r/qatar • u/Yajourti • 1d ago
Question Genuine question about Whatsapp in Qatar
Why are WhatsApp calls banned Qatar?
In china for example they ban it but they have an alternative to use that allows you to make calls and text etc..
But then almost every single person in the country uses WhatsApp for texting communications, business or personal.. yet calls are forbidden even inside of the country
The international community here is like 85% of the population so people are constantly communicating with people abroad
Why isn’t there some alternative (that’s actually usuable, botim is very bad) something that’s made in qatar (or for the entire GCC area) that people can use to communicate
Anyways im not complaining, i found ways around this but i just want to have a conversation about this I’m genuinely curious
8
u/yassermasood 1d ago
It was working when I was living and working there (including Facetime) but then June 5, 2017 happened then they blocked it. Both telcos were playing the blaming ping-pong on the apps but then the apps said no issues as all.
8
u/MastaMinds 16h ago
Use VPN or Google Meets. Those are banned because mobile providers want to make money
25
u/HGT3057 1d ago
So that you pay for international call packages provided by the only two internet companies in the country. In other words, monopoly
•
6
u/Humble-Somewhere-452 16h ago
A lot of people are saying its because they want to force us to pay for intl calls that’s not the main reason
It’s stop people from not taking local packages
If WhatsApp is not blocked local calls would be replaced by WhatsApp
•
u/Bad_Edditor8910 4h ago
Ooredoo is making a lot of money regardless of whether they sell packages and whatnot. Our tariffs are very high but it's not like we get our money's worth in terms of network coverage, speed or reliability. My unlimited unlimited data package was down for 6 hours last week due to "maintenance." Sure.
Since there's no competition, they are choosing the lazy route to make said money. Block WhatsApp calls, sleep. At least they are not being overzealous and cracking down hard on VPNs by like terminating users or fining them.
8
3
u/Quiet_Season_8116 Butterfly 11h ago
When im on a foreign simcard, it still works without VPN. It's definitely due to telco. Like in China
3
u/Sanvalor 9h ago
Just use Google Meet. It comes pre installed on most Android phones. Even if you start a video call directly from your contacts, it often opens in Meet. There’s no ban or anything to worry about, and in my experience, the video and audio quality are much better than WhatsApp’s.
4
2
1
1
1
u/SnooCalculations8674 15h ago
Use IMO app. it’s international and the only headache is ads 😂
1
u/Dismal_Economy_1348 8h ago
Imo is shit but I see where your coming from
1
u/Pookienini 6h ago
its not shit whatsover.
1
u/Dismal_Economy_1348 6h ago
Scam calls, so much ads and not that good quality id rather Google meet or discord
•
u/Pookienini 4h ago
hm. I use Imo all the time to call my mom and the video and audio is always good, i spend sometimes an hour on a call and the ad only comes after one of us end the call and I have never gotten a single scam call. Looks like you donot have the right settings. But whatever its just an app lol
•
0
-3
u/Just_Bar7059 15h ago
Apparently, and dont quote me on this, it has something to do with the terms and conditions or something to do with Meta which is also why messenger calls are blocked. I was here when they first blocked all video calls and at the time it was when qatar had that tiff with uae and saudi. Something about uae using video call platforms to hack security. I honestly can't remember. But it was supposedly a security issue which they sorted out with other platforms like zoom for eg, but due to Meta something or other they could not secure whatsapp and messenger hence they remain blocked.
25
u/babujaw14 1/2Qatari 1d ago
Google meet and to answer you, Monopoly