Tips and Cost to Build a Video Calls App like Totok

Messenger apps are really popular these days, even ignoring the sudden surge in popularity due to the coronavirus pandemic. In this article, we talk about how to build an app like ToTok, a messenger launched last year in the United Arab Emirates that’s been talked about extensively and is surrounded by controversy. We’ll touch on its conveniences and issues and will estimate the cost to make an app like ToTok messenger.

What is ToTok?

The ToTok messenger was launched in 2019 in the UAE to meet demand for free online audio/video calling tools since Skype, WhatsApp, and other free VoIP services are banned in the country. ToTok offers all basic VoIP features you would expect from a free service. We’ll expand on this a bit later. But first, we’d like to shine some light on the issues VoIP services face in the United Arab Emirates.

Why are free VoIP services banned in the UAE?

This question isn’t easy to answer. Basically, for a communications service to operate in the UAE, it needs to be approved by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). The TRA conducts an audit to deem a service appropriate. The rules for approval include security requirements and compliance with UAE legislation.

In the UAE, there are two main telecommunication companies offering VoIP services: Etisalat and Du. Both of these companies are technically government-owned. It seems reasonable to believe that foreign free telecommunications services are banned in the country in order for national companies to preserve a monopoly and to keep profits within the state.

For the sake of clarity, foreign telecommunications services do work in the Emirates. You can send messages via Skype and WhatsApp on the territory of the Emirates. What you can’t do is conduct audio and video calls using these services. Instead, you’ll have to use one of the approved options like BOTIM, a subscription-based service for video and voice calls. There are a number of such services operating in the UAE, but all of them are paid. Well, all were paid before ToTok came around.

People in the UAE have happily jumped at the opportunity to make free calls over the internet. However, at the beginning of 2020, the ToTok app was removed from both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, and as of the time of writing, it hasn’t been reinstated.

Want more about creating a video calls app? You can read the full article on our website: Tips and Cost to Build a Video Calls App like Totok