Vodafone accuses Egyptian authorities of using network to send pro-government messages

Telecommunications giant, Vodafone says it is unhappy that Egyptian authorities have used its network to send messages to people believed to be supporters of the Hosni Mubarak government.

“Vodafone has accused the Egyptian authorities of using its network to send unattributed text messages supporting the government”, the BBC has reported.

According to the report on February 3, 2011, Vodafone was told to switch off services last week when protests against President Hosni Mubarak began but the authorities then ordered Vodafone to switch the network back on, in order to send messages under Egypt’s emergency laws, the firm said.

Citing a statement from Vodafone, the BBC said the firm describes the messages as “unacceptable”.

“These messages are not scripted by any of the mobile network operators and we do not have the ability to respond to the authorities on their content”, the statement said.

Mobile phones have played a big part in the ongoing  Egyptian protests.

By Ekow Quandzie