Transparency will aid industry

Technical issues around the Twitter app Periscope point to a wider lack of clarity

Clarity over whether apps like Periscope will be approved by the telecommunications regulator will help innovation in the UAE. AFP

Periscope users in the UAE have now resumed broadcasting live video from their smartphones. For about a week, the app, which is owned by Twitter, has not been accessible in the UAE. Users thought it had been blocked, but the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said it was a technical problem and soon resolved it.

There is an issue here that goes beyond this particular app. There is a perception that applications in the UAE are often arbitrarily blocked. Facebook Messenger video calling, Skype, Apple’s FaceTime and WhatsApp video calling – none work under normal circumstances in the UAE. The TRA’s explanation is that, technically, VOIP services must be licensed, and only Etisalat and du are licensed. It is less clear how, for example, Skype might apply for a licence – and certainly, since Skype need not apply for a specific licence to operate in any other major market, it is unlikely to do so solely to operate in the UAE, putting residents at a disadvantage.

At its root, this is a question of transparency. It is perfect reasonable for UAE authorities to decide what is and is not permissible in the country – there are plenty of less-than-wholesome websites that are banned – but it is the lack of transparency about what is banned and why that poses the problem.

In particular, that lack of transparency has an impact on innovation. The UAE is passionate about embracing the digital revolution and getting young people to innovate and become entrepreneurs in this ever-expanding space. Smartphone penetration is significant in the UAE and in the Gulf generally, and developers naturally see apps as a burgeoning market.

But if it is not clear how their creations will be dealt with by telecommunications regulators, that is an obvious hurdle to innovation. Which entrepreneur would want to dedicate months to building an app, only to have it never see commercial daylight for reasons unexplained?

That’s why, in the future, there needs to be more transparency and proactivity from regulators. It is better for customers, better for developers and better for the general economy.