Is there a way to get this to Apple's attention?

[iEd]

If you use the Qatar sim in the U.S. Does that make FaceTime available?


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[M.Rizk]

If you use the Qatar sim in the U.S. Does that make FaceTime available?


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It does work yes.

 

[iEd]

It does work yes.

But it's going to cost a arm and a leg over cellular in the U.S.


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[M.Rizk]

But it's going to cost a arm and a leg over cellular.


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Doesn't cost much for data roaming on the Qatar SIM. It's about $30 for the first 1 GB valid for 7 days, then about 30 cents for each additional megabyte. 1 GB is usually enough for a week, but it only comes with 100 units valid for incoming, and outgoing calls which isn't enough. That's why I decided to go for T-Mobile Simple Choice plan.

 

[iEd]

So if I had a T- Mobile iPhone unlocked and went to Qatar and used a Qatar sim I could do FaceTime. Right?


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[M.Rizk]

So if I had a T- Mobile iPhone unlocked and went to Qatar and used a Qatar sim I could do FaceTime. Right?


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Yes you will. My mom has an iPhone 5S bought from the US and has FaceTime working whether it's a T-Mobile SIM roaming, or a local Qatar SIM. There is not a single VoIP service blocked here. They only censor pornography online and that's it, everything else is available.

 

[iEd]

I believe that if using a US sim disables FaceTime on a Middle Eastern iphone is to prevent someone using a U.S. Sim on that phone for FaceTime in a restricted country.
I don't know really.

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[anon(4698833)]

Makes sense to me. You just want Apple to have a default setting of FaceTime on but allow carriers to turn it off per their country's laws.

No, he wants markets who have iPhones that don't need this optional setting to add it so that those phones can be purchased and used in countries that DO require it, lol.

 

[grover5]

I think you didn't really get my point. I am not asking if Apple can unblock FaceTime in countries that have asked Apple specifically to block it.

I bought my device from a country where FaceTime is enabled, and I expect to have it enabled when I travel to any other country where FaceTime is enabled, but due to the way Apple implemented the ban check, my device is restricted to the Middle East only.

All I am asking for is that if the iPhone finds the "AllowVOIP" field missing in the carrier bundle it should allow FaceTime, but if the field is there and marked off then keep it blocked. This way the device will work were allowed, and stop the service in countries that specifically disabled it.

Do not seek solutions on iMore. The forums are strictly dominated by the same 15 or so fanboys. They will not help you but will berate you for suggesting a problem exists.

Posted via the iMore App for Android

 

[iEd]

Do not seek solutions on iMore. The forums are strictly dominated by the same 15 or so fanboys. They will not help you but will berate you for suggesting a problem exists.

Posted via the iMore App for Android

Dude are you friggin serious? You posted on this thread just to say that?
Somebody ban this fool already.


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[HankAZ]

Do not seek solutions on iMore. The forums are strictly dominated by the same 15 or so fanboys. They will not help you but will berate you for suggesting a problem exists.

His request is beyond the scope of anything we can do for him at iMore forums. Initially he asked how to bring this to Apple's attention. Yet in the same post (#1 of this thread) he stated that he had been "chatting with Apple", so he has clearly already brought his issue to their attention. Now he continues to lobby for a workaround to the decision made my a sovereign government. Not our (or Apple's) issue to solve.

Of course, had you read the posts, you would already have known that. Instead, you come to the thread, looking to pick a fight.

 

[anon(4698833)]

Instead, you come to the thread, looking to pick a fight.

It's never much of a fight from one of our many resident simpletons.

 

[Not Quite Right]

Is it just me or does anyone else also thinks the above statement is crystal clear?

The conversation pretty much ended there ... At least my attention span did ...

 

[M.Rizk]

I believe that if using a US sim disables FaceTime on a Middle Eastern iphone is to prevent someone using a U.S. Sim on that phone for FaceTime in a restricted country.
I don't know really.

Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus using Tapatalk

Would have made sense, only if the same happens to the U.S. IPhone devices when they are used in the UAE, but no.

