More on Skype Bans

After I posted on the UAE's ban on Skype, a reader noted several proxy-type ways around it. There's a similar issue in Egypt, where Skype use on computers is apparently acceptable, but it remains banned on cell phones. And Skype is questioning the ruling. I think the UAE ruling was primarily aimed at mobile cellphone use rather than at computer use, though from the comments it sounds like that's been banned for some time. . Clearly the increasing ability to access the internet through mobile phones is raising new issues for Middle Eastern telecoms. But in countries like Egypt, which has a large number of nationals working abroad, or the Gulf states, which have huge guest worker populations, cheap ways to call home are important.