Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio are among those networks which blocked WeTransfer access.
WeTransfer, a common file transfer service used by large numbers of Internet users around the globe, has been blocked “partially” in India. Different users say the service is unavailable on their networks. The Amsterdam, Dutch company also reported the blockage when reacting to user comments on their social media pages. The Telecommunications Department (DoT) passed an order to block two different WeTransfer web pages within the country, according to a media report.
Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea are among those networks which blocked WeTransfer access. While attempting to access the service via a mobile device on the Jio network, Gadgets 360 received a message that reads, “You are not allowed to access this web page as per DoT compliance.” Operators still have to respond to queries sent via an email.
Meanwhile, multiple user reports have reported on Twitter and other social media platforms that the blockage persists in different parts of the world.
#WeTransfer not working here in Delhi, India @WeTransfer
— Dharini Dube (@Dharini_Dube) May 29, 2020
“We have received reports that in India, WeTransfer is (partly) being blocked. Currently our team is investigating the problem, we hope to get more information soon. In the meantime, using a VPN service to access our platform is the safest solution, “the WeTransfer team writes in response to user feedback on Twitter.
The DoT passed the order on May 18 to ban two specific WeTransfer websites in the country, citing a Unified License requirement that extends to all Internet service providers ( ISPs) in the country, reports Mumbai Mirror. However, it’s unclear how the entire service in the country was blocked.
At the time of filing this story an email sent to DoT secretary Anshu Prakash did not elicit a response.
Interestingly, in the recent past, the government appears to be one of WeTransfer’s frequent users, as some of the news releases on the Press Information Bureau (PIB) site have ties to the files exchanged through the program.
WeTransfer was created in 2009 and allows users to upload files up to 2 GB in size for sharing over the Internet. The company also has a premium option that allows up to 20 GB of files or folders to be moved, along with 1 TB of storage space. It competes with other commercial cloud providers against the likes of Box , Dropbox, and Google Drive.
WeTransfer’s blockage comes especially at a time when due to the coronavirus epidemic, a large number of people are working from home and need a service to share files with their colleagues and clients at the workplace. In addition to numerous private companies , government organizations are also encouraging the work culture from home to limit the spread of the deadly virus within the world.
Update: WeTransfer sent a statement to Gadgets 360 about the India blockade. Here is the WeTransfer declaration in full:
“We are aware that WeTransfer seems to be blocked and unavailable in India. We are working hard to understand the reasoning behind this block, as well as how to get it reverted as soon as possible.”