U.S. IPhones have FaceTime enabled in the UAE as they don't check for the "AllowsVOIP" string in the carrier bundle. Those with a U.S. IPhone are able to use any VPN connection and use FaceTime on it as long as they want.

I don't think getting a U.S. SIM card Is any easier than getting a U.S. IPhone.

So to those saying Apple has to respect the laws in the UAE and KSA. They didn't, they are just fooling those governments, and fooling their Middle Eastern users.

Fooling their governments because devices bought from abroad do work with a free VPN. And we are talking about a country of oil where citizens could literally travel just to get an iPhone from any other European country, or the U.S., and just for that purpose. And they already do this, check ADSLGate.com which is an Arabic website with hundreds of people buying US and UK iPhones over there.

Fooling the Middle Eastern customers living outside the UAE and KSA because for some reason Apple is forcing us to follow their rules, even if we don't even live or visit these two countries, by restricting us access to FaceTime whenever we are in another country with FaceTime allowed.

Btw, those with a Middle Eastern iPhone using a Qatari SIM card in KSA and UAE do have full access to FaceTime as the data traffic is being fully routed though Qatar. Talk about Apple fooling their governments again, that's because roaming plans in Qatar for Middle Eastern countries is dirt cheap and sometimes even cheaper than local SIMs in KSA and UAE.

Apple is NOT respecting the two governments that want FaceTime blocked. Apple is fooling them and I am so emailing TRA in the UAE about it today.

BlackBerry is the one actually respecting their governments because when I was roaming in the UAE with my Qatar SIM card I was blocked from accessing BBM Voice and Video as I was just roaming in a restricted country. Now that's a logical restriction.

 

[asanatheist]

Would have made sense, only if the same happens to the U.S. IPhone devices when they are used in the UAE, but no.

U.S. IPhones have FaceTime enabled in the UAE as they don't check for the "AllowsVOIP" string in the carrier bundle. Those with a U.S. IPhone are able to use any VPN connection and use FaceTime on it as long as they want.

I don't think getting a U.S. SIM card Is any easier than getting a U.S. IPhone.

So to those saying Apple has to respect the laws in the UAE and KSA. They didn't, they are just fooling those governments, and fooling their Middle Eastern users.

Fooling their governments because devices bought from abroad do work with a free VPN. And we are talking about a country of oil where citizens could literally travel just to get an iPhone from any other European country, or the U.S., and just for that purpose. And they already do this, check ADSLGate.com which is an Arabic website with hundreds of people buying US and UK iPhones over there.

Fooling the Middle Eastern customers living outside the UAE and KSA because for some reason Apple is forcing us to follow their rules, even if we don't even live or visit these two countries, by restricting us access to FaceTime whenever we are in another country with FaceTime allowed.

Btw, those with a Middle Eastern iPhone using a Qatari SIM card in KSA and UAE do have full access to FaceTime as the data traffic is being fully routed though Qatar. Talk about Apple fooling their governments again, that's because roaming plans in Qatar for Middle Eastern countries is dirt cheap and sometimes even cheaper than local SIMs in KSA and UAE.

Apple is NOT respecting the two governments that want FaceTime blocked. Apple is fooling them and I am so emailing TRA in the UAE about it today.

BlackBerry is the one actually respecting their governments because when I was roaming in the UAE with my Qatar SIM card I was blocked from accessing BBM Voice and Video as I was just roaming in a restricted country. Now that's a logical restriction.

You do realize this problem is not for Apple but for governments?
When a phone is sent to the USA it has to be approved for many certifications and laws. These laws often require many of Apple's partners to also be certified with the USA. (providers of parts, and services this means service centers as well).
USA has many agreements with governments both in "written" contracts, as well as good relations where deals can be done much easier.
A product purchased in the USA has a high chance that it is certified for many other countries just due to the agreements between governments already in place. Specially when you talk about companies that have a global presence. (Specially those that operate service centers around the world0).

This USA trade advantage gives companies like Dell the ability to globally certify ALL their parts/laptops all over the globe (obviously exceptions apply).
This lets them use the same parts that they ship and are originally designed for the US market to be used world wide. It's costly, but saves Dell millions upon millions in many ways for international business.


