WiFi

No.

That's a great idea, actually. I'll mention it to the compound office.

Let me ask a broader question here also. Which of the following do or do not work in Rakkah / Saudi Arabia?

1. Skype
2. Vibor
3. Whats app

What other apps can people use if not the above?

Also, can one buy a cell phone like Galaxy S-4 under a 2-year contract with a mobile service company like we do in the US with Verizon or AT&T?

Thanks

Skype still works. Viber was officially blocked back in June but there was talk in the newspapers about moves by Viber to get around the ban. I don't know if those moves came to fruition. I'm not sure about WhatsApp but I have not seen anything saying it was blocked yet.

You can buy any kind of phone you like here, with or without a contract. All mobile phones here are unlocked and you can use them with any service provider you want.

All the service providers will offer you a discount on a phone if you sign up to their service on a post-paid plan but there's no necessity to sign up for a fixed length of time, at least far as I can tell from looking at their websites.

How is the internet port in houses - is it ethernet RJ45 in one room or multiple rooms?
Is there a wireless router in the house or do we bring one along?

Thanks

mac,

There is ethernet connection in multiple locations.
The house already came with a wireless router, so no need to bring one.

I ran a few speedtests last night. Rakkah internet speed ranges from 18 to 20 Mbps.
I heard Dhahran is somewhere around 2 to 3 Mbps.

When using VPN, the speed is significantly slower at around 1 Mbps. Nevertheless, it's good enough to stream Netflix with virtually no interruption.

This morning, the internet speed at home is less than 1 Mbps. I live in Dhahran Hill area. My wife called IT many times in the past three months, no solution. It is very frustrating and they charge 40 $US per month. You guys living in Rakkah shoudl feel lucky.