"Etisalat is set to mark a new milestone, a revolution in internet and telephony that will change the future of telecommunication in the region."So reads an invite to a press conference being hosted by Etisalat this Wednesday. The "revolution in internet and telephony" has me thinking this is some sort of special new VoIP application being released by Etisalat, although it could be something completely different.
There is a misperception that VoIP services like Skype are banned and blocked in the UAE. This is not true. Only licensed telecommunications companies (Etisalat and du) can offer commercial calling services, which is why the Skype website - which lets you charge up your account with a credit card to make calls to phones and landlines - is blocked.
But there is nothing wrong with sending voice over the internet, as anybody who uses Xbox Live, MSN Messenger or any of a million other web applications that include voice chat would know. And Skype works just fine if you already have it installed.
Because Etisalat has a telecom license, it is free to release some kind of desktop VoIP application, more expensive than Skype but cheaper than anything else on the market. But will it? We will all find out on Wednesday.
Tom wrote: "But there is nothing wrong with sending voice over the internet, as anybody who uses Xbox Live, MSN Messenger or any of a million other web applications that include voice chat would know."
Do you have official confirmation from the TRA and Etisalat that this is the case?
The official TRA regulation is incredibly strict and says "All VoIP Services that use the Public Internet are prohibited."
This should mean that anything that transmits a live voice over the internet is illegal, including live streaming video, etc.
But as we all know, what matters in the UAE is the implementation, not the letter of the law. And in the implementation, the TRA have very clearly allowed services that transmit voice over the internet to operate here - Xbox Live being the best example.
It is pretty clear that the purpose of the regulations is to protect the lucrative international calling duopoly enjoyed by Etisalat and du. So services that compete with that, like Skype, are hassled (but not outright blocked) while stuff that doesn't really threaten the core international calling market (like the "voice chat" add-ons to messenger programs, computer games etc) are not being targeted.
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, while the letter of the law may not be observed in individual cases in the UAE, I doubt there is a lawyer in the country who would recommend a reputable company taking the same risk which means that those who stand to benefit most from VOIP i.e. businesses operating internationally, must still incur comms costs in the millions until the law is changed.
What remains to be seen is whether tomorrow's announcement is truly a revolutionary change or something a little more watered-down such as Singtel introduced a few years back (lower-cost calls over the PSTN using a VOIP transport)
Skype's PC-to-PC works fine, only PC-to-Phone is blocked. Although Apples iChat is completely blocked...
Skype's PC-to-PC works fine, only PC-to-Phone is blocked.
My mileage differs …
I've been using Skype's PC to PC for service years for years but I'm glad to see Etisalat making some moves in this market.
It is no different in many parts of the world. The core of the issue will always be , how much can we make? and how can we keep it to ourselves?. How this is achieved obviously varies but the core ethos remains. If a venture is not profitable or scalable enough it will be let continue, however once it crosses those thresholds it's time to look out.
I enjoy Skype, actually. PC to phone would definitely be an improvement though.
Absolutely right decision. This market requires changes immediately.
Thanks for the information
Thanks
Hi ..my names hakan .. very nice post comment ..
I enjoy Skype, actually. PC to phone would definitely be an improvement though. thanks admin
Skype's PC-to-PC works fine, only PC-to-Phone is blocked. Although Apples iChat is completely blocked...
Perfect sharing
Thanks ...