Why Skype, BBM Voice, Viber may not work for some in UAE…

Is the use of Skype, BBM Voice or Viber illegal in the UAE? Will you be able to make VoIP calls using any of the above mentioned services or do none of these work from your phone? And more importantly, who is responsible for this?

VoIP services such as Skype, BBM Voice and Viber can all be easily downloaded onto your phone.

Interestingly, Viber can even be recharged using the Google Play store via du or Etisalat Pay.

Users will, however, not be able to recharge their Skype credit from within the UAE due to the page being currently blocked.

“Try calling someone using any of the VoIP services and all you hear is a ‘Hello’ and then the long scrambled voice like a twisted guitar string,” said George Kurian.

Beena Thomas who uses an iPhone and a BlackBerry 10 device added: “It worked the first time. I tried it on Skype first and the same pattern repeated on Viber and now on BlackBerry Voice.

“All three worked the first time I installed it. But it all stopped working the very next day.”

According to her, she received an update for BBM on her iPhone, which enabled BBM Voice calls. 

She, however, added that her BlackBerry device is yet to receive a similar update.

UAE’s Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA) has already clarified that it is not the one that blocks or unblocks any service.

TRA issued a statement in earlier this year [in September] that only Etisalat and Du are authorised to provide the service here in UAE.

TRA has even gone on record to state so in its official website.

Explaining its policy on the VoIP service, TRA notes only those who are licensed to provide the VoIP service in the UAE can do so and that it does not block VoIP traffic or protocols.

 

According to the TRA, the Federal Law by Decree (3) of 2003 and its amendments clearly indicates that VoIP based services are considered ‘Regulated Activities’ as defined in the law, when offered and supplied to subscriber.

‘Therefore a Telecommunications License is required to offer such services in the UAE. VoIP Services are regulated by the TRA Regulatory Framework and specifically by the TRA VoIP Regulatory Policy ver.2.0 issued December 30, 2009. This policy replaced the previous version (ver.1.0, issued December 26, 2006)’, it notes.

Explaining further, the TRA says the previous version of the law restricted provisioning of VoIP Services (but not VoIP Technology) for international calls, while the current one allows licensees to provide VoIP services, allowing users to connect to PSTN numbers in other countries.

Therefore, “as per the VoIP Policy ver. 2.0, the licensees have the right to block illegal VoIP traffic,” the note adds.

It also states only those who are licensed to provide the service (Etisalat and du) may provide VoIP Services in the UAE, thereby making it amply clear that all VoIP services, as long as they are not offered by either Etisalat or du, remains illegal and can be blocked.

Explaining it further TRA notes that ‘services for internet calls provided by third parties fall within the scope of this policy.

‘As voice calls provided by Skype are considered to be a Regulated Activity, such services have to be provided by a licensee. Hence, it is illegal to use such software to make calls (eg Skype-out/Skype-in), unless this third party (eg Skype) is licensed by the TRA to provide such services or a Licensee provides the service in collaboration with this third party’.
 

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