Subscribe

Get Arabist via email:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Baksheesh

Arabist.net has been run by freelance journalists for over seven years. If you can, please contribute to keep this site going and give us an incentive to post more often!


Search

Sponsored Links
Flickr
Chikita Ads

Powered by Squarespace
Recent Tweets
Recent Links

« Phones disrupted, SMS and Blackberry | Main | Links 27 August 2011 »
Friday
Jan282011

URGENT: Egypt has shut off the internet

I just received a call from a friend in Cairo (I won't say who it is now because he's a prominent activist) telling me neither his DSL nor his USB internet service is working. I've just checked with two other friends in different parts of Cairo and their internet is not working either.

This just happened 10 minutes ago — and perhaps not uncoincidentally just after AP TV posted a video of a man being shot.

Will update with more info. The ISPs being used by my friends are TEDATA, Vodafone, and Egynet.

Update: It's not everywhere. A foreign journalist at the Semiramis Intercontinental hotel says he has internet access.

Update 2: The Semiramis uses Noor as its ISP. I am trying to confirm whether Noor uses a different technology to connect to the internet, such as satellite, rather than the main fiber optic cables that connect Egypt to the rest of the world. If anyone knows about this, please let me know in the comments.   Never mind, they apparently use a dedicated fiber optic connection and a source said they did not receive any instructions.

Update 3: Via POMED:

The AP confirms that the Egypt government has disrupted Internet service and “deployed an elite special operations counterterrorism force” hours before a new wave anti-government protests are expected to begin. A major service provider for Egypt, Italy-based Seabone, reported early Friday that there was no Internet traffic going into or out of the country after 12:30 a.m. local time.

I received news earlier tonight that riot-control police were moving out of Central Cairo and that troops from 'Amaliya Khassa (Special Operations) were now in Central Cairo, wearing green fatigues. These are not military troops — they depend on the Ministry of Interior.

Reader Comments (25)

By U S Govt not insuring that communications in Egypt is maintained ON EVERY LEVEL it is giving the dictator their tacit approval of shutting down the observance of activities there.this is a fact despite what Prss Secretary Gibbs might say about the US not getting involved with political affairs in Egypt.

Jan 28, 2011 at 1:05 AM | Unregistered CommenterSam McKee

What the FUCK has the US Govt got to do with Egypt you fuck head? Have you not learnt your lesson yet? NO ONE WANTS THE US ANYWHERE!

Jan 28, 2011 at 1:12 AM | Unregistered CommenterMark

Leave the US alone where they are, they're just good in US. Thank you. All the best wishes to those in egypt!

Jan 28, 2011 at 1:19 AM | Unregistered CommenterMikel

No need to use foul language to express ourselves and yes the Egyptian regime does take most of its orders from the US so I won't be surprised if the US government has given its OK to use violence to curb down demonstrations once and for all. The only problem is that if 100,000 people show up tomorrow I suspect the army will have to intervene which is really really bad for the regime...

Jan 28, 2011 at 1:32 AM | Unregistered Commentermarwa

Issandr, is there any more info on the Internet problems in Egypt/Cairo? I'm not seeing any independent sources reporting the same. Doesn't mean it's not true -- just looking for confirmation.

Jan 28, 2011 at 1:36 AM | Unregistered Commentersoma

Brilliant big brother wants the ppl to go offline and get on the streets. If true, it's not only a new low, it's political suicide.

Jan 28, 2011 at 1:39 AM | Unregistered Commenterrjarbou

http://www.just-ping.com/index.php?vh=facebook.com&c=&s=ping%21&vtt=1296171468&vhost=_&c=

confirmation- no pings making it through

Jan 28, 2011 at 1:41 AM | Unregistered Commenterbibamo

Bibamo, that's a good idea, but that particular link is not a good test because you're pinging Facebook, which we know is down in Egypt. A better test is looking at Yahoo or Google, which give the same ominous result:
http://www.just-ping.com/index.php?vh=yahoo.com&c=&s=ping!&vtt=1296171901&vhost=_&c=

Jan 28, 2011 at 1:47 AM | Unregistered Commentersoma

All but a few Egyptian IP addresses I tried to ping fail to respond. Only three of the first top ten Google hits for "site:.eg" work and these all resolve to American Ip addresses. Something is the matter.

Jan 28, 2011 at 1:57 AM | Unregistered CommenterMartijn Grooten

we are all together we are your iranian body

Jan 28, 2011 at 2:16 AM | Unregistered Commenterkeyhan

yes it works for any site i have been following it over the last few days

Jan 28, 2011 at 2:23 AM | Unregistered Commenterbibamo

Check it - http://blog.austinheap.com/how-to-setup-a-proxy-for-iran-citizens-for-windows/

Just apply your countries IP address blocks

Jan 28, 2011 at 3:00 AM | Unregistered Commenternewc

Where is Obama? isn't this terrorism? send the troops to egypt

Jan 28, 2011 at 3:07 AM | Unregistered Commenterdemocrat

(quote) "What the FUCK has the US Govt got to do with Egypt you fuck head?"

