Connectivity status for Egypt

Thu Jan 27 23:47:33 UTC 2011

Around 2236 UCT, we lost all Internet connectivity with our contacts in
Egypt, and I'm hearing reports of (in declining order of confirmability):

1) Internet connectivity loss on major (broadband) ISPs
2) No SMS
4) Intermittent connectivity with smaller (dialup?) ISPs
5) No mobile service in major cities -- Cairo, Alexandria

The working assumption here is that the Egyptian government has made the
decision to shut down all external, and perhaps internal electronic
communication as a reaction to the ongoing protests in that country.

If anyone can provide more details as to what they're seeing, the extent,
plus times and dates, it would be very useful. In moments like this there
are often many unconfirmed rumors: I'm seeking concrete reliable
confirmation which I can pass onto the press and those working to bring some
communications back up (if you have a ham radio license, there is some very
early work to provide emergency connectivity. Info at:
http://pastebin.com/fHHBqZ7Q )

Thank you,

-- 
dobrien at cpj.org
Danny O'Brien, Committee to Protect Journalists
gpg key: http://www.spesh.com/danny/crypto/dannyobrien-key20091106.txt