Free messaging and VoIP calling service Viber has been shut down in Saudi Arabia as it failed to comply with the regulations.
The Communications and Information Technology Commission issued a notification back in March to Viber, Skype and WhatsApp to provide a local server for monitoring user activity and gave them a 7 days period to comply with the orders. But it seems like none of these companies followed the orders, so CITC banned Viber and warned the other two companies to comply with the rules or prepare for a ban too.
After the Arab Spring in 2011 the Saudi authorities are actively monitoring social media services like Facebook, Twitter etc. Local media reports suggest that Telecom operators in Saudi Arabia pushed the Government to impose a ban on these free services as they are not good for their business.
To communicate with your friends and family members in Saudi Arabia now you have to rely on Skype or Google for free calling service. If there is a business motive behind this move, soon other VoIP service may also get banned.
