A VPN can be used to bypass internet censorship in the UAE but How?
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MenaVPN enables you to make WhatsApp calls, FaceTime, unblock games, Stream online, and access other geo-restricted websites.
It’s no secret now that the governments in certain countries try to limit their citizens’ access to the internet.
Countries like the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have taken similar measures to restrict internet access in their own countries as well. They’re not alone in this. It’s common practice throughout the whole MENA region, Iran, Russia, and China, to name just a few. It’s mostly done due to either political, religious, or commercial reasons. All three seem to fit the case in the UAE, a major Arab nation located in the south of the Persian gulf that you couldn’t have overlooked all these years through the fanfare of development and modernization coming out of it.
We all know Dubai, right? We’ve heard about it at least. Well, in Dubai you can’t make a single call using popular VoIP-powered apps such as WhatsApp or FaceTime or take online meetings using Zoom or Google Meet. For anyone who intends to travel to the UAE, being aware of the internet situation there is extremely important so that they won’t be surprised when they arrive.
Preparation is key, so to speak. Thus, here we intend to provide you with the relevant information on the topic, give you a few suggestions and tips and finally present our recommendation of the best VPN to use in UAE. Whether you’re already in UAE or if you’re just planning to visit and want to avoid a major disconnect from the free internet, you’ll find this article to your benefit.
First, we’ll try to understand the internet situation in the UAE, with our focus on the internet quality and reasons behind the restrictions, then we’ll discuss the most vital part of the restricted content, that is, the VoIP services. After that, we’ll dive into the best of the solutions which is called a VPN, discussing its ups and downs, what makes a good VPN, and how to find the best.
Lastly, we shall hope to have shown you with ample reason and in comparison to other brands, that our very own MenaVPN will prove itself to be the best on the market, and of course, the best choice for you.
Why Every UAE Resident Needs a VPN
The Ultimate Guide to using a VPN in the UAE
The UAE and internet censorship
Where to begin? There’s no shortage of online materials or services that are cut off from ordinary users of the internet. Here’s a brief list that only names a handful.
- VoIP services: VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, and is, to put it in the simplest terms, the relatively new method of transferring sound over the internet, and apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber, Skype, and FaceTime are its champions in popularity and ease of access. They are altogether banned in the UAE, mostly due to the government’s policies favoring the telecom companies.
- Streaming services: Netflix, , Amazon, and Hulu are among the streaming services unavailable in their original structure to the inhabitants of the UAE.
- Social networks: Facebook, Instagram, etc are partially censored in the UAE.
- Politically sensitive content such as critical sentiments towards the government is censored in the UAE.
- Pornographic and other religiously prohibited content is censored emphatically in the UAE.
- PC and mobile Games such as Pubg and Roblox are blocked in UAE.
The restrictions imposed on all of these can be easily lifted with a single tap on a button in your choice application that uses a technology called VPN. Before anything, let’s learn what that is.
Below you can find some useful blogs related to unblocking the mentioned services in UAE.
How to unblock WhatsApp call in UAE
How to unblock Facetime in UAE
What is a VPN?
Not much more than what its three letters represent. It’s a Virtual Private Network, that is, in slightly more technical jargon, it creates a Virtual encrypted(hence Private) tunnel linking your device to the server. Here are the more technical matters, not for the faint of heart:
By using specifically dedicated circuits or tunneling protocols over already existing networks, a VPN creates a virtual point-to-point connection. It’s able to deliver some of the WANs’ features to the public Internet, and users can access the private network’s resources remotely. You may ask how can a VPN protect your privacy ?
Well, many VPN service providers use impeccable security features, such as AES-256 encryption and the WireGuard tunneling protocol, to maintain a safe and secure connection between the user’s device and the server.
In many ways, it is by far the most affordable and easy-to-use method to get around the restrictions and have full access to all of the content on the internet. As we’ve already mentioned, it’s a barrier-breaker for all of the internet’s content and more.
