Key points
- TDRA lists the calling apps allowed in the UAE.
- WhatsApp and FaceTime calls are not on the list.
- TDRA says unlicensed calling services may be a criminal offence.
Checked 30 October 2026
Voice and video calls over the internet are a regulated service in the UAE. TDRA says they must be provided by a licensed operator or in partnership with one, and that operators must block calling apps that do not comply. That is why some apps ring normally in Dubai or Abu Dhabi while others connect for text but fail on calls.
Calling apps TDRA lists as allowed
TDRA’s Internet Guidelines publish the list of calling apps “currently allowed in the UAE”. On 30 October 2026 it named:
| Use | Apps on TDRA’s list |
|---|---|
| Work, school and personal calls | Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business, Zoom, Blackboard, Google Meet (meetings only), Cisco Webex, Avaya Spaces, BlueJeans, Slack, BOTIM, GoChat, Voico, Etisalat Cloud Talk Meeting, Matrx, Totok, Empay, Sanad, Comera |
| Telehealth | Mind Mina Telemedicine, NextGenGP Telehealth, vSee, OKADOC, DOXY, GetBEE, Dhani Health, Health Interface, Zoom |
The list has grown since TDRA first allowed Teams, Zoom, Webex and others for distance learning and home working in March 2020. The page does not show when the list itself was last changed, so check it before you rely on an app.
WhatsApp, FaceTime and others
- WhatsApp: messages work; voice and video calls are not on TDRA’s list. Gulf News (February 2026) and Khaleej Times (May 2026) reported that WhatsApp calls were still unavailable in the UAE on the phone and desktop apps, and that calls in WhatsApp Web depend on TDRA approval.
- FaceTime: not on the list. News agencies reported in 2021 that FaceTime calls briefly seemed to work; we found no recent official statement either way.
- Consumer Skype, Viber, Signal, Telegram and Messenger calls: not on the list either.
Can you use a VPN to make those calls?
Technically a VPN can carry the call. Legally it is risky. TDRA’s FAQ says that people using calling services not provided by a licensed operator “may be committing a criminal offence”, even without charging anyone, and urges people not to use such apps. A VPN does not change who provides the service. Lawyers quoted in the UAE press have said the same, and our legal guide explains how the cybercrime law treats VPN use.
We do not recommend using a VPN to get around the UAE’s restrictions on calling apps. Use an app from TDRA’s list instead, or a call plan from your mobile operator.
Options that are clearly allowed
- Normal phone calls and international call packs from your operator.
- Apps on TDRA’s list above, such as BOTIM, Zoom, Teams or Google Meet.
- Messaging (text, voice notes, photos) in WhatsApp and other apps, which is not restricted the way calls are.
- A company VPN that your employer runs for work, used the way the employer intends.
Sources
Checked on 30 October 2026. Providers change their apps, servers and terms, so check the official page before you pay.
- TDRA: Internet Guidelines (VPN guidance, blocking categories, allowed VoIP apps)
- TDRA: frequently asked questions (VoIP)
- TDRA: statement on distance-learning and work apps (24 March 2020)
- Gulf News: WhatsApp Web gets voice and video calls, UAE availability (10 February 2026)
- Khaleej Times: WhatsApp in the UAE, five things to know (2 May 2026)
- Khaleej Times: is it illegal to use VPNs to make free calls? (lawyer's answer, 12 March 2023)
What users say No comments yet