Guess who doesn't have this type of advantage? You guessed it. That means phones headed to specific markets may have limitations placed on them by laws/governments/carriers. Nothing Apple can do or will do.

Your best bet is to jailbreak, and try to fix it yourself.

 

[iEd]

Would have made sense, only if the same happens to the U.S. IPhone devices when they are used in the UAE, but no.

U.S. IPhones have FaceTime enabled in the UAE as they don't check for the "AllowsVOIP" string in the carrier bundle. Those with a U.S. IPhone are able to use any VPN connection and use FaceTime on it as long as they want.

I don't think getting a U.S. SIM card Is any easier than getting a U.S. IPhone.

So to those saying Apple has to respect the laws in the UAE and KSA. They didn't, they are just fooling those governments, and fooling their Middle Eastern users.

Fooling their governments because devices bought from abroad do work with a free VPN. And we are talking about a country of oil where citizens could literally travel just to get an iPhone from any other European country, or the U.S., and just for that purpose. And they already do this, check ADSLGate.com which is an Arabic website with hundreds of people buying US and UK iPhones over there.

Fooling the Middle Eastern customers living outside the UAE and KSA because for some reason Apple is forcing us to follow their rules, even if we don't even live or visit these two countries, by restricting us access to FaceTime whenever we are in another country with FaceTime allowed.

Btw, those with a Middle Eastern iPhone using a Qatari SIM card in KSA and UAE do have full access to FaceTime as the data traffic is being fully routed though Qatar. Talk about Apple fooling their governments again, that's because roaming plans in Qatar for Middle Eastern countries is dirt cheap and sometimes even cheaper than local SIMs in KSA and UAE.

Apple is NOT respecting the two governments that want FaceTime blocked. Apple is fooling them and I am so emailing TRA in the UAE about it today.

BlackBerry is the one actually respecting their governments because when I was roaming in the UAE with my Qatar SIM card I was blocked from accessing BBM Voice and Video as I was just roaming in a restricted country. Now that's a logical restriction.

Well you said that if you use the Qatar sim in the U.S. you will have FaceTime but just not enough data. Use it sparingly in the U.S.
Use wifi in the U.S. for FaceTime as much as possible. Ultimately next time get a U.S. iPhone.

I don't think Apple is saying "Yo lets screw with people in the Middle East.
Your phone can use FaceTime in Qatar and in the U.S. with the Qatar sim is there any more that Apple should do? I respectfully say no.
If the data plan for roaming blows for the Qatar sim that's not Apple's fault.

5-6 years ago I was traveling a lot to Moscow and I had a Blackberry on Sprint with no wifi and a iPhone 3GS with no cell service. I used the iPhone on wifi with a Skype number to keep in touch with my family. My point is that you can make your situation work of you want to.


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[M.Rizk]

Well you said that if you use the Qatar sim in the U.S. you will have FaceTime but just not enough data. Use it sparingly in the U.S.
Use wifi in the U.S. for FaceTime as much as possible. Ultimately next time get a U.S. iPhone.

I don't think Apple is saying "Yo lets screw with people in the Middle East.
Your phone can use FaceTime in Qatar and in the U.S. with the Qatar sim is there any more that Apple should do? I respectfully say no.
If the data plan for roaming blows for the Qatar sim that's not Apple's fault.

5-6 years ago I was traveling a lot to Moscow and I had a Blackberry on Sprint with no wifi and a iPhone 3GS with no cell service. I used the iPhone on wifi with a Skype number to keep in touch with my family. My point is that you can make your situation work of you want to.


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That's what I will do, and if things change that I will have to stay in the U.S. For long periods, I have Apple Care+ from Apple US on my Qatari iPhone so I can ask for a replacement for $79 I think.

 

[anon(4698833)]

LOL! Apple not respecting governments? Give me a break.

 

[M.Rizk]

LOL! Apple not respecting governments? Give me a break.

Just pretending to, except the U.S. one of course.

 

[anon(4698833)]

Just pretending to, except the U.S. one of course.

Riiiiiight...you keep pretending Apple owes you something buddy.