Q: Apple blocked Face Time in Middle East

ohohkhimee wrote:

 

im from philippines currently working in ksa. I recently purchased ip5 and ipad mini there is no facetime indicated in the box but i noticed that some of the models have facetime indicated in the box but they sell only in a higher price..

Those are gray market phones from outside of KSA. But Facetime still won't work IN KSA because the networks are required by law to block Facetime.

Because no one in charge of enforcing those rules cares enough to go to that store and make them stop?  How is this a confusing issue for you?

lol as if you know everything just predicting your own word without even realizing that you never lived in ksa..stop assuming!!!!!!

It has nothing to do with the IP address and everythin gto do with the ios on iphone sold in the countries mentioned.  As has been stated in those countries facetime has been disabled by law in those countries and the ios is changed to suit the requirements in thoes countries.  Changing the IP address or moving the phone to another country does nothing.  Nor can facetime be simply donwloaded to those phones.  It cannot be cahnged.

If you take an unlocked phone purchased outside of a proscribed country (mainly KSA and UAE) that has Facetime installed into those countries Facetime still won't work while there, because the networks also block it. Unless you connect through VPN to country outside of the proscribed area, of course.

Lol this discussion is still live @lawrence it's working in Dubai with out VPN. And also in my postpaid bill it's mentioned as FaceTime with 0 charge when I activate :) now don't say it's an illegal bill.., lol. As far as I understood apple always play safe.( eg. first release model of ip5 was not having 4g till they tested and released an update to enable same) after having discussion with a guy from Dubai courts came to know that face time should be illegal as per the law unless its a point to point Ie using 3G. So considering their further plans to apple MIGHT (I am not sure just a Gus) have removed it ....or don't know...lol better find another way to enable or sell ur current one and purchase another one with FaceTime  will be better than arguing here with a bunch of people who don't know any thing about it ( like Lawrence who is from NYC area who saw it dream that people in Middle East have to use VPN for face time .

I purchased my iPhone 5 on May, 2013 in Jordan and its model is MD297AE/A and FaceTime and iMessages are both activated and working without any problems on both my number and email, I am subscribed to Zain Jordan and I think that the carrier blocks FaceTime and NOT Apple.

You are correct.  Apple has NOTHING to do with why Facetime doesn't work in the Middle East.  With a Facetime enabled device, and using wi-fi, you can use Facetime anywhere.

I can use it on 3g cellular network as well. They ( KSA and UAE) allow Skype and Tango, why did they block FaceTime ?!!!! 

jundi93 wrote:

 

They ( KSA and UAE) allow Skype and Tango, why did they block FaceTime ?!!!! 

Why don't you ask them?

So you guys mean that facetime and imessage is working on enabled devices if using wifi and not 3G?

I was searching for some answers because I plan to go in Dubai for a couple of months from Philippines. My iphone 5 is facetime & imessage enabled.

So these two will work via wifi? Or it will work also in 3G?

Yes! Tango and viber and skype are working there but

if I may ask, what are the other apps working on uae? How about wechat, kakaotalk, line, etc?

Please answer me guys, thanks. I really need communication from there :-(

Hi,

If FaceTime is working in your iPhone then it'll work there. The devices sold in UAE and Saudi Arabia don't have FaceTime feature, imessage is working even there, the issue is only with FaceTime.

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!! You gave me hope..

Hmm I was thinking that I guess I will be using tango/skype for video call.

I wonder if wechat or others is enabled there.

I mean if facetime did not work there (assuming) then I have other services that I can use such as tango/viber/skype.

i recently bought an iphpone 5 in ksa in riyadh from jarir bookstore and i have facetime, but my dad doesnt and he bought the iphone 4s with no facetime option available to him in settings.i think that it has something to do with the government as they cannot see what is going on in facetime and they are curious. correct me if u think i am wrong.

CrebbyYeAH