has introduced free video calling in the UAE as it takes on rival services from Skype to FaceTime.
But it is not clear whether it has received a licence to officially operate in the country two months after the global launch of the service, which is embedded in its Messenger app.
The Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (
) has yet to sanction other video calling services such as Skype, Google Hangouts and
's FaceTime, although such services are widely used.
The regulator, which did not respond to a request for comment yesterday, has repeatedly said that Skype and other VoIP services must be properly licensed to operate in the UAE.
"I believe the TRA's position on VoIP continues to be that it is a regulated communications service, which can only be offered by licensed operators," said Matthew Reed, the practice leader for the Middle East and Africa at Ovum in Dubai.
The increasing popularity of such services, and internet-based messaging applications such as WhatsApp, provide a dilemma for telecoms companies, he noted.
"On the one hand, alternative calling and messaging services represent a threat to the telecoms voice and SMS revenue. But on the other hand, customers expect to have access to these services, and that's one of the main reasons why they buy data plans that are a key growth area for the companies."
Mobile data accounted for 30.9 per cent of
's revenue during the first quarter of the year, up from 27.6 per cent a year ago.
does not publish comparable figures, but said in its most recent results presentation that increased demand for data services was a contributing factor to rises in quarterly revenue and capital expenditure.
Facebook's video calling service is available for calls made between mobile phones on both iOS and Android platforms.
In addition to the UAE, video calling through the Messenger app is now newly available in 18 markets, including Oman, the UK, the US, France, Ireland, Germany and Nigeria.
Facebook's Messenger app, launched in 2011, is used by more than 600 million people worldwide, the company said.
jeverington@thenational.ae
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