Here’s what we mean by more.
The Many Benefits of Using a VPN
There are several advantages to using a VPN during your stay in the UAE. Here, we have made a list:
- Using a VPN helps you protect your privacy while making a call via VoIP services in UAE. Since all VoIP services like Skype, WhatsApp, and Viber are blocked in the UAE, a VPN is necessary to use their services.
- A VPN can also help you protect your WhatsApp calls from being penetrated, listened to, or spied upon in any way. A VPN encrypts all your online traffic and hides your public IP address. Having a VPN has other benefits such as protecting your privacy and preventing eavesdroppers from spying on your online activities by encrypting your traffic
- A VPN can unblock any app, website, or online service that is blocked by the UAE authorities. Almost all VPN providers have high-speed servers in different countries. You can switch your IP to that of any country of your choosing. So they can undo geo-restrictions, enabling you to access content that otherwise, was geographically out of reach. Because of it, once you are connected to a VPN you can unblock streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube TV of your own country when you’re traveling to the UAE or staying anywhere inside the MENA Region.
- Many VPN apps have extra features, such as a kill switch. It cautiously and continuously monitors your connection to the remote server to stave off your device from seeking unsound and unsafe connections. It cuts off your device’s or app’s internet access in the case of your VPN connection being terminated accidentally and unknowingly. This is also another way that VPNs protect your data and device.
Now’s the time to see what’s a good VPN like.
How to find the best VPN in the UAE
Here’s a couple of things you may check before any payment:
- Make sure the company you are going to obtain a VPN from supports your device’s operating system (iOS, Android, etc.) and offers the latest update to your device’s version.
- Check if the VPN provider has received satisfactory feedback from its former users by checking ratings and reviews.
- Get a VPN from a company that is based in the US or EU region. This way you can make sure that they’re providing you with a 100% secure connection and are obligated to comply with the EU privacy policies.
- Look for a provider that employs several servers. Check if the VPN provider has support for as many VPN ports as possible. The VPN provider should have VPN servers in various other countries where VoIP services are not banned. The provider should have superb unlocking abilities for all VoIP apps in the UAE.
- Any VPN worth any real money should provide you with fast and reliable support. Although it excels totally in all of the above-mentioned qualities, this last one is MenaVPN’s strongest point compared to other major VPN providers.
- It wouldn’t really hurt if the provider gave you a free trial of their VPN app, right? MenaVPN does this too!
What is the best VPN in UAE?
Since we began this article, we have been insisting on using our very own MenaVPN. Here’s why it’s the top VPN in UAE:
- Many VPN apps ask for payments before they provide you with a free trial. MenaVPN gives a seven-day free trial without asking for anything other than an email account.
- Once you’ve downloaded the MenaVPN app for iOS or Android you don’t need to add an email address so you won’t share any of your details and if you use Apple in-app purchases for your payment method, you’ll retain 100% anonymity. In case you’re wondering how you’re going to contact us in your time of need, MenaVPN has opened up various means of support. You can either simply send us an email using [email protected] or leave us a message on WhatsApp. If none of those were to your liking, send us a message in our in-app support.
- MenaVPN is based in the Netherlands and is registered as MenaVPN Holding BV. This means the company is 100% aligned with the EU users’ privacy protection laws. We neither store nor collect any of our users’ activities. So while your MenaVPN app is enabled and turned on, you can explore the web with the maximum privacy level, the same level as a user in the European Union.
- MenaVPN has the lowest price among the major VPN providers while offering the same if not better quality as other popular brands on the market. You can purchase it through your own chosen method of payment, either by credit cards, PayPal, in-app purchases, or even through mobile sim card payments.
You can download MenaVPN for your preferred device below.
Having doubts still? In case your doubts don’t have to do with questions such as is it illegal to use a VPN in the UAE, or whether you’ll have to pay a VPN fine in the UAE or not, which we have treated in length and in their proper place, you can download it now and enjoy a 7-day free trial!
