Press & PR

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to see an increase in the arrival of VoIP services in the country.

The country's industry regulator could soon allow VoIP providers to operate in the country and to provide international VoIP services, enabling thousands of Britons living in the Emirates to stay in touch with family and friends more easily.

At present, the UAE's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority only allows two companies to operate VoIP services, but the watchdog is looking at the possibility of changing this approach and allowing greater competition into the country.

"We have opened VoIP to the licensed operators for national calls and are doing a consultation to again license operators for international calls," TRA director general Mohammed Al Ghanim said, according to Arabian Business.

But he added that for such companies to be able to operate in the UAE, they would still need to be registered in the country.

There are 60,000 British citizens currently classed as living full-time or part-time in the UAE, meaning that the increased development of VoIP technology in the country will help to enable many more people make more cheap international calls.