Tag Archives | internet
Lebanese couple marries on Skype
I just stumbled upon this article from Annahar today about a Lebanese couple from Tyre who got married on Skype since the bride, Hawraa Said, lives here in Lebanon while the groom, Assaad Fakhoury, is in the US. Check all about it here.
Technology for the win!!
3G Capacities to increase by 50% for the same prices
Great news to all 3G users! Minister of Telecommunications Nicolas Sehnaoui announced at NDU today that capacities for all 3G plans will be increased by 50% for the same prices.
It isn’t clear however whether the increase will be immediately effective or it has to wait until we renew the service.
Update:
According to The Daily Star, capacities will increase as of May 1st. Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui claimed on twitter that capacities will increase as of May 7th.
New virus targeting Lebanese internet users
Apparently there’s some new virus targeting Lebanese porn surfers that displays a fake warning once you visit some x-rated website, claiming you have violated the law and requires that you pay a fine of 200,000 L.L to the ministry of interior via cashU or face 8 months to 1 year in prison.
On a side note, the reporter needs to take a chill pill towards porn websites.
Mobile internet users behavior in Lebanon
Alfa Telecommunications released some nice infographic during Arabnet 2013 two weeks ago showing the most popular smart phones among their users along with the most visited websites and what services are mostly used.
Click on the photo to enlarge.
For more about internet usage in Lebanon and e-commerce habits, make sure to check this inforgraphic compiled by Jad Rahme using data released by Ipsos MENA also during Arabnet 2013.
Harlem Shake – The Lebanese edition
Nicolas Sehnaoui’s promises for 2013
Telecom Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui posted on new year’s eve a list of goals he’s looking to accomplish in 2013 in the form of predictions (à la Michael Hayek).
Prediction 2013 #1- Improve the 3G quality with the Deep Indoor Expansion
Prediction 2013 #2- Deploy 4G in the main cities
Prediction 2013 #3- Start the Fiber To The Homes (FTTH) tender process and start connecting users to the Fiber Optic network
Prediction 2013 #4- Equip the remaining 130 co’s with DSL capability
Prediction 2013 #5- Allow and tariff VDSL technology to allow higher speeds for the 75% living under 2km from the CO
Prediction 2013 #6- Launch an International Tender on the management of the 2 mobile operators
Prediction 2013 #7- Finalize with Cyprus the purchase of 700Gb on the Alexandros cable
Prediction 2013 #8- Double the caps on 3G for the same price
Prediction 2013 #9- Start connecting the Heavy Users to Fiber Optic network
Prediction 2013 #10- Deploy the active cabinets that will allow 25% of people living further than 2km from the CO to get normal DSL
Let’s hope they all come true!
Nadim Gemayel complaining about his internet
Loved Sehnaoui’s replies!
via Racha El Halabi
The information branch wants your passwords!
According to this article in Lebanon Files today, it seems that the intelligence-oriented Information Branch has asked the ministry of telecommunication for all SMSs that has been exchanged over the two months that preceded the assassination of General Wissam Al-Hassan back in October 19th, in addition to our internet accounts and Facebook passwords!
ذكرت صحيفة “السفير” ان شهية الأجهزة الأمنية ولا سيما شعبة المعلومات، فُتحت من جديد على “داتا” شبكة الاتصالات الخلوية في لبنان، مع فارق خطير هذه المرة، تمثل في عدم الاكتفاء بطلب تسليمها حركة الاتصالات، كما كان يحصل في السابق، ليصل الأمر إلى مستوى غير مسبوق، في خطورته وتداعياته، مع طلب الشعبة الاطلاع على محتوى كل الرسائل النصية الخلوية المتبادلة بين جميع المواطنين، على مدى الشهرين اللذين سبقا اغتيال اللواء وسام الحسن، إلى جانب الحصول على كلمات المرور (باسورد) لشبكات الإنترنت والفايسبوك التي يستعملها اللبنانيون.
وفي هذا السياق , أكد وزير الاتصالات نقولا صحناوي للصحيفة ان الوزارة تلقت طلباً بالحصول على محتوى الرسائل النصية وكلمات المرور (باسورد) لشبكات الإنترنت والفايسبوك العائدة إلى اللبنانيين، على مساحة كل لبنان، محذراً من أن الموافقة على هذه الاستباحة ستجر المزيد لاحقاً.
وأكد أنه رفع هذا الطلب إلى الأمانة العامة لمجلس الوزراء من أجل درسه، “مع توصية من قبله برفضه ورده، آخذاً على الهيئة القضائية المختصة بالنظر في طلبات الأجهزة الأمنية أنها تكتفي بتسجيل موقف عابر، بينما المطلوب أن تكون أكثر فعالية في صون الدستور وحقوق المواطنين.
It’s weird that the Information Branch is asking for our Facebook password since that means ISPs in Lebanon are actually keeping a log of all passwords we input! Anyway, I hope the government rejects this request and instead agfrees on supplying data related to specific people and during a reasonable time frame.
4G soon in Lebanon
According to this article in Annahar today, telecom minister Nicolas Sehnaoui announced that live 4G tests will start on Novemeber 16 at Beirut Digital District, and the service will be commercially launched on April 23rd 2013 in selected areas.
It’s definitely about time we get 4G, but I admit I wasn’t expecting we will be getting the service anytime soon given how slow such projects go in Lebanon! I also hope its commercial launch is not going to witness the same mess that happened when we first got 3G.
Anyway, you can read about Sehnaoui’s announcement here and watch him tonight talking about it in Talk of The Town on MTV.