RIYADH: Several residents in Saudi Arabia have reported that they are now able to use WhatsApp’s voice and video calling features, which have been restricted in the Kingdom for years.

However, it remains unclear whether this activation is part of a temporary test run or a permanent policy change. Neither the Saudi government nor WhatsApp has officially confirmed any updates to the policy.

Experts suggest that activating these features may align with Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to enhance users’ communication services.

WhatsApp, one of the world’s most popular messaging platforms, introduced voice calls in 2015 and video calls in 2016. However, these services have been blocked in Saudi Arabia due to regulatory restrictions.

In the past, there have been occasional instances where the features became available briefly, but these were attributed to technical adjustments rather than official policy changes, according to Gulf News.

Last year, speculation arose that the ban on WhatsApp calls had been lifted, but the Communications, Space and Technology Commission of Saudi Arabia dismissed these claims, reaffirming that the restrictions remained in place.

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