"No licenses for international companies like Skype for the time being, they can join existing licensees and have partnerships with them," Mohammed Gheyath, executive director for technology development affairs, Telecoms Regulatory Authority (TRA), told reporters.

Asked when the UAE would open up for foreign companies, he said, "there is no timeframe."

Currently, local operators Etisalat and Du as well as satellite firms Yahsat and Thuraya are licensed to offer VoIP, he said.

Local operators have been providing VoIP within the UAE but this could change by the year-end.

"It is left to the service providers to start offering VoIP internationally. We hope they will start by this year end," he said.