The United Arab Emirates’ top telecoms operator, Etisalat, has stopped blocking the website of Skype, the world’s number one Internet-based phone call provider, although the move could put further pressure on the state-controlled firm’s revenue.
Voice over Internet Protocol providers such as Skype allow for free internet-to-internet phone calls and messaging, while tariffs for internet-to-mobile or landline phone calls are dramatically cheaper than by conventional means.
Etisalat, in an announcement made on its Facebook page, said it had unblocked access to Skype’s website on Monday. Such access had been denied for several years. Reuters was able to access Skype’s website with an Etisalat mobile phone.
The statement did not say whether Skype-to-phone calls were also now possible and Etisalat did not reply to requests for more comment. It initially announced it had unblocked access to Skype’s website last week via Twitter, then deleted the tweet.
“It is becoming less sustainable to maintain restrictions on VoIP because the way people use communications is rapidly changing,” said Matthew Reed, a principal analyst at Informa in Dubai. “So there is an argument that it’s better for operators to find a way to work with over-the-top internet players such as Skype, rather than forlornly trying to fight market trends.”
Yet allowing these services will mean operators lose a big chunk of their international call revenues, Reed added.
