FaceTime suddenly becomes available in the United Arab Emirates, where video calling apps have been banned for 10 years

In the United Arab Emirates, national telecommunications and digital regulators have been banning the use of video calling services for a decade. But in October 2021, it turned out that

https://apnews.com/article/dubai-middle-east-united-arab-emirates-eb2461eda153f3bc6ec281e7d1039db9

FaceTime suddenly starts working in UAE after years of blocks | AppleInsider
https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/10/10/facetime-suddenly-starts-working-in-uae-after-years-of-blocks

The United Arab Emirates has long banned video calling apps such as WhatsApp and FaceTime. As a result, FaceTime is not pre-installed on iPhones sold in the United Arab Emirates. Regulators haven't publicly explained why they're banning these apps, and the Associated Press states 'to protect the profits of state-owned carriers.'

The ban on video calling apps in the United Arab Emirates has affected a variety of apps, including Microsoft's Skype, Facebook's WhatsApp, and Apple's FaceTime. Apple and Microsoft have also urged the UAE government to lift restrictions on FaceTime and Skype, but that effort hasn't progressed.

There is no announcement that this regulation has been lifted, but the Associated Press reports that only FaceTime suddenly became available on Sunday, October 10, 2021. In addition, apps such as Skype and WhatsApp are still unusable. The Associated Press is seeking comment from UAE regulators and Apple, but neither has responded at the time of writing the article.

The United Arab Emirates city of Dubai has been hosting the Great Exhibition since October 2021, during which visitors can use apps such as WhatsApp and FaceTime. Apple Insider, a news site that handles Apple-related information, thinks that FaceTime may be able to be used outside the venue due to the impact of the deregulation that took place at the Expo venue, 'WhatsApp and Skype. Given that it remains unavailable (outside the Expo site), FaceTime may only be available temporarily. '

According to Apple Insider, UAE regulators tend to ban platforms that encrypt VoIP.