Following confusion among VoIP users, ictQATAR yesterday highlighted the country's legal position vis-à-vis the service, clearly stating using VoIP from home or work was not a crime. However, the authority went on to say it is illegal for an individual or business to charge a fee for VoIP usage without a licence issued by the regulatory body.

The decision should come as a relief for VoIP users at home or at work to call family, friends or business contacts living abroad.

"Making international calls through Qtel is very expensive for low as well as middle income families," said Abu Ayah an engineer living in Doha. "There is not much talk time if one is making an international call using Hala cards. This VoIP service is good for those who have computer at home or office."

VoIP results in significant savings to the user which has also meant several Internet cafes in the country were offering the service on the sly but with a certain amount charged as a fee. These were mainly used by low-income workers who do not have access to the Internet at home or at work.

ictQATAR said in its statement: "VoIP is a technology for the delivery of voice services using existing Internet infrastructure and services. There are no laws or rules that prohibit the use of such technology within the State of Qatar. Telecommunications Law No. 34 does, however, make it illegal for any person to provide telecommunications services to the public for a direct or indirect fee without a licence issued by ictQATAR for that purpose."

The only two entities entitled to provide such voice services in the country are Qatar Telecom (Qtel) and Vodafone Qatar, which will start operations here early next year. The clarification issued by ictQATAR may be something of a setback to Qtel, the only service provider in the country.

The Internet cafes, which have tapered down their VoIP business somewhat, were clearly eating into Qtel revenues from international calls. For a nominal charge, users could chatter away with people back home, mainly to countries in the Indian subcontinent, the Philippines and Egypt, from where the majority of low-income workers here come from.

It is indeed ironic, however, Qtel's Internet service can be used to download VoIP software such as Skype.

© The Peninsula 2008

 

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