EE Blocked Siteground Websites

[Babakbyatt]

I have 298 websites hosted on SiteGround. Any client using EE Mobile cannot access their website. SiteGround support said because the SiteGround support team is in Bulgaria, they cannot identify the issue with EE because they do not have access to EE mobile phone. This is ridiculous, I will take legal action for damaging my business.

[JohnMaz]

Exactly.  We need a fix that removes the block, or fault for anyone accessing all of our websites.

I note that the veteranaware.nhs.uk website now works for me.  But dartmoorgliding.co.uk still fails on my iPhone.  I called EE but all the tech support seemed to be able to do is to remove some "extra blocks applied to business accounts". He couldn't tell me what those blocks were, or why our club website is being blocked.  I explained I needed solution to reclassify the website as OK for everyone, and for multiple websites using siteground hosting, and he then transferred me, and I found myself taking to a nice chap at Apple Support, but that's not at all helpful as it's not Apple devices, but the EE SIM card that's the issue.  One example is an 5GEE Router, so definately all EE!!

If we know what was down to fix the veteransaware.nhs.uk then maybe we can do the same? Assuming this is working for others.

[JohnMaz]

Are you able to escalate this issue.  See my responses above.  
It's not really acceptable for someone to have to remove some hidden block so they can access our website: DartmoorGliding.co.uk.  We really need to understand why it's not working, and if we have to go and have our site correctly classified, then that's fine, we can do that, but to expect a potential new member or customer to do that is not acceptable, since they don't even know why it's not working.  If you block something you need to redirect to a page explaining exactly why, and how to get it unblocked.  Otherwise our customers will simple look elsewhere.  Hope you can help.  I'd suggest this gets escalated to your network security team to ask exactly why these sites are being blocked, if that's what's happening.

[morthanveld]

I have spent 30 minutes on the phone to EE support this morning, to be told that there's "nothing they can do". No escalation path to level 2 tech support, apparently no way of resolving or even recording EE network issues. I was told - and I find it hard to believe that this is not a joke, but here we are - that the community pages would be my only option. Or I could pop into a store, but they're not likely to know what to do either. 

So EE's official tech support position on all of their customers (or at least, mobile and mobile broadband customers) not being able to reach sites hosted by one of the internet's larger providers is to shrug and say "dunno, nothing we can do", apparently.

[timg6snl]

I too am having problems with my Siteground hosted websites and also email seems blocked. I have 4 domains and 3 don't have anything on the website at all other than a holding page! I have connected with siteground to make them aware and suggested perhaps working with EE to resolve.  I believe all was good yesterday but this morning was all messed up. 

[enkelt]

They must do something! Keeping the thread fresh

[Chyriwsky]

We took have the same issue across 18 websites. Siteground are aware of the issue, there is nothing they can do. EE has caused the block. This really needs escalation and an extreme high priority. I wonder if we can claim compensation for loss of business?

[Northerner]

Hi @Babakbyatt 

It could be the parental content block which is under the users control or blocked sites ordered by the UK Government for content reasons in accordance with Section 97A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

Thanks 

[JohnMaz]

Go for it.  However, in situations like this with large companies, I've found a sensible carefully worded, co-operative email saying that we have exhausted all other options, is to email the CEO.  I have had excellent success rate with BT/Openreach doing this and problems generally get resolved pretty quickly, when it's clear we are getting anywhere through normal channels.

As I have just one website and others have many more, then it could be more effective for you to contact them - but perhaps we could all do it.

As I see it, we have these issues., that affect websites hosted with siteground. Siteground have been unable to get any luck with EE, as they aren't customers of EE, and cannot test as they are based in Bulgaria.

We know that EE DNS servers are not providing name resolution for many, possibly all, siteground websites.  We get no notification page.  DNS requests simple fail to resolve the IP address.  Web pages are not redirected to any warning page.  It's simply a page not found error. Using a ping command fails to resolve an IP address.

If we bypass EE DNS, by setting a hosts file entry, or using google 8.8.8.8 (or other DNS servers) then DNS resolves the IP address normally.  This indicates the problem is with EE DNS.  

It does not happen on all EE SIM Cards, but perhaps 80% based on my small sample of 6 we have tested.  I have seen the problems on 5GEE Router 2021 from a windows laptop. Also iPhones and Android phones.  All with 18+ setting for parental controls, changing to U13 and back to 18+ does not appear to make any difference for me.   On all cases, if we connect to local WiFi, using something other than EE SIM cards, then the DNS resolves OK.

Website example dartmoorgliding.co.uk.

[JohnMaz]

Did you find out where the servers are located.  I wondered if they are applying filters to Bulgaria in general?  MX Toolbox seems to indicate the website address is a google IP address. Do siteground use google servers? If so then google would be asked to get involved perhaps.  

What I want to know is why the sites are being blocked? That's the starting point for EE network & security team.  

[XRaySpeX]

It might be Content Lock blocking it. Have you removed it?

Are you on contract or PAYG? 

• On Contract: Follow Switching Content Lock OFF or ON .
• On PAYG: On PAYG you can't control Content Lock from your MyEE. Instead you need to call EE with a credit card handy & pay a refundable token amount to prove you are over 18. Alternatively you can visit an EE store with some photo ID.