However, one of the most unfortunate things about the region is that Skype and any other VOIP services aren’t usable for anyone living in or even just visiting the UAE. The local government-owned telecom providers have blocked all these services. As such, it can be frustrating if you want to keep in touch with family, friends, or even co-workers while in the region. Fortunately, a VPN can access VOIP services in the UAE.
The Best VPNs for Video Calling Apps in the UAE
Are VPNs legal in UAE?
There’s a Cyber Crime law that restricts Emirati citizens or expats living in the UAE from using VPNs, but this only applies to illegal activities. The law states: While my team and I don’t condone participating in illegal activities, there have been no public cases of foreigners being penalized for using a VPN with VOIP services to date. The common practice is that the UAE fights these services by technologically blocking them, rather than chasing after visitors who use them. However, it’s still best to exercise caution if you decide to access VOIP services within the UAE’s borders.
Will Free VPNs work?
Though free VPNs offer us the chance to use a VPN without having to pay anything out of the pocket, it’s not advisable to use one. Those that don’t compromise your privacy and security have premium plans, and so free plans are generally limited. The most popular limit is the amount of data transfer allowed, with most VPNs ranging around 1-2 GB a month to entice users to upgrade to the paid plans. Considering that video calls usually consume a lot of bandwidth, this limit is quite harsh. If you want a VPN that you can use for a short time, we’d advise that you go for a risk-free premium VPN service. Some of the best VPNs usually offer a no-questions-asked money-back guarantee. Here’s a list of the top 2 VPNs that you can trust.
How a VPN Works With Voice Calling Apps
A VPN is an online tool that encrypts your traffic and then securely tunnels it to a server in a location of your choice. The server spoofs your real IP address and provides an alternative belonging to the location of the particular server. For example, if you’re from the UK and visiting the UAE, you can connect to a VPN server in the UK to access your local websites and apps (including Skype and WhatsApp). From there, you’ll be able to use any VOIP service to stay in touch with your family, friends, or business contacts. Not only does a VPN allow you to safely access VOIP apps, but it also keeps your personal data safe at all times from hackers, advertisers, and any other unwanted third parties. To avoid lags and other complications, make sure you choose a fast VPN service like ExpressVPN. The VPN has super-fast servers, keeps zero logs, is super secure, and has a huge server network. With 3000 servers in 94 countries, you will get fast and reliable connections with low latency. Therefore, you’ll be able to enjoy HD video calls using any of the VOIP services listed below. ExpressVPN can be installed on any VPN-compatible device, and it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Top Video Calling Apps for UAE
Skype
Skype is the voice and video calling app that revolutionized the industry before many other companies jumped in. The app is incredibly reliable thanks to its high-quality calls, and it has a large user base of over 250 million active users. You can call any other Skype user for free, and you can also call landlines and cell phones across the globe at low rates. The app is cross-platform, and you can install it on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
WhatsApp video
With about 1.5 billion users across the world, Whatsapp is the most popular mobile messaging app. After proving itself as the best messaging app, Whatsapp now lets you voice call as well as video call for free across the world. Just like Skype, you can text using Whatsapp in the UAE, but voice and video calls are restricted.
Google Duo
Duo is a video call from Google, the tech giants. The app was launched in 2016, and it now has 1 billion downloads on Google Play Store. One of the apps greatness lies in the simplicity of its interface. Duo is cross-platform, and it can be installed on both Android and iOS devices. It can also be used within the Google Chrome browser on desktops and laptops.
Facebook Messenger
With Facebook Messenger, you can reach any of your Facebook friends who use the messaging app or are online. The messaging app has a total of 1.3 billion users, making it one of the most popular apps. You don’t need to have a Facebook account to use Messenger as you can still register using your email address or phone number. The app is available across Android, iOS, Windows, Windows Phone, and as a Web app.
Viber
Viber is another of the best video calling apps for UAE, and it currently has a monthly active user base of 260 million users. The app lets you easily video call any other Viber user just by tapping the video button beside their name. Apart from video calls, you can also use Viber to send texts, video messages, call mobile and landline number, send files, emojis, stickers, and so much more. Viber is cross-platform, and it can be installed on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
Final Word
With a reliable VPN, you can use either of the top five video call apps for UAE to reach out to your family, friends, or businesses.
