--- title: "Internet in Dubai: coverage, eSIM and calls through apps" description: "The network is among the best in the world and calls through apps are restricted. What works, what does not and how to arrange contact with home." url: https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/internet-in-dubai markdown: https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/internet-in-dubai.md lang: en site: Gigapass generated: 2026-10-24 languages: es: https://getgigapass.com/blog/internet-en-emiratos-arabes-unidos de: https://getgigapass.com/de/blog/internet-in-dubai it: https://getgigapass.com/it/blog/internet-a-dubai fr: https://getgigapass.com/fr/blog/internet-a-dubai pt: https://getgigapass.com/pt/blog/internet-no-dubai nl: https://getgigapass.com/nl/blog/internet-in-dubai ja: https://getgigapass.com/ja/blog/dubai-internet ko: https://getgigapass.com/ko/blog/dubai-internet zh-hans: https://getgigapass.com/zh-hans/blog/dibai-wangluo pl: https://getgigapass.com/pl/blog/internet-w-dubaju sv: https://getgigapass.com/sv/blogg/internet-i-dubai no: https://getgigapass.com/no/blogg/internett-i-dubai da: https://getgigapass.com/da/blog/internet-i-dubai tr: https://getgigapass.com/tr/blog/dubai-de-internet ru: https://getgigapass.com/ru/blog/internet-v-dubae zh-hant: https://getgigapass.com/zh-hant/blog/dubai-shangwang ar: https://getgigapass.com/ar/mudawana/al-internet-fi-dubai he: https://getgigapass.com/he/blog/internet-be-dubai index: https://getgigapass.com/llms/en.txt --- # Internet in Dubai: the restriction worth knowing about before you go > The network is among the best in the world and calls through apps are restricted. What works, what does not and how to arrange contact with home. [Home](https://getgigapass.com/en) › [Blog](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog) › Internet in Dubai: the restriction worth knowing about before you go Destinations The network is among the best in the world and calls through apps are restricted. What works, what does not and how to arrange contact with home. **Rubén Ortega** 10 Aug 2026 6 min Photo by ZQ Lee on Unsplash In this article › Calls through apps are restricted › Coverage, which causes no trouble › Public wi-fi › What you are going to use The Emirates have one of the best mobile networks in the world: 5G everywhere in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, coverage on the metro, in the malls and even across much of the desert near the cities. And they have a quirk that surprises almost everyone who arrives. ## Calls through apps are restricted In the Emirates, voice and video calls through messaging apps have been restricted by the local carriers for years. Text messages, photos and voice notes work normally; what may not work is pressing the call button inside the app. Here comes the important part, and it is the opposite of what people assume: carrying a foreign eSIM does NOT get around the restriction, because the traffic travels over the local network just like anyone else's. Whoever tells you otherwise is selling you something. - Messages, photos and voice notes work. - Voice and video calls inside the apps may be blocked. - There are apps authorised in the country for calling over the internet. - Ordinary phone calls over your line work at your carrier's roaming rates. The practical move is to agree it before you leave with whoever needs to talk to you: messages and voice notes for day to day, and an ordinary call if a voice is needed. ## Coverage, which causes no trouble Broad 5G in the two large cities, coverage on the Dubai metro and in the high-rises, and a good signal on the roads between emirates. On desert excursions it drops out at times, and on the further dunes there is simply none. ## Public wi-fi Plentiful in malls, hotels and airports, almost always with registration by mobile number. Since registration asks for a number that can receive a code, keeping your own line active for texts settles the matter. ## What you are going to use Between 400 and 800 MB a day. It is a destination of many photos, a lot of map use inside enormous malls and a fair amount of ride-hailing. If your trip is a long layover on the way to Asia, first look at [what your carrier charges outside the EU](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/how-much-does-roaming-cost). There are local rules about photographing people, official buildings and certain facilities. It is worth reading up on them: this is not a courtesy note, there it can have legal consequences. Leaving soon? Pick the days and the data you need. Install it before you leave and pay once. [See plans](https://getgigapass.com/en/united-arab-emirates) Rubén OrtegaAsia and the Middle East He left for three months in Southeast Asia and came back four years later. He writes about the places where sorting out a local line is half the trouble. ## Frequently asked questions **Does WhatsApp work in Dubai?** Messages, photos and voice notes do. Voice and video calls inside the app have been restricted by the local carriers for years. **Does a foreign eSIM get around that restriction?** No. The traffic travels over the local network just like anyone else's, so the restriction applies just the same. **Is coverage good in the Emirates?** Among the best in the world: broad 5G in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with signal on the metro and in the high-rises. Deep in the desert it drops out. **How do I call home from Dubai?** With an ordinary call over your line, at your carrier's roaming rates, or with one of the apps authorised in the country. **How much data do I need?** Between 400 and 800 MB a day, a little more if you lean hard on ride-hailing and photos. ## Keep reading - [Comparisons](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/best-esim-dubai) | Best eSIM for Dubai: which plan fits a layover and which fits a trip | 6 min - [Destinations](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/internet-in-spain-for-tourists) | Internet in Spain if you are coming from abroad: what to know | 7 min - [Destinations](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/internet-in-germany) | Internet in Germany: why the coverage surprises people on arrival | 7 min