Saudi to lift ban on voice, video call apps within a week

14/09/2017 Argaam

Saudi Arabian minister of communications, Abdullah Al Swaha, has directed the chairman of Communications & Information Technology Commission (CITC) to lift the ban placed on voice and video call applications in the Kingdom within a week.

 

The decision will include all applications that fulfil regulatory requirements and would come into effect from Wednesday, Sept. 20, Al Swaha said in a series of tweets.

 

However, the ministry has not specified the requirements that need to be fulfilled.

 

CITC and Saudi telecom companies are currently coordinating with each other to allow all subscribers-- Saudi nationals and residents--to use the apps, the ministry said in a statement seen by Argaam.

 

The step aims at increasing the sector’s transparency level and will be followed by a number of initiatives to improve subscriber experience, the statement added.

 

Voice and video calls apps such as Skype, Viber, WhatsApp calls and other apps have been blocked in Saudi Arabia.

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