Update on blocked calls from Canada to Cuba

As I reported last week, TELUS blocked every phone call I tried to make to Cuba with a recorded message, "The number you are calling is within a number range that has been blocked for security reasons." Next I was told by a Telus operator: "We can't do anything about this because the calls are being blocked from the Cuban end." However, a woman from Halifax who saw my post said she had got the same message from her server (Bell) and Bell unblocked the number she was trying to reach in Cuba "within minutes." Meanwhile, I had found that I could call those same numbers with my cell, which has a different server. So I pursued the issue with Telus and got a different answer: The calls are being blocked in Cuba due to spam or robo calls or something of that nature. I pointed out that Bell's ability to unblock, plus my ability to put a call through on another server, indicated that the block was at the Telus end. That got me a new response from Telus. Yes, Telus was blocking the calls, and"it has to do with fraudulent activity being conducted in A specific range of numbers from the Cuban side. Because these (Rosa's) numbers fall into that range they are automatically blocked." Telus said if I sent them the individual numbers I had tried to call, they would unblock them. I did and they did. The numbers I couldn't get through to were in Havana, Vinales, Baracoa, and Holguin, which leaves the impression that the "specific area" is Cuba. My MP is still on it, trying to get answers to what "specific area" Telus (and Bell) is blocking, which appears to be all of Cuba. And also what "fraudulent activity" is being conducted from, apparently, all over the island.

Thanks for the update. Still, seems, like a lot of bs from Telus.

Mate what a saga. Congratulations on your perseverence. Es Canada no?

Si, Juanabbotsford. Es Canada.

And you're right, Greslogo. In fairness to the Telus operator I first spoke with, and to the Telus manager for my region of BC, the answers they first gave me were ones they were given by higher-ups. The regional manager said she would try to get clearer answers to the why and where of the blockage from Telus security, and my MP says he will take it up with the CRTC (telecommunications regulatory agency). I will post a follow-up when I learn more, as this has the potential to affect a great many people in Canada wishing to call Cuba--and not all of them have the time to stay on the phone on hold, for an hour or more waiting for a Telus person--or know enough about Cuba to be skeptical when told that the block is at the Cuban end. Or have an MP as concerned about the problem as mine.

Ttjpdo-
Meant to respond last week. Exact same thing several months ago on Telus Mobility from Vancouver. After a week of perseverance, and email banter,they unblock 1 number at a time. Again, mostly movil #s from all corners of the Island. Still having same problem, until I request Telus to unblock each and every number individually. Never got an answer better than you did.
Bafflegab !

Bafflegab indeed, Cyclista. Yesterday Telus sent an e-mail saying that it had unblocked four specific numbers I had requested. But when I tried them today, I found them still blocked. Apart from the obvious, which is that the right tentacle of Telus dosn't know what the left tentacle is doing, there's the probable illegality of it blocking calls to Cuba in the first place, and the definitely unethical practice of a recording claiming that it is being done "for security reasons." Whose security would that be? Yours? Mine? Cuba's? Ha! And further, for them their employees to be under the impression--and to pass on to clients--that the blockage is coming from the Cuba end. I hope I'm not the only one to bring this up with my MP, who in turn can bring it up with the CRTC.

Ah, the message was in English. A Spanish accent ? If not, then it is Telus that is doing the blocking. Why, never heard of this. I have heard of cubacel blocking foreign numbers but those were easy to straighten out from the accounts that i have heard about.

Maybe tell them you're a shareholder ? Might help, a bit...lol

Thanks for the update.

It is when I get a recorded message in what sounds like Chinese, I suspect that something has gone wrong.

That too is rampant this month. Recorded message in Mandarin with instructions to call Chinese Embassy. But that is not the number they leave. Has been linked to extortions and fraud targeting (among others),Chinese International students here.
Spoofs a phone number in Vancouver, whose surprised ,rightful owner has had many angry callers and no help form you know who.
Thanks Telus

I've been getting those Chinese recorded messages the last 2 months. Not on Telus. I just hang up..

The fact that the recording was in perfect English was my first clue that the block didn't come from Cuba. A few calls along, Telus personnel admitted that Telus was doing the blocking. And still later, that I could get individual numbers unblocked, one at a time. This they finally did this afternoon, for the four numbers I sent them. They also provided me with yet another explanation, as follows:

"This number blocking by Telus, similar to other telco providers in north America, is because Cuba, among other international countries happens to have several (in thousands) parental ranges of phone numbers that have been identified as being used by hackers, it appears that technology enables them to access thousands of numbers randomly within a certain range. And so once the range is identified they are blocked by the Telco to prevent fraudulent activity.
Unfortunately ligit numbers fall within these rangers, and so Telus has a process to unblock them as they are identified.

I do not know enough about hacking and hackers to know whether this could be true. What I do know that I only got this explanation from Telus after I had rejected several others that were either too vague or completely implausible. How believable it is that hacking is so rampant across Cuba that Canadian phone servers find it necessary to block calls to the entire country seems...well, you tell me! What it seems to me is that if hacking calls are coming from Cuba, then their calls to me would be blocked. But that's not what's happening. It's mine to Cuba that are being blocked!

Sounds like complete bs. When you consider how much it costs for someone to call, from Cuba, who in their right mind would be robo calling from Cuba.

This seems to be a Telus issue. Oh, I am shareholder..lol

Bummer that you Canadians have sporadic problems calling Cuba. Maybe you did something to piss off their government over the last 59 years?

Of course I am joking. But in reality I have never had problems calling Cuba from the US other than the occasional times the ETECSA network was down. Now I do usually call via Rebtel.com but when I have called using either my AT&T cell phone or my Century Link land line the call never has a problem.

Same here. We don't call very often, having switched to using IMO. Rebtel has been our go to for voice calls and recharging for many years.

As I mentioned, I have heard of sporadic blocking but those were resolved rather quickly. I still don't buy Telus' excuse.

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