ot: isps

[geoffrey mendelson]

On Apr 21, 2009, at 10:23 PM, Oleg Goldshmidt wrote:
>
> If one uses Skype over GPRS then the cell phone company can do DPI, I
> suppose. They do get paid for GPRS usage, but a lot of it may be flat
> rate. In Israel free Wi-Fi is common enough so using GPRS does not
> make much sense in the first place, but in other countries it may be
> an option.
>
> This is even more true for the traditional infrastructure providers -
> Bezeq and Hot. Both companies provide phone services, and one normally
> gets a package of phone and Internet (and cable TV, for Hot) from the
> same provider. Therefore, both have an interest to block services like
> Skype, and both, sitting on the data path, can employ DPI.
>
> An ISP would presumably like to provide you their own VoIP service
> (and charge you for it), so they may be interested in blocking
> everybody else, using DPI or whatever. But that is true for any ISP,
> not just for a mobile provider.


I would be interested to see it hold up with the MOC. Technicaly, the  
VoIP law of
2004 requires a license to use VoIP. There was a big stink a few years  
ago when the
MOC tried to enforce it and the next day they issued a clarification  
which said that the
PRIVATE use (whatever that is) of VoIP was legal without a license.  
They specificaly
mentioned SKYPE by name.

This was caused by a great public outcry. The MOC was deluged by  
calls, emails, etc
from the public.

So if an ISP blocked SKYPE, one could complain to the MOC who would be  
loath to
reverse itself. IMHO the ISP involved would not want you to complain  
to the MOC as
the MOC might extend their decision and force them to do more.

Geoff.

-- 
geoffrey mendelson N3OWJ/4X1GM
Jerusalem Israel geoffreymendelson at gmail.com