WhatsApp calls working in the UAE now?

There were reports of some people being able to use the voice and video calls on WhatsApp. So we tried it.

We were successfully able to connect to our colleagues here at work. While the quality of the call was a bit patchy, we can attest to the fact that the video and voice feature worked.

Since we used the business WiFi, we had one of our readers try making calls from within a home WiFi connection which also worked. However, international calls didn't seem to work.

While popular apps such as Skype or the call features of WhatsApp don't work here, telecom providers in the country have come up with plans for customers who can choose to pay for an app that will allow for good-quality voice and video calls over the internet

ToTok is a free app that many users reported being able to use seamlessly but the app is currently only available on Google Play Store. For iOS users, those who initially downloaded ToTok app from App Store can still use it but new users cannot download as the app was later removed and has not yet been reinstated.

In the UAE, telecom providers have a list of apps for residents such as Botim, Voico etc. that can be used to make local and international calls over the internet based on subscription offers ranging between Dh50 and Dh100 for one month.

In an interview with CNBC, Mohammad Al Kuwaiti, executive director of the UAE’s National Electronic Security Authority, said the UAE had increased its collaborations with big tech platforms on national security initiatives, especially with the Facebook-owned WhatsApp. However, there have been no updates on this yet.