Who takes the call on FB ban over Skype service?

The fate of Facebook in the UAE hangs in the balance due to its tie-up with internet telephony company Skype.

Standalone Skype software has been banned for years in the UAE, but questions remain whether the same ban applies to internet calling offered within the Facebook platform.

According to a report in Gulf News, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) reiterated its earlier position that VoiP services are regulated and can only be offered by licensed operators.

The TRA did not respond directly to the Facebook question.

Earlier this month, Facebook unveiled the tie-up with Skype to bolster free services offered to its 750 million users around the globe, sparking debate once again in the UAE where voice over internet protocol services (VoIP) are illegal. 

Currently, only du and eisalat are licensed to offer such services in the UAE and operate under the country's Telecom Law Federal law 3 of 2003.

"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," TRA said in a statement issued to Gulf News.

"Hence it is illegal to use such software to make calls (Skype-out/Skype-in), unless this third party (Skype) is licensed by the TRA to provide such services or a licensee (for example: etisalat or du) provides the service in collaboration with this third party."

The policy also gives du and etisalat the right to block any unlicensed party believed to be providing illegal VoIP services in the UAE.

The regulation states that licensees will "be entitled to block that VoIP service, unless instructed by the TRA to do otherwise."

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