It's this kind of sentiment that disappoints me immensely. Such a closed-minded and oblivious statement only serves to worsen our image abroad. Surprise surprise, the United States takes lots of steps to interfere in other countries, yet rarely do we clean up our own messes. The situation in Egypt is at least partially the fault of the U.S. government. By supplying Mubarak's government with billions of dollars in aid, he has been able to consolidate his power and thus create an even worse situation in his own country. Now that things have gotten really bad, we're suddenly hearing about it, but this kind of oppression has been going on for three decades.

It's nice that Obama can use language about how Egypt mustn't block social media, etc. but most likely the whole U.S. government is waiting for the dust to settle so they can pick a side.

Jan 28, 2011 at 3:20 AM | Unregistered CommenterE. Hall

I'm an Englishman and a world citizen watching this closely . I'm so proud of my Egyptian brothers and sisters fight for real democracy. My heart is with you. We must all support this any way we can. The world is in change in a big way, lets make it happen. Solidarity !

Jan 28, 2011 at 3:27 AM | Unregistered Commenter321gone

If you think that disconnecting the Internet is the solution, then the problem is you.

Jan 28, 2011 at 3:30 AM | Unregistered CommenterDK

Posting this was extremely irresponsible of you. You've started a fire, claiming that the Internet has been taken down in Egypt with embarrassingly little to back it up. What we need now are level-headed journalists who won't get caught up and jump the gun on something like this. You've failed in every way you can, and I hope the consequences of you doing so aren't as awful as I imagine they could be.

Jan 28, 2011 at 3:41 AM | Unregistered CommenterShane

It seems you were right. I apologize.

Jan 28, 2011 at 3:48 AM | Unregistered CommenterShane

@ Mark:

The US has everything to do with this.

Who do you think's been supplying Mubarak with billions of dollars year in and year out for the ENTIRETY of his dictatorial stranglehold on Egypt?

The US doesn't support Democracy in Egypt. They're willing to sacrifice it for stability... Hence we of course end up with one scenario after another where a President decides he'll be in office for life.

It's sad.

Jan 28, 2011 at 4:43 PM | Unregistered CommenterEric

do you know,. till when the internet will be shutted down in egypt? :S

Jan 28, 2011 at 4:49 PM | Unregistered Commenternatasha

Here we go again blaming the US for another country's lack of humanity. So lets see..When we intervene we are criticized and when we leave you to it to handle your own problems...we are criticized. So which is it or is it simply we are an easy scape goat? I find it an atrocity how the Egyptian people are being treated and my heart is with them as they stand up for their rights...as Americans have done from the birth of our country! Take the blame that makes you feel so good to put on the US (us) and use it to fuel the fight needed to defeat the dictators whom are bringing you such chaos!

Jan 28, 2011 at 4:56 PM | Unregistered Commentermoore

The reason Obama won't say anything or pressure Egypt, is because he wants an internet kill switch for himself.

Jan 28, 2011 at 5:01 PM | Unregistered Commenterahw

Wow just wow. You people and your far fetched beliefs. The only thing that rings remotely true in what you say is that the US would like this feature also, which is very scary

Jan 28, 2011 at 5:12 PM | Unregistered CommenterRealist

As a general rule of thumb, any country in need of assistance will plead for the United States to join their cause, wether it be the governments cause, or the peoples cause. Up until this point we passively support change/ stability in that country through monetary and aid contributions. When we arrive in a country with military presence and begin to help to stabilize it, all is generally well for the first short while. Then people realize that having the US handle their issue is no longer what they want/need. Then its America's fault for coming to help in the first place. Then US media begins to spin how the decision was wrong in the first place and blah blah blah.

Moral of story, US is wanted /needed to aid foreign countries until we get there, and then its our fault for being there in the first place...

Solution to story, let them clean up their own mess, either way America will be the bad guy, this way just costs less.

Jan 28, 2011 at 5:13 PM | Unregistered CommenterJHam

The only Wow here that I find amazing is that you people are so focused on what you think America would like and want...I guess because it is easier than fighting the actual cause and what is occurring in the now. Spewing such hate and accusations at us...why are you not directing it toward the Egyptian government whom I am sure is observing the blogs. You do not blame the Egyptian government for abuse of aid given to them NOOO you blame the US for giving the Egyptians gov aid! hmmmmm no wonder why things are so slowly progressing!

Jan 28, 2011 at 5:18 PM | Unregistered Commentermoore

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>