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what's app is one of the most popular mobile messaging services out there
instead of sending text messages the app allows you to send free
online messages over the phone but the service could soon
run into a little bit of trouble in saudi arabia there are reports the
government there is threatening
to block the service, Samuel Burke is following the story and joins us with
the details Samuel
it's not just what's app
in fact they've already blocked another messaging application in saudi arabia
but now the head of Saudi Communications Commission
has told the publication arab news that their in communications with whats app
this application
and they're trying to get them to cooperate and comply with the Saudi
telecom providers now basically what he said in this interview is they want them
to establish local servers
so that they can monitor user activity and he says they have until
Ramadan to do that which is in just a couple weeks here now
Felisha now what's app isn't commenting but I spoke to the EO of the
application viber which gives its users
free phone calls his application is already blocked and the EO told me
that he wasn't even contacted by the Saudi government he was contacted by two
telecommunications companies inside Saudi Arabia to hint it sounded like
either wanted to block or listening to you the phone calls are the users inside
Saudi Arabia
and he says his 10 million users in saudi arabia
and rather than comply with that he decided that he would
he's going to try and now work around that block but his application is
blocked
at this point in time and for a little bit history Felisha, blackberry was in a
similar situation just a couple years ago in saudi officials have always
maintained
that Blackberry complied with their regulations
you know, that's an amazing number i mean 10 million users that's it a huge
user base to have been lost. how do they get around something like this??
do they have any wiggle room
look I think it's going to be very difficult... I haven't heard even
application that's been around
that's been able to get around it but of course it's just a a word technology who
has the better technology the saudi government
or is it this this application viber that has the better technology
but to me Felisha, i think when the most interesting things in all this is
who are the people were affected by this because it's not just a
young people using these applications
it's also businessmen in saudi arabia using these applications
also immigrants you know there is a huge a foreign labor workforce in saudi
arabian those people really take advantage of the services because
it allows for free text messages back home it really helps international users
free phone calls
so they're the people who who are going to be suffering if they can use these
free messaging app Felisha
well and Samuel you've promised to help me sign up
to what's app because I have some friends in angola that I'm supposed to
be
adding web HHHHHHHH ... as soon as the show finishes were going up the tech support
for gonna get install it it's really great for international users because
you know text messaging from the United States to angoIa can be very costly
absolutely.. (thank you Samuel) subtitled by ALI MAKI