Breaking News: 2nd Landline provider !

I have been dreaming to have a 2nd landline provider available locally so that I can switch from STC. It's been rumoured since some time that they are coming.

The rumour mill is now on high pitch and I wish my wishes will be fulfilled soon!

The reason why I want to try something other than STC: I feel their land line billing is not quite transparent. When things don't work the way it should irrespective of whatever we do, we tend to do some trial and error experiment. Trying a different provider is likewise.

I heard initially the offer is for WiMax for 2024/- per year  with charges as under with an extra year as promotion! That makes the monthly WiMax bill to somewhat a reasonable SR 85/- SR 119/- (I wish it to come down to SR 30/- someday!)

 

 

		Service  Charges
Speed	CPE / Activation Charge	3 Months	6 Months	12 Months
512 Kbps	420	565	1,105	2,085
1 Mbps	420	650	1,225	2,305
2 Mbps	420	700	1,325	2,420

Now to see for yourself, please check here. Related info here and here.

DSL prices slashed

This might be no news for those watching the prices and seeing the advt. Still, I came across many among my circle who are not aware of the new reduced price from STC. This post thus is for them as well as for myself, for it is so tedious at times to browse the STC site to get the information you look for. 

The following is from this page in the STC site.

Description of service:
Prospects for a comprehensive DSL service allows the customer access to the service of the prospects for DSL, Internet service and collectively, through one bill, so as to integrate the prospects for DSL service salaries and wages Internet service invoice Phone customer, with the full support of after-sale services.

Benefits:
• We offer you the prospects for DSL service and the Internet in an integrated manner, it cost the trouble yourself thinking in the search for the participation of Internet service with you the prospects for a comprehensive DSL.
• You are dealing with only one hand and a (telephone).
One bill, there is no need now to pay bills for more than one point, it will be one bill, phone bill combining all the wages required.
• Integrated support for after-sales maintenance when there is no problem for you, you can contact the Centre for Customer Care 907 offers you all the support officer you want, and if required by the maintenance technician to visit your site.


Wages

Founded: 300 riyals (paid for once).
Monthly Subscription:

Monthly Charges	Installation Fees Once at Installation	Connection
SR 99	SR 300	Up to 128 Kbps
SR 149		Up to 256 Kbps
SR 199		Up to 512 Kbps
SR 211		Up to 1 Mbps
SR 222		Up to 2 Mbps
SR 244		Up to 4 Mbps
SR 555		DSL Max (Up to 20 Mbps)

Sending mail while connected via mobily connect

Setting up an email account in outlook (or any email client) for an STC DSL connection or Mobily Wimax is straight forward. But with mobily connect, it is not so obvious.

I googled a lot to find out the smtp settings for mobily connect, but seems the tunnel is long as I haven't seen the light yet!

But the googling took me to this page where a workaround is describe and it works like a charm. The stunnel.conf I used is different than the one described in the page. I used the following:

client=yes
[smtp]
accept = 25
connect = smtp.gmail.com:465

Please note to keep the

client=yes

line at the very beginning of the .conf file.

Internet through Satellite

Other than STC (wired, mobile and wireless?) and Mobily (mobile and wireless), a 3rd internet provider in the Kingdom is satellite ISPs. For now I know only orbit. I guess there are few others too. 

Until some time in the past, the orbit guys used to shoo away their potential customers (probably they had too much?) but recently they too are in the market looking for customers. One of their Sales person came to me. I just noted the prices, checked with an existing customer who rated it a little below DSL. Still it does have relevance where the service is poor with both STC and Mobily. One of the disadvantage (yes, for some its an advantage!) is that the default blocking of unwanted sites is not there with this connection. So you got to be having lots of self control not to wander and spoil your repute, money, time, future and life (both here and hereafter :) )! But that is what a freeworld is. isn't it? You got to have the freedom to be  and not to be! 

I am afraid there is download and upload size limit per day except for the 2k per month subscription. For locations where 20 or more people can be organized, an unlimited internet connection shared among as many people for SR 100/- a month I believe should be a good bargain.

Please see below the price list I was given. Not sure how authentic it is and whether it is valid now. 

Be alert while sending money through remittance centers

Ok, this one is something that I should not write here as it has nothing to do with usual topics of this blog. Still I feel it has some relevance as it relates to Expats!

I am sure many amongst us visit either AlRajhi or telemoney remittance centers. The counter staff with whom we interact, we take them for granted and assume that they are professionals in their trade. While sending money, we calculate, count and pass the money to them. When they notify us that there is a shortage, we immediately oblige and give him what he demands. Some of my friends had bad experiences. One of them was told it is short by SR 500/- and another was told 100/-. Both of them were sure they counted the money well. The former one, when he was told there is shortage, believed point blank (?), withdrew another 500/- from ATM and paid the teller. Once he was home and calculated everything, he found that he was short of SR 500/-! He went back to the bank the next day, and obviously they sent him off saying that there was no such mistake. The 2nd guy who was told an SR 100/- shortage, didn't buy the teller's claim and argued back. He put the matter for later resolution saying that he was given the money from his office by his company accountant. So, he said he will get back to him after checking with the accountant. Later, after reaching his office and confirming with the accountant and as soon as he called the teller over mobile, before he could explain, the teller told him "It's ok, we found the money from the floor!"

What I am afraid is, something they started on small scale is now getting into large scale and is spreading. So next time, be prepared, count your money before passing to the teller, and don't agree with him when he alleges there is shortage. Be reasonable while putting your arguments and always try to involve his superior. Usually supervisors tends to be more responsible and less prone to this kind of get rich quick syndrome.

WiMax from Mobily

Since 2nd of this month, mobily offers Wimax in 4 cities in the Kingdom.  Wimax has been there in these cities since sometime, offered by Bayanat . I did subscribe for a 512K connection with Bayanat and was quite satisfied with the ease of setting up (there was nothing to setup!) and the speed. The problem at the time was that it was available only somewhere around 5 or so km within their tower near Kingdom building.  I subscribed for 3 months only but was able to use a little more than that. Probably their backend operations were not so efficient at the time. I couldn't figure out their SMTP server and since it was most necessary, I didn't continue. 

Update on 24 Dec 2008:

I just figured out the SMTP server. There may be more than one probably but this one is working. It is mx1.bayanat.com.sa

Now that mobily took over Bayanat, hope some of you will come forward to tell the experience. Once mobily took over, the number of subscription might have zoomed and does this cause any degradation in speed? Is the SMTP address still unknown? 

I have been scrounging mobily site since some days to find out the finer details of their offer and today happened to see the flashing link they provided at the top of the page. Following is what comes when the link is clicked. See that if you have any plans to subscribe, then do it right away to save the price (300/- to 400/- SR) of the CPE (which as per mobily is wireless modem. What I got with the Bayanat subscription wasn't a wireless modem. To connect the laptop, I had to use either a wired LAN connection or a connection from a wireless router in the LAN where the CPE too is connected. The CPE is connected with the LAN using regular LAN (UTP?) cable.)

Broadband @ Home Experience reliable hi-speed internet service at the convenience of your home Mobily introduces broadband @ home, a wireless internet services for your home with unmatched reliability, convenience and affordability. Take advantage from a host of unparalleled benefits: Wireless broadband internet – No landline required. The only prepaid broadband service in the kingdom. Real broadband speeds up to 2 Mbps. Plug & Play installation. Hassle-free services relocation – No long term obligation in case of change of address. Get your broadband @ home this Ramadan and benefit from: Free wireless modem. Zero activation fee. Special Ramadan tariffs. Special Ramadan Offer: 1 Month 3 Month 6 Month 12 Month Wireless Modem (one off cost) 200 SR 100 SR Free Free One Time Activation Fee Free Free Free Free Tariff Price 250 SR 800 SR 1500 SR 3000 SR Total Initial Payment 450 SR 900 SR 1500 SR 3000 SR broadband @ home pricing after Ramadan: 1 Month 3 Month 6 Month 12 Month Wireless Modem (one off cost) 200 SR 100 SR Free Free One Time Activation Fee 300 SR 300 SR 300 SR 300 SR Tariff Price 299 SR 850 SR 1600 SR 3000 SR Total Initial Payment 799 SR 1250 SR 1900 SR 3300 SR

SMTP for AFAQ DSL Shamil

I had problem finding this information. It is not kind of a special knowledge for a google search may bring it, but it takes time.

To avoid sifting through tons of result pages, thought it would be helpful if I do a post just for the purpose. Please do take some time to write a comment if it was of help to any of you.

So the SMTP for AFAQ DSL connection is: mail1.saudi.net.sa and the port is 25 as it is generally. mx1.saudi.net.sa equally works.

Note:Weird it seems, but it doesn't function in Jeddah while in Riyadh its ok! Any idea?