Useless democracy promotion efforts? There's an app for that.

Posted By David Kenner Thursday, December 31, 2009 - 5:21 PM Share

The Voice of America recently unveiled a new iPhone application that allows Iranian "citizen journalists" to send video and images directly to VOA's Persian News Network. The app, designed by the Washington D.C.-based company Intridea, is being advertised as a cutting-edge method for Iranian reformers to spread their message across the country. The application "empowers Iranians at a time when the government is staging a crackdown against opposition protesters," announced the head of the Persian News Network.

I'm sure that this initiative was begun with the best of intentions. However, there's only one problem -- oh, who am I kidding, there are a whole slew of problems. To begin with, a normal iPhone won't work in Iran: AT&T, the only carrier for the iPhone, doesn't provide service in the country. The very wealthy have been able to get their hands on "unlocked" iPhones, which can be used with any carrier in Iran. However, the number of these phones in Iran are few and far between. But even for those with unlocked iPhones, there is no data network in Iran that would allow them to connect to the Internet.

Our intrepid Iranian friend, therefore, would also have to be in an area where he could pick up a wireless connection with his iPhone. At that point, of course, he could also send his video and pictures using more old-fashioned technology -- for example, a laptop.

BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images

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SPAMTARGET

5:57 PM ET

December 31, 2009

Useless?

You're so right -- it's just as easy to lug a laptop and AC adapter around, while evading Basij goons, as it is an iPhone. "Excuse me, sir, but could you stop beating me for a second while I boot up my laptop and access the Great Satan's web site?" Please. Of course it's easier with a phone.

BRUCEMCL

6:48 PM ET

December 31, 2009

minor error

"...AT&T, the only carrier for the iPhone..." Not true. If you add ... in the United States to that statement, it is true. But there are many carriers all over the world that have the iPhone. If there are no carriers in Iran that do then your point is still valid.

DAVID KENNER

8:10 PM ET

December 31, 2009

Good point. I should haven't

Good point. I should haven't written that better; it's not only the fact that there isn't a carrier -- Apple, as a US company, is prohibited from doing business in Iran because of US sanctions.

DAVID ELLIOTT--NIAC

10:28 AM ET

January 4, 2010

Part of a much bigger change

"Apple, as a US company, is prohibited from doing business in Iran because of US sanctions."

True. But iPhones, just like everything else, are smuggled into Iran. The more interesting part of this story is that allowing Iranians to download applications has been illegal under US laws. However, the application will be made available because the law is being changed.

See these articles:
NIAC Efforts to Reform Sanctions on Internet Tools for Iranians Successful - http://www.niacouncil.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1594

Twitter diplomacy: U.S. to relax certain software rules for Iran - http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/1209/Twitter_diplomacy_US_to_relax_certain_software_sales_to_Iran.html?showall

- David Elliott
National Iranian American Council

DAVID ELLIOTT--NIAC

12:18 PM ET

January 4, 2010

fixed link

Here's the working link:
http://www.niacouncil.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1594

SONYTECH

11:35 AM ET

January 1, 2010

AT&T and the iPhone

"To begin with, a normal iPhone won't work in Iran: AT&T, the only carrier for the iPhone, doesn't provide service in the country."

AT&T is Apple's iPhone provider in the United States. Plenty of other companies utilize the iPhone on their cellular networks in other nations across the world. The sanctions against the Iranian regime would prevent the iPhone from being distributed in Iran. (although that doesn't necessarily prevent them from getting one and configuring it onto a domestic Iranian cellular carrier, albeit with a significant amount of effort)

GRAHAM

12:06 PM ET

January 1, 2010

Unlocked iPhone

It's not hard at all to unlock an iPhone and use it on another carrier. This is why, for instance, many thousands of iPhones were in use in China before the phone was officially introduced there. And of course commenters above are correct about AT&T in the U.S., not globally.

The issue of blocking access to VOA servers, the potential consequences of someone discovering you have a VOA app, and the fact that it would be trivially easy to e-mail a photo somewhere if you had a working iPhone are what make this silly from my seat.

CTBRITT

1:17 AM ET

January 3, 2010

Technical details of Iran’s cell network

You doubt the Jesus phone?

But seriously, as others have noted, It’s trivial (pretty much) to unlock an iPhone and let it run on any GSM network out there. I’ve done it, and they’re very common here in Pakistan. They are also very common in Lebanon and other places that it hasn’t yet been introduced ... even Iraq! I bonded with Barham Salih, deputy PM of Iraq, in Sharm el Sheikh in Spring 2008 over our iPhones. And all of his advisors also had iPhones.

So, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of the young and rich in Iran have them. Also, Iran has five GSM operators in the country and two of them, MCI and Rafsanjan Industrial Complex, provide GPRS and EDGE data services, respectively.

UAE’s Etisalat has also been contracted to provide 3G coverage in Iran, but the story is dated from January and I have no idea what the progress is. Knowing Etisalat and Iran, I would guess the progress is zero.

But there are still data networks that could be used, provided they’re not shut down. So, VOA’s app might be a bit slow, but pointless? Nah.

MOUNTAINRUNNER

12:19 PM ET

January 4, 2010

Not an empty market

There's a reason VOA's Persian News Network came out with the iPhone app. As others have noted, it's not difficult (so I hear, I have a Blackberry) to unlock an iPhone and use it on another network, so don't buy the "propaganda" of AT&T that iPhone only works with their system. The iPhone is a prestigious - and expense - device in Iran.

Is the user base large? From within Iran no, but it is there. When compared to the number of highly connected Tweeters users, it's a good number. Though this is not to say the iPhone and the public Tweeters are the same or to suggest there is a significant overlap.

It should also be noted that 7-10% of the PNN's website users are using mobile phones (and possibly more), then entering the mobile app market makes sense. Also, it does not take much poking around the public discussion on Iranians retrieving and submitting information from/to the outside world to know there are proxy servers, so bear that in mind as well.

The app also works for the Android, which speaks toward future uses rather than this one.

Let's not be so quick to dismiss technology, especially when a foray by an agency known more for short-wave broadcasts dips its toes in the new technology world. This is especially true when speaking from a US-centric perspective that is most noteworthy for its lack of technological prowess when it comes to mobile phones and mobile infrastructure compared to most of the world, including lesser developed countries.

CFARIVAR

8:04 PM ET

January 4, 2010

I agree with the sentiment of this piece

However, to be fair, though, I did use my unlocked iPhone when I was in Iran in March 2008. I also was able to use an Internet connection on my phone with Irancell — however, the only web page that I could consistently load was nytimes.com.

Cyrus Farivar
http://cyrusfarivar.com

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