The ban on Skype in the United Arab Emirates was officially lifted few weeks ago. Even though, many consumers in the country report that they continue to have no access to the VOIP service, we have decided to get you updated on one particular advantage of Skype – low price.
Apart from offering free web calls to other Skype users, the tool can also connect to mobile and landline phones in or outside the country. Although this service is paid, it is much more affordable compared to the cost UAE residents pay to local carriers.
Skype users have two payment options when it comes to calls made to landline or mobile phones. The first of them is called Skype Credit and it allows you to pay as you go. With it, you simply pay for a credit and you use it whenever you want. The second option is the Skype subscription. Here users are given four different monthly packages from which they can choose – 60, 120, 400 or 800 minutes per month.
The most popular of these options are the 120-minute subscription and the Skype Credit. That is why we are going to focus on them.
Among the cheapest countries to call using the services of UAE providers Etisalat and Du is Oman. For a 30-minute call, you will need to pay somewhere between AED30 and AED63, depending on the rates (peak on or peak off). In comparison, a Skype call to Oman of the same length will cost you only AED18 to AED21, depending on the payment option you have chosen. In addition, for a call of 30 minutes to a mobile or a landline phone in Jordan, India, Yemen, Austria or Lebanon will cost you AED47-AED62 fewer if you make it via Skype. This is a huge difference and it can save users up to 80% on their phone bill every month. Moreover, the difference in the cost of calls to the UK is even more astonishing. If you use the UAE providers to call a landline or a mobile phone you will need to pay between AED57 and AED 81 for 30 minutes. A call to the same country and of the same length will cost you barely AED10.
Simply said, those who use Skype will pay AED3,200 less a year compared to consumers who call through Etisalat and Du. That is good news not only for regular users, but also for entrepreneurs and small business in UAE.
