Dubai: Both the telecom operators in the UAE have blocked the voice and video-calling features on Snapchat on Thursday.
The popular social-messaging app released an update last week that steps up competition with Facebook with Chat 2.0, the feature emulating face-to-face communication, adds video and voice calling, as well as the ability to send silly stickers to your friends.
Both the users need to install the update for the new features to work.
When WhatApp introduced voice calls last year, both the telecom operators blocked the calling feature in the UAE, but it is available in some other Gulf countries.
According to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the UAE (TRA), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is considered part of the UAE’s regulated activities.
TRA’s website said that the VoIP policy allows only the licensees (etisalat and du) to provide telecommunications services in the UAE.
Etisalat sent a statement to UAE BARQ after banning Snapchat chats, saying that working companies are licensed to provide the service in the UAE through their networks. Companies wishing to provide such services should coordinate with the UAE’s licensed service providers in this regard.
Du also echoed in same voice.
Should the service be provided through a partnership with a third party, both licensees must seek approval to provide such service after fulfilling the regulatory and technical requirements of the TRA.
