As many Ooredoo customers in Qatar took to social media complaining the telecom service provider has put a limit on “bandwidth for voip calls,” Ooredoo tweeted that the issue has nothing to do with Ooredoo Super net.
“We have noticed that some customers are experiencing quality issues when calling using VolP applications and would like to assure you that the problem is not with our Ooredoo Super net,” two consecutive tweets from telecom operators’ official account said.
We have noticed that some customers are experiencing quality issues when calling using VolP applications and would like to pic.twitter.com/5jmUFD9fuL
— Ooredoo Qatar (@OoredooQatar) August 31, 2017
assure you that the problem is not with our Ooredoo Super net.#Ooredoo
— Ooredoo Qatar (@OoredooQatar) August 31, 2017
However Ooredoo hasn't elaborated what actually did cause the breakdown.
Many customers faced difficulties to make phone calls through messenger apps such as WhatsApp.
@OoredooQatar can you guys fix the network? It is messing our Eid Celebrations. pic.twitter.com/aYZDVhuwxm
— Kings Edwin (@ThatMadKing) August 31, 2017
Video calls and, to an extent voice calls too, to other countries were affected though text messages worked as usual.
@OoredooQatar why are you limiting bandwidth for voip calls?
— Asad Javid (@AsadJavid) August 31, 2017
Unlike some countries in GCC, Qatar’s policy on VoIP is lax.
A statement, issued in another contex,t in Ministry of Transport and Communications website says:
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.
The Telecommunications Law 34 of 2006 does, however, make it illegal for any person to provide telecommunications services to the public for a direct or indirect fee without a license issued by ictQATAR for that purpose.
Currently the only two entities licensed by ictQATAR to provide such voice services to the public in Qatar are Qatar Telecom (QTel) Q.S.C. and Vodafone Qatar Q.S.C.
In summary, the position on VoIP is:
1. Any person or business within the State of Qatar may use VoIP services for voice calls for their own use; and
2. No person or business within the State of Qatar may sell VoIP calls or services to the public or businesses without a license issued by ictQATAR. The only two companies currently licensed for that purpose are QTel and Vodafone.
ictQATAR is committed to encouraging the availability of the latest technology to Qatari citizens and residents.
Any person with further questions about Qatar's VoIP policy may contact ictQATAR by email at consumervoice@ict.gov.qa or by calling our consumer help line at 103.
Meanwhile, the problem is not confined to Ooredoo, it seems. Some Vodafone customers, responding to this story vent their anger through the comment box of The Peninsula’s Facebook page:
