidth, and mostly wireless connections.
I am now using www.Purevpn.com since 2 days and I must say their PPTP is worth a try :)
I can make a long time, successful call for just $6 per month!!
My two cents.
hi
Gadit!!!
You work for Purevpn right!!
You will Suggest the same :)
the more u guys post about it on such blogs, the more easily etisalat knows whats being used and blocks them asap, freecall is owned by a company called betamax which sell the same stuff in different names, voipstunt, voipcheap etc etc, the site that gives u more time is actually using grey routes and not white cli routes so the audio quality is worse, call drops freqently and if u check their billing, it will always show more duration than what u have used. the free 300mins they give per week to USA etc dont cost them even $1 as those r all dead rate countries so to recover that till u have freetime ur call rate is higher for other paid destinations so its always a win win situation for them. action voip is what ppl use lately and it doesnt fall under betamax but looks similar, its a fraud site and the rates they advertise is not possible at all, me being a voip vendor and provider, i know what rates r ever possible and whats not so better stay away from them before u loose ur credit and dont even care to see if u get enough minutes for the amount u pay. Hotspot shield etc get blocked frequently and r not good as they increase server hops so lag in calls increase, i wouldnt recommend it. Its not that tough to bypass the block as i provide voip services in the region and there is always a way around it
hi annonymous,
then what do u suggest? i am also using freecall software...but lately i heard that Etisalat is tracking IP address for calls made thru freecall and are being fined... is it true? is it possible for Etisalat to track IP address if you connect thru hotspot shield...please comment...anyone !!!
hi guys better avoid voip calls.
FYI, actionvoip is from Betamax. This company will release a new brand every month and reduce rates but their past brands will increase its rates. Hence killing their own market. I suggest people in UAE use emiratesvoiz, fone2asia, omarphone, harbibi, uaevoiz or mysupercall. They are on white routes, legal termination and well you should try for yourself. FYI, I am not a reseller. In fact I am working with the company who produces these brands. Drop me an email for more information and execute voip in middle east safely using our product. edlianamediaring@yahoo.com
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