As you well know
that we can send text messages, video, images and recorded audio over Whatsapp
to friends all over the world effortlessly. From a simple messaging app it has
now grown into a mainstay for many of us to stay in touch. We can now connect
with people that we have lost contact over the years if we get in a group that
has those friends. It has made the world truly small.
Enter the next
logical step in the service offered by Whatsapp; voice calling. You don't have
to check the news for this release of Whatsapp. It is yet an unofficial
release, but now it is possible to make voice calls using Whatsapp. Basically
it uses the VoIP technology to make the calls and allows users to make 'free'
calls. To elaborate it uses the internet to make your voice calls, basically
free calls anywhere in the world! We think that Whatsapp knew that introducing
such a feature would cause problems with the telecom operators in some regions.
So it’s no surprise it’s already ruffled feathers in the UAE.
According to
emirates247.com the new Whatsapp feature is being blocked by the major telecoms
in UAE. Sources say that just hours after this feature was launched, the UAE
telecoms scrambled the service. VoIP services can only be offered by licensed
telecoms in UAE viz. Etisalat and Du. The Telecommunications Regulatory
Authority (TRA) issued a statement about the use of VoIP in the UAE: "VoIP
services are still a prerogative of the licensed providers who reserve the
right to provide such services through their networks. Companies wishing to
offer such services must co-ordinate with the licensed telecom providers in the
UAE."
So here is the
quandary. If the new calling service has been scrambled, it will take some time
to affect all the users in UAE. However according to rumors, those users who
have already installed the new feature, might be able to continue using it over
Wi-Fi. Also Du users are saying that the service is working without any
problems.
None of the
parties involved have given us an official comment on the situation.