Egypt and Magicjacks

[Greenparot 1]

Hey all,

I just wanted to let you all know of a little absurd experience my fiancée and I went through recently. I bought a magicjack and got it all setup for use there in Egypt and then shipped it using USPS. On the custom's form where it asks what's inside, I wrote "Magicjack".

So...two weeks later, my fiancée gets a message requiring her to travel to I'm assuming the post office there in Alexandria. She was told "you can bring magicjacks into the country just not ship them". My family and I are still trying to figure a good reason for this policy...because it just sounds absolutely retarded.

So, they are supposedly shipping it back to me. I can guarantee if I do not receive it back they will have an angry American at their office in the near future...the thing that makes me mad is the office was in a bad neighborhood in Alexandria and they made my fiancée go there. A simple phone call could have solved the whole thing.

So if you ship a magicjack to Egypt, just be cautious. If I had to do it over, I would have just listed "USB drive" on the custom's form. If anyone can shed some light on this policy of no shipping magicjacks please do so, much appreciated.

Thanks and God bless!

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Egypt recently banned International calls through mobile internet connections such as Skype or software like Majicjack. The law requires international calls to pass through state controlled fixed lines and is a monopoly on the communications market there.

Skype questions Egypt ban on mobile Internet calls

[wendy&tamer 10]

also just to let you know....customs in the US and in EGYPT can open and inspect every package. Tamer says all of his packages are open and he pays a ridiculous customs fee....He paid 10usd for a scary movie that I paid 7usd for...clothing is outrageous too. I send very little anymore, since we are trying to save for the plane ticket here. So listing USB may not do you any good and customs can confiscate anything not listed on a customs form.

[aishahossam 1]

i dont know,,, maybe it depends on area, cause ive sent gifts to my hubby on eid and birthday and custums didnt charge him to much for them,, not sure on this one but i knew the magic jack couldnt be send, didnt know why till now, thanks for the information

[Greenparot 1]

Egypt recently banned International calls through mobile internet connections such as Skype or software like Majicjack. The law requires international calls to pass through state controlled fixed lines and is a monopoly on the communications market there.

Skype questions Egypt ban on mobile Internet calls

Thanks for the explanation. True, Customs has the authority to inspect any package but this is the first one that I know of that has been inspected. I assume they all go under the x-ray machines like at the airports. So listing it as a USB drive probably still would have failed...argh...

[HandA 2]

Thanks for the explanation. True, Customs has the authority to inspect any package but this is the first one that I know of that has been inspected. I assume they all go under the x-ray machines like at the airports. So listing it as a USB drive probably still would have failed...argh...

Look, few months ago I shiped via USPS a bunch of photos; a CD with all the digital photos; a post card; and a small chopstick to Cario from USA. USPS informed me that I coudn't use the Deliver Confirmation option as it is only for domestic mails, so I sent it regularly. I paid around $20.00. Six months now, my fiancee hasn't received anything yet . She called the post office in Cario and they were as helpless as those Shisha smoking people at the tea shop . I am assuming that someone may have opened thinking that the chopstick was some sort of valuable item and the ended up throwing everything else away with no disregrard to the priceless pics of me and my fiancee... Oh by the way, on my last visit to Cairo someone at the airport cargo opened my carry on bag and stole my cell phone and my sun glasses . I know I should've carried my carry-on luggage but I didn't know how some poeople could be so merciless...

[wendy&tamer 10]

Look, few months ago I shiped via USPS a bunch of photos; a CD with all the digital photos; a post card; and a small chopstick to Cario from USA. USPS informed me that I coudn't use the Deliver Confirmation option as it is only for domestic mails, so I sent it regularly. I paid around $20.00. Six months now, my fiancee hasn't received anything yet . She called the post office in Cario and they were as helpless as those Shisha smoking people at the tea shop . I am assuming that someone may have opened thinking that the chopstick was some sort of valuable item and the ended up throwing everything else away with no disregrard to the priceless pics of me and my fiancee... Oh by the way, on my last visit to Cairo someone at the airport cargo opened my carry on bag and stole my cell phone and my sun glasses . I know I should've carried my carry-on luggage but I didn't know how some poeople could be so merciless...

I sent cookies and m&m's and a few other small things...3 months later I got it back (the same address I have sent to for years) attempted not known..heck for all that trouble I wish someone would have stolen it. Other than that I have never had anything missing but he always has to pay. Shipping from there to here is a nightmare...the stole the necklace he sent me. Always take your chances when sending things to another country and also receiving. Good luck.

[aishahossam 1]

i always sent packages by fedex and never had nothing stolen,, got to egypt in 5 days or lesss.

I sent cookies and m&m's and a few other small things...3 months later I got it back (the same address I have sent to for years) attempted not known..heck for all that trouble I wish someone would have stolen it. Other than that I have never had anything missing but he always has to pay. Shipping from there to here is a nightmare...the stole the necklace he sent me. Always take your chances when sending things to another country and also receiving. Good luck.

[J&N* 68]

I'm greenparot's fiancée

The posts here are really one of the worst jobs, the woman who talked to me (off-course after I went all the way down to that horrible neighborhood) was ultra nice and told me to sign up for it to be returned back to the US, otherwise they'd make me pay just bec I "opened" the package, and they won't give it to me anyway bec, Telecommunication will lose money if everyone called for free, and that woman told me :"I myself use magicjacks!"

Greenparot also sent me some gifts last Christmas, it was a small box, and they made me pay 100 LE ($20) just to receive it.

That's why I told my fiancé lets use DHL to send me my packets for the interview, or any other carrier that doesn't require it to pass by Egypt post.

My advice: Always bring ANYTHING with you when you travel to Egypt, don't use the mail unless you really must.

[~ameriptian~ 54]

Talking about The Egyptian Post Service.. I had no problems receiving all the packages or letters John sent me via USPS, although I ALWAYS had to pay a ridiculous fee for the packages.

John sent me a package of papers and documents I needed for my interview back in December 2009. The package arrived 2 days after the interview and I did not need any of the papers anymore. I signed for the package to be sent back to him (he paid for it to be sent back in case I wanted to send it back). We are in June 2010 now and the package has not arrived to him yet....It was obviously neglected or was lost in the mail....

On the day of my interview, the CO asked me to DHL one paper to John. I went to the nearest DHL branch near to me and I was told I need to pay 365 L.E to DHL one paper!!!! Of course, I didn't do that. I went to the Egyptian post (my favorite was the Roxy, Heliopolis branch. The service was always excellent!!) and the man there told me that I can send the paper via Fedex, if I like right, from the same post office. I think I paid a 100 L.E or a 150 L.E and the package/paper arrived to the US in 4 to 5 days.

John DHL'ed the embassy back with the papers needed and I think he paid $60 for 2 papers to arrive in 3 days.

Now about Magicjack, we've been considering buying one, but not sure how it works and if it has good quality or not. Anyone who has experience with it, share please!

Aya

[J&N* 68]

John paid to send via UPS, and you paid to receive it? that sounds really silly.

About the magic-jack, I know A LOT of people who have it and it's so easy to use and so simple (you plug one end in your USB and the other in the phone, just bring it with you, don't send it (hide it in your bag)

The software installs itself as soon as you plug it in (no CD needed or so)

Here's a picture:

http://coconutwireless.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/magic-jack-notebook.jpg

Edited June 13, 2010 by